Ann Rebele Gallery show

Ann Rebele: Beyond the Surface at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center, Aug 17- Sept. 29, 2012.

I had a great time the other night attending the opening of this art quilt show in downtown Columbus, OH.  It is so much fun to go to the openings in particular since there are many people, the artist is there and there is food and drink. It’s a little party and always a fun time. Of course we saw people that we know there but, it wasn’t ladies from my local guilds, it was neighbors.  We ended up going to an Italian restaurant later with 4 friends and Ann and many showed up there also!

I’ve shown you Ann’s work in previous blogs.  We live in the same town but are facebook friends. Our husbands worked together for years but I wasn’t a quilter then.

The triptych above is called Looking Back at Last Year and made especially for the show. It’s large and I fell in love with it! Reminds me of an old Japanese block print but with vivid color.

These large prints that she creates are tiled to fit into the printer but they are put together so invisibly that at first I didn’t notice the seams.

I asked Ann how she creates these multi-layer pieces and this is her response:

The most recent technique that I have been using in my work has been
drawing on silk organza layered over a background image, to create the
transparency. This started when I was doing the series of "Forgotten
But Not Gone" using the tombs in New Orleans, to create that eerie,
ghostly effect. I draw on a "whole cloth" of silk organza with fabric
pens. Then I lay this organza over the background image, which is a
photograph that I digitally manipulate, section, print on cotton
fabric, then sew together to get the large image.
I have also been painting on the silk organza using fabric inks. They
work a lot like watercolor paints.

Annabelle’s Rose Garden

Southern Living

Forgotten but Not Gone-Bella

When you are in front of these quilts, you can just look deep into them for the details on the different layers. They are captivating.  I would love to take a class from Ann!

Here are my favorites….I’m partial to Asian design!

Geisha with Iris and Angry Bird

Japanese Lady with Cherry Blossom

There will be a coffee and conversation with Ann at the Cultural Arts Center on Sept. 20 at noon if you happen to be close by. 

These events are great ways to increase your knowledge and appreciation for art quilts and I encourage you to look for gallery shows in your area and make it a point to attend!

Garment sewing

Fashion design is my passion.  If you sew clothing you know that is so difficult now to find fabric to fit all your ideas and patterns. 

I got an app for my ipad called Sewing Kit HD and it lets me keep all my patterns and info in one place so all I have to do is carry the ipad to the fabric store.  It shows the front pattern cover photo and I take a photo of the back with all the yardage and notions requirements.  It takes time to load when you have hundreds of patterns as I do, but it is worth it.

On facebook, I saw this French viscose fabric and thought it would be beautiful for a Vogue pattern that I owned. I wasn’t even shopping for fabric at the time.  The NYC company Elliott Berman Textiles has a great site for designer fabrics from all over the world. Customer service was excellent also…when I found a little hole in the middle of the fabric, they sent me a replacement yard to that was enough to finish my dress.

This is Vogue 1234 by Sandra Betzina.  Because I used a large busy print, you can not see the seamlines and this dress was an architectural feat! I had to number all the dots for pivoting and the notches since the pieces were so unconventional but the instructions were so well written that it was relatively easy. Even though this is a viscose knit, it wasn’t hard to make but it is not for beginner sewers.  I think it fits well and is easy to wear. It was too long for my 5 ft 4” and I had to take off 8 inches from the bottom therefore losing the slit in the back but it didn’t bother me.

I think I’d like to make it again but with solids so you can see the seaming and maybe color blocked for more interest. I just love the side drape.

I actually wore it a few days after it was finished to an art quilt gallery opening reception and then out to dinner!