How Long Does Something Like this Take?

Hello dear blog readers!
Some of you may know that I have been working on a donation block for the Baltimore Applique Society online auction - Bits of Baltimore. It's fair to say that apart from my gainful employment, I have been working on this project exclusively - and enjoying every minute of it. 



Discovered that my cubicle wall at work
makes an excellent design wall!

Well, yesterday I went back to the organizer for the second time and begged for more time to complete this project. By the way - THANK YOU for the extension Cathy!  
In the email exchange, Cathy mentioned that she had put in well over 80 hour of work into her donation block.  That got me thinking, just how long have I been working on this wall hanging?  Most of the time I have Netflix running in the background while I hand stitch.  So I went back to my Netflix history and was shocked to that since I started work on this block - late February this year - I have watched well over 112 hour programming.  That does not include the time I stitched riding in the car or listening to books on tape.

I am very happy to report that I have enjoyed every minute and every stitch!  And will continue to enjoy it for several dozen hours more because I still have to quilt the piece.  Currently I am marking the quilting design and expect to start hand quilting tomorrow.  Yes - hand quilting.  Even though I am a reasonably accomplished machine quilter, this block screams at me to be hand quilted.

So how long does it something like this take?  The answer is lots and lots of joy-filled hours!

Woven Ribbon quilting pattern in the borders

Radiating quilting design to emphasize the Peahen's tail feathers

Until next time...

Best stitches,
Mercy in Miami

Exciting TKDAA Update for Hand and Machine Enthusiast

Fanciful Free Form Feathers Class Sample

Preparing this blog I was amazed that it has been almost 4 years since I taught my most popular class - Fanciful Free Form Feathers.  Time flies!  Part of the reason is that it takes a lot of planning and the generous backing of a sewing machine company to host a machine class.  Well, Kathy was able to pull it off and Bernina will be a sponsor of the TKDAA event in February 2015.  That means that I will be able to offer my one day machine quilting class.  This is a wonderful class because it's packed with machine quilting information that applies to more than feathers.  And the best part, is that I share all my tips including how to free motion quilt with NO MARKING - including the feather bouquet in the photo above!  

 

Tropical Portal



Kathy has also been hugely successful in pulling in needle artist with differing styles and techniques from very traditional to very cutting edge.  Therefore, in an effort to round out the class offerings and give the event participants more choices, I will not be teaching a block class.  Instead I will be teaching a project class; Tropical Portal.  That means that the kit and class are designed to help you start a complete project - and with the luxury of a three day class you will get a wonderful head start! 

 
You will receive all the materials (except backing, binding, and batting) and instructions to finish the project at home.

Tropical Portal in its natural habitat

As always, my kits will feature mostly hand-dyed fabrics and all the needles, threads, etc. to participate in class.  The supply list for both classes has three items or less! 

 

Yes, it's a change from what I shared earlier and means I will not be able to teach my Basket of Roses or Esperanza Rose block classes.  If anyone had their heart set on either blocks, I will have the patterns and fabric kits available at TKDAA event and fabrics will all coordinate beautifully with the Santa Maria - New World Rose block and include the same background fabric.  Hopefully, I will have another opportunity in the future to teach the complete New World project.  In the meantime, I hope you all like the Tropical Portal project and will consider coming to TDKAA!

Until next time,
Best stitches from Miami
Mercy

Blocks in their Natural Habitat

Waterlily at Fairchild Tropical Garden

Jim and I spent the morning at Fairchild Tropical Garden; one of our favorite places to walk, talk, relax and feed our creative souls.  This is also where I get inspiration for my Tropical Botanical series of blocks that I have been working on for years. 



My interpretation of Waterlilies

Typically, Jim takes the photos and I take notes on color, texture, design and the rest happens in the studio. 

Heliconia and my Tropical Portal wall hanging

Yesterday, Jim had the idea to photograph my blocks in their "natural habitat" to see how the fabric version compared to the natural version.  Of course, everything pales in comparison to God's creations.



Jacaranda

 I was however, very pleasantly surprised at how I was able to capture the tone, mood, and color of the tropics.  And now that I have our own hand-dyed fabrics to work with I am so excited to start the next batch of blocks.


Until next time,
Best stitches from Mercy and Jim in Miami

The Big Surprise!

I received lots of guesses and they would have all been wonderful if true.  Sadly, they were all incorrect.  Here is the surprise….

A very talented needle artist, Kathy Dunigan, is launching a brand new quilting event geared to the applique enthusiast.  The Kathy Dunigan Applique Academy (TKDAA) will kick off February 3 through February 8, 2015 with 10 applique teachers!  The event will be hosted in the Dallas, Texas area at the Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront hoteland conference center.  So far, the venue and arrangements are spectacular and it promises to be a world class event. 
As all things Texan, I just know it will be a big, welcoming, friendly event!




Main Conference Class - Botanical Rose Study - The Esperanza Rose

I will be teaching a one day class on Tuesday February 3 (Basket of Roses) and a three day class Thursday, February 5 – Saturday, February 7 (Botanical Rose Study).   

Tile of Antique Block
Basis for Botanical
Rose Study Block

Both projects continue the New World Rose series I began with The Santa Maria block that I taught at TESAA in February and the kits will include the same background fabric for anyone wishing to work on the entire project from the beginning.  I will also have additional Santa Maria kits and patterns for anyone that was not able to attend TESAA or missed out on the initial kit. 



One Day Class will
be based on this Eggelston block
Basket of Roses

For those of you that have not heard, Elly decided to close TESAA.  However, it is with her blessing that TKDAA is opening her doors and Elly will be in attendance.  A wonderful tribute to Elly is in the planning stages.  I’m sure there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

I will let everyone know as soon as Kathy has the website up and running.  At the moment, I believe she is planning on opening registration in June.

Until next time,

Best stitches!

Mercy in very HOT Miami

My (Quilt) Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

 

Little Cowpokes Fabric | Discount Cowboy Scenes Fabric | Carousel Designs

I have always been in love with the romantic legend of the cowboy.  However, this love affair only extends to the singing and Saturday afternoon matinée version of the cowpoke; and their spirit of independence.  My favorite definition is number three in the Merriam-Webster dictionary “someone who does things that other people consider foolish and dangerous.”  Based on this description, I am a cowboy quilter!  Furthermore, my quilt heroes are also cowboys!

I hand applique!  I hand embroider!  I hand piece!   And, I proudly machine quilt!  I quilt because fabric is my artist medium.  The needle, whether guided by my hand or my sewing machine, is my brushwork.  In painter’s terms, hand applique and hand piecing is my underpainting.  Hand embroidery is my glazing and opaque touches.  Hand quilting is the line drawing, the gesture, and the sculptural element of the brushstrokes.

Just as painters apprentice by studying the masters, I too apprentice by studying the quilt masters and encourage all of you to do the same.  I mention my heroes frequently in my blogs and if you notice the areas just to the left and right of this page you will see many, many links to my heroes' blogs and websites.  I frequently browse their sites for education and inspiration.

Today’s tip is an oldie but a goodie.  I always have a hand project packed and ready to go when a road trip presents itself.  In this case, it’s the Mystery in the Smokies by Cindy Blackberg.  I am still working on the first installment that requires embroidery with three separate balls of 12 wt pearl cotton.  The way I keep everything neat and keep the thread from tangling is by placing the three balls in a ziplock bag.  I then thread each ball, one at a time and pull the thread out through the side of the plastic bag leaving a tail hanging.  Every time I need a color just pull the tail and clip off what I need.  Sweet!

Until next time…
Best stitches,

Mercy in Miami where the avacado tree is STILL producing :)

Extra Large Applique Shapes the Template Free Method

My Mom's front yard

Happy Friday everyone! 



Large basted shape - front

In honor of National Quilting Day tomorrow, March 15th, 2014, I would like to share one of my all time favorite tips for back basting very large applique shapes.


Large basted shape - back

Basically, the tip is that you baste the entire shape as usual.  Then, you snip a basting thread every 4 - 5 inches.  This relaxes the tension on the basting thread and allows the large applique shape fabric and the background to move and shrink together in your hand at the same rate as you needle turn.  Otherwise, as you needle turn you may notice that the background fabric shrinks a little more than the applique fabric as you stitch. 

 

I use my hand to gauge where to clip to relax the basting

close up of where I have clipped the basting stitches

Best stitches!  And, Happy National Quilting Day!!

Mercy in Miami

Basket Obsesson

Basket Block of Eggleston Quilt

For over a year now I have been obsessed with a basket block in a quilt on display at the Abby Aldrich Folk Art Museum in Colonial Williamsburg.  The Eggleston Quilt is spectacular and I plan on interpreting several of the blocks. However - this basket in particular has captured my imagination.  Intellectually, I could make an argument that the simplicity of the design appeals to my artistic sensibilities - or such like nonsense.  The truth is I just love it!  It's like a gesture drawing of a Baltimore-style block.

This weekend I finally had an opportunity to start my version of this block.  Since the block requires about 40 inches of one quarter inch bias, I decided to snap a few photos of how I choose to make and apply bias in order to share my technique with my blog readers.  There are dozens of ways to make bias and lots of gadgets.  What I am sharing with you is the method I enjoy because it's totally portable - no iron, no sewing machine, and no gadgets.  I can make bias anywhere that I can set up to hand stitch. 

To make 1/4" bias I use 3/4" masking tape as a "guide" to cut strips of fabric with my scissors.  Or, when cutting fabric for projects and I see fabric that is a good candidate for bias strips, I will use a rotary cutter and mat to cut and assortment of strips ranging from  1/2 " to 1" and then put them away for later use.
I fold the strip of bias into thirds in my hands and baste the fold.  The basting process goes very quickly and I was able to make all the bias needed for my basket in about 20 minutes while sitting in the living room with my husband watching TV.

Yes I know I can make this same bias in a fraction of the time using my sewing machine and iron.  However, I chose to do as much sewing as possible by hand and in the company of my family. For me it's relaxing and I love how soft and pliable the bias turns out.

I know the next question is going be "Do you back baste bias strips?"  The answer is "kind of."   I mark by entire pattern from the back in the manner of back basting.  However, I only mark a single line, down the middle to mark where a bias strip needs to go.  

I then baste on that pencil line from the back.  The basting line shows on the front and marks where the strip needs to go.  Again, yes, I know I can do this a lot faster using light box or an overlay or ...  This is how I chose to do it.  It's like zen stitching... just me and the fabric and a needle and a length of thread.

I then basted the bias strips in place.  The basket base is back basted in the usual manner.  Everything is perfectly placed.  I laid out and basted the bias strips on the block while enjoying the weather on the front porch. So relaxing.

Until next time,
Best stitches from Mercy in sunny Miami

Priceless

My Artist Studio space at TESAA

TESAA Tuition - $975
Lodging - $1850
Travel - $475
One Perfect Berry - Priceless
One Perfect Experience - Beyond Priceless






Closeup of Santa Maria block
drafted and stitched by Mercy Savage

I just returned from the19th Annual Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy in Williamsburg, VA where I was honored to serve as Guest Artist.  This honor included the privilege of teaching a one day class for a large group of enthusiastic needle artist.




Me teaching on 2/20/2014
My Aqua Album in progress in the background

I was also given a beautiful space in the center of all the activities to display my work and chat with Academy attendees as they strolled from class to class and vendor to vendor.



My perfect berry in Sandra Leichner's class

As if this honor was not special enough, I also had another dream come true when took a 3 day class from Sandra Leichner.  That is where I was able to stitch my PERFECT BERRY.  I loved Sandra's class.  It is just you, the fabric, the needle, and the thread.  Yes, there are freezer paper templates and an overlay but no glue, no starch, no burned finger tips, no kindergarten craft-type work, etc.  My favorite prep method is still Template Free (Back Basting) but we share the love of needle turn and her instructions and generosity of spirit were, again, priceless!


My Main Conference Class was with Elly Sienkiewicz. As always, Elly was delightful. In a few minutes, as she lectured on the class topic, she twisted a yard of silk ribbon into this beautiful rose.  Elly wrote the book - both literally and figuratively - on manipulating silk and cotton into gorgeous bouquets and is responsible for this Golden Age of high style applique that we are now enjoying.  She is currently working on book number 21.





From left to right, Faye Labanaris, Elly Sienkiewicz, Mercy Savage
A chance meeting in Faye's room and captured by my husband on his iPhone.

Here I am on the right, Elly is in the center, and Faye Labanaris is on the left.  Faye, a vendor and teacher at the event, is a talented, award-winning needle artist known for 3-D flowers fashioned from silk and Ultrasuede that can be applied to quilted projects or clothing. The fact that she has been my dear friend for many years, is once more, priceless.





I was able to spend one afternoon at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum visiting the Quilts in the Baltimore Manner show.  I feel a powerful connection to these quilts and they has invaded by artistic sensibilities.  I can see their influence in everything I am currently stitching and sketching.  Here are a few of my favorites from the show.

Stay tuned for more quilts and photos in coming blog entries.

Until next time,
best stitches from sunny, warm Miami, Florida
Mercy