Oh, my goodness!  I’ve been home several days and have not caught up yet! So much to do, so little time.  Much is put away but not all.

It was such a good trip!  The Omaha Guild is a wonderful, welcoming group who turned out for the lecture with lots of quilts and my two workshops – here’s a photo of them hard at work on their Coneflowers wallhangings.  They all did an amazing job!

My fears of snow did not develop for which I am VERY grateful.  We did have a couple of rainy days and decided to spend them inside dying fabric; that was a great way to pass the time.  I don’t generally use a lot of hand dyes in my work but occasionally I do, and especially for skies. so I concentrated on dying some skies, mostly.

These are some of the better ones. keep in mind that for the way I work they will not be used as a whole piece, but cut apart so I think there are some very usable sections here.

I was specifically trying for not your typical blue skies.

While I was away I had occasion to look at my website on two different computers and was dismayed to discover that my pictures were extremely dark. I had adjusted them to look good on my monitor which I now think needs to be calibrated. I am posting the dyed fabric pictures un-adjusted. They look light on my screen, but I would be interested in feedback as to how you think the pictures have been looking, now and in the past. I realize that you don’t really know, not having seen the real thing! But do you have the sense that you have been unable to see detail due to darkness?

The real reason that I was on my hostess’s computer was to check on the progress of the SAQA Auction.  I am thrilled to announce that “Don’t Piss Off the Fairies” was purchased in the first minutes of the auction by the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection!!  Thank you , Del!  I am so happy that the fairy has found a good home with you, now perhaps she will get happy, too.

More good news — during the time I was gone I received word that “Mon Grand Pere” has been accepted to the “Form Not Function: Quilt Art At The Carnegie” exhibit in Albany, IN. There were 276 entries and only 39 were accepted so I feel very fortunate!

These last pieces of dyed fabric were done in a different method. I love how the crinkles and the blended colors add texture.  I think that dying could become addictive as one gained mastery over the effects that can be achieved. For me, I had no clue what I would get, but it was still fun and exciting to see what we got!

Tags: Form Not Function, Hand dyes, Omaha, SAQA Auction