Judy B. Dales ~ Quilt Maker

My show in July was very successful which made all the preparation work worthwhile. I spent a long time preparing the smaller quilts for the exhibit. They were mounted on silk-covered foam core which could then be popped into a frame. I felt they looked more interesting and professional this way and I guess the public did too because a lot of them sold.

The best news from the show is that I raised a significant amount of money for the Greensboro Arts Alliance. This is a new organization in town which has brought theatre productions and readings to the community. This summer the biggest attraction was a staging of Peter Pan, complete with a professional stage manager from NYC, direction by Sabra Jones (founder of the Alliance), and flying equipment so that Peter could fly. I am proud that the proceeds from my show helped put on this production! However, the best part was that my friends and neighbors got a chance to see my work. Everyone in Greensboro knows that I am a quilter, but very few of them know or understand exactly what that means and this was my chance to show them. There was a steady flow of people through out the whole weekend and the reaction ranged from pleasure to astonishment. One of my friends (a male friend whom I have known since we were both in our teens) made the BEST comment. He was obviously surprised by my work and said so, then added, “I had no idea it was so….hum…hem…(searching for the right word here)….hem….ARTISTIC!!!! Thanks, Kevin!! What a great compliment!

I can’t imagine what happened to all my good intentions regarding my website and blog! I’m embarrassed that I have been so negligent. But I am here now and still have all those good intentions. And it is a new year…..

Way back in the fall, I pieced and appliquéd this circular design. It’s actually the second time I’ve worked with this design. The first effort was my Fine Focus 06 piece. It was very small, dark and transparent. I liked the design so much that I decided to work with it again, but larger. 

Quilt in progress

Here is the piece in progress. I started by cutting the curved shapes from light value fabric and laying them out on my design wall. Then each piece was individually embellished with layers of chiffon and tulle which added the soft colors. The transparent fabrics were stitched to the background pieces with invisible thread and then all the pieces were assembled. 

The overall effect is very subtle, but I plan to add lots of detail with the quilting which will be done with darker thread. Lots of quilting! Sounds like a plan, right?

The only problem is that I seem to be paralyzed with indecision at the moment. I don’t want the quilt to be circular, but I can’t decide how to square it up. I’m thinking of making a square border of slightly darker fabrics and extending a few of the curved shapes out into the border, but working them in lighter values so the extensions create a positive/negative effect. That description is probably as clear as mud! I can see it in my mind’s eye, but I can’t really describe it. I’m also contemplating positioning the circle off center which would have the effect of making the square background more important and better integrated. Of course, the only real problem is how to force myself to walk into my studio and get to work. I seem to have lots of distractions.

I also have lots of ideas and potential projects. I’m mulling over ideas for a stole for a friend who will be ordained this summer. I also have a small drawing that has been enlarged, patterned and the templates are just lying in the studio waiting for me. My sons signature wedding quilt awaits my attention. Ditto for my nephew’s wedding quilt. 

I used to give a lecture titled “Patience, Persistence and Perseverance”, but right now I think I could write the Great American Novel on Procrastination! I seem to be quite the expert! Tomorrow is a “free” day–no doctor’s appointments, no scheduled exercise, no shopping, errands or meetings. So, we shall see………

One of the things I have noticed is that I am less productive now, when most of my work is done on the machine, than I was back in the days when all my stitching was done by hand. I used to carry my work with me and fill every idle moment with stitching. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish working that way. Now I have to be in my studio to be productive.

My husband was recently in the hospital for 23 days. The hospital is a two hour drive from where we live, so after the first few days I went down there and stayed. As I dashed out the door I grabbed a baby quilt that needed quilting and even remembered to bring the batting, backing, my sewing kit and a hoop. Only forgot the thread (but that’s another story!) It was the perfect project for the circumstances. It required very little concentration so I could put it down and pick it up again forty times a day, if need be. And I rediscovered how calming and therapeutic quilting is, and I now remember why I took up quilting in the first place–I really like hand stitching!! 

I’ve decided that I need to incorporate more handwork into my quilts, but now the dilemma is that I really like the look of machine quilting. Because the machine stitched line is much more visible than a hand stitched one, it has more impact and adds an additional design layer to the finished quilt. But machine stitching is not relaxing for me, nor is it portable. So what’s a person to do?? I tried carrying an appliqué project with me for several years. The finished quilt is lovely, but appliqué doesn’t soothe me the way quilting does. I need to give this issue some thought………..

So check back in a few years and see how I’m coming along with my circular design…………………..!

One of my favorite quotes is from Gene Fowler:

“Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead”

So here I am staring at a blank blog page, waiting for the drops of blood to form!!

Actually, I am thrilled to be launching a new website and starting a blog. I hope you have visited my quilt galleries and that you will come back often to see what’s new. I find working on the computer a bit addictive and suspect that I, like many of my friends, will have fun with this blog.

When I lived in Houston I met sporatically with a small group of quilters. We had a group exhibit at the Primedia Gallery in Golden, CO and we made a group quilt to accompany the exhibit. The name of our group was GOWIG which stands for “Get on with it, Girl” and the GOWIG quilt was a composite of our fabric self-portraits. Can you guess which one is me????

I could be the one of the right, but my hair isn’t curly enough. I’m actually the bodacious babe second from the left–sexy, thin, and ever so feminine!! Those of you who know me will chuckle. Those of you who have never met me, just keep this image in your mind, because it is certainly who I would LIKE to be. Grin.

Now that the introductions are out of the way, I do hope you will visit here often. I look forward to your comments.