Planning for the New Year in My Studio

As I look at my fabric art plans for the coming year, and take a hard analytical look at where I stand in my fabric art today, I am really excited about 2016 in my studio.

Here are my plans for the coming year.  I hope you find them fun and potentially interesting, and invite your comments.

Books: During the past couple of years I have been fiddling around with writing several books for sharing what I have learned over the past sixty years of sewing, art, and past ten years of art quilting.  I looked first at one and then another subject, trying to get a focus.  Very recently, after much thought, my direction has solidified in such a way that I can use what I have already done and direct my writing in a more focused way.  While I am using “techniques for fabric art” as the focus, I believe these books can apply to traditional work also.  These will be short books, complete with practice projects.   I may get all four done, but I only really expect to complete two this year and two next.

1. Techniques for Fabric Art:  Applique Methods
2. Techniques for Fabric Art:  Surface Design
3. Techniques for Fabric Art:  Threads and Threadwork
4. Techniques for Fabric Art:  From Digital to Fabric Art

Lectures/Workshops/Videos:  Develop these along the same subjects as the books listed above, using the same samples.

2016 Show Quilts:

1. Quick quilt 1: Hawaiian Garden…a vintage panel central theme (for MQX special exhibit, not a long project).
2. Major quilt 1:  Waiting 2…a storm at sea…second in the series of women (wives, mothers, sisters, friends) and children through history waiting for their men to return from difficult missions while keeping the home front.  (note:  while I realize that women have also fought in wars and carried out difficult missions throughout history, that is another subject that I may address at some point in another series).  Underway
3. Quick Quilt 2: Hoffman Challenge 2016.  A two week project, more or less…just a small quilt.
4. Major Quilt 2: Deep Space 3:  Spiral Galaxy M51
5. Major Quilt 3:  Ancient Manuscript Series 3…TBD

I know this seems a lot, but realize that I work on this full time, have already been working on much of this for the past year, and some of this is bringing that work to completion.  I’ve already written much of book 1 and some of the other three books, I’ve already designed and begun construction of Quilts 1, 2, and 3, so I think it is a viable plan.

In the process of planning this work, I have decided to abandon the Bernina v7 workbook I was working on.  I got it about 80 percent complete and couldn’t seem to get it any further.  So instead, I will use it here in my blog and share it in sections  across the year.

I am considering developing a project for my readers to work along with me..kind of like a block of the month…but focused on making a small wall quilt.  Would you be interested in this?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Let me know what you are working on, and if you have any suggestions for me.

Sew Happy everyone!