Checking In

I've got no textile-related images to post at the moment, although things have been moving slowly forward.  I've been feeling alternately overwhelmed and unmotivated recently.

For one thing, I've had this strange not-really-a-head-cold thing happening since late last week, that's slowed me down.  I think the recent round of big change in my life has caught up with me.  Another move, another consolidation, another go through everything I own to pare my life down to a sustainable level.

Oh well, on with it.  I did a second piece in the new series (see the last post), this one printed on raw silk, and I liked it even better than the first.  Have decided to do the entire series in digitally-printed raw silk.  And I'm also going to embellish each of the quilts, most likely with judicious beading.

Fiberactions' next challenge word is Transformation, to be revealed on November 15.  I have the quilt designed, just need to put it all together.  My local art quilt group is doing a challenge exploring the design element line, and I have fabric ready to go for that, as well.  And the 4-piece series on Fortuna skies and trees is also in process. Everything's going slowly now, though.

I've been lamenting that it's been too long since I've done any surface design -- and there's so much I want to do.  It's a little bit less convenient now, being that I'm living in my studio, much of my materials and tools are stored in my Annex, a shed outside a few steps from the front door.  And I can't leave fabric on plastic to batch overnight all over the floor now.  Actually, these little challenges may be a blessing in disguise -- perhaps now instead of trying to do everything, I'll only do those techniques that I can reasonably do given the limitations of my space.

And speaking of space, if any of you have ever wondered why I work on the small side, and increasingly so, it's simply because I don't have the space to make big work (surface designed or quilted), nor do I have the space to store it.  Nor do I have the money for all the materials required for larger pieces.  Art/life/living on a budget, space- and money-wise -- subsistence artmaking!

Anyhow, I'm slowly getting myself together for the day.  Hope you have a lovely week!