Monday, August 16, 2010

labors of love







I've added a few touches of gold leaf to Sisters On Fire, and I think she may be complete!  From where I'm sitting, looking at her on the wall, she looks done to me.


Thanks to Jane Dunnewold, I have been in contact with Whidby Island artist Barbara Lee Smith, for help in redoing my design wall.  She is a gem, and a fabulous artist.  Barbara very patiently explained step by step how she and her husband constructed her design wall from sheets of styrofoam and canvas fabric which they stretched and stapled on wood lath strips and then hung over the styrofoam.  Now that I'm working on larger pieces, I felt that it was time to have a bigger and more porous surface upon which to hang my work while in progress.  So yesterday afternoon we got busy!


I removed almost everything from my wall, washed the yards of canvas, and we  hung the styrofoam.  This is really more than a 2-person job, but we didn't realize that until we were too far along to do much about it.  C is a good foot taller than I, so it was easier for him to do most of the hanging, drilling, and screwing....that's about everything, isn't it?  I'm best at critiquing, as many of you know!  


Stretching the canvas and then hanging it is a whole other ballgame, and one that I'm happy to say is behind us.




I snapped this picture this morning just as I was beginning to rehang things.  I'm very pleased with how it all went.........and now I want one in my dye studio as well!  Hmmmmmm, wonder how well that will go over with the worker bee in my house!


After getting my sewing room back in order this morning, I made a few Thermofax screens and finished up the onesies for our grandbaby.




Although the screening appears black, it is a darker shade of olive, and looks pretty darned good!




These little guys are 3-6 month size and look so teeny tiny.  I think I will do some solids next.   But first, we will see how these are received by the baby's Mom, our daughter!


PEACE






7 comments:

Gerrie said...

I have my whole back wall as a design wall. The heighth of the wall was exactly 8 ft so the styrofoam panel fit snuggly. I then sprayed with photo adhesive and attached gray felt on one side and black felt on the other. Mr C did not want anything more permanent than that so I was lucky that I could do this.

I think Sisters is done and wonderful.

Diana Parkes said...

Now that looks like a good size display wall! I would love mine to be that size. I have a big studio but it doesn't have enough wall space - too many doors, windows, book shelves etc. However, I am not complaining....

Vicki W said...

I need a new design wall, would you come and put one up for me? lol!

I love the screen printed onesies, they are adorable!

Beverly said...

The onesies are adorable, aren't they fun to play with??

Sisters looks great- done and complete, and definitely on fire!

Carol said...

Sisters is wonderful, looks finished to me. The onesies get cuter all the time. OOXX

Linda’s Textiles said...

Your hanging wall looks great & I love your Sisters on Fire!
xo

Karoda said...

can't wait to see you filling up that wall! if i'm recalling right, you will not be quilting Sisters on Fire. are you going to wrap it around a frame?