What's Coming up on My Schedule

Just a quick post to let you know that I will be speaking to Foothill Quilter's Guild in Shelby, NC tomorrow night. I'll be giving my presentation "The Evolution of a Fiber Artist", a tongue in cheek look at my life as a quilt addict turned fiber artist.

Also this Sat, May 24th, I will be teaching a class "All About Bindings" at Quilter's Loft in Moorseville for all those who need a refresher on how to put on those pesky bindings.

Keep checking my website RedBarn-Studios to see other classes and workshop I will be offering. Check out the shop's blog to see other classes they offer.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

What Do You Call Yourself?

capturing ourselves

For the last few weeks I've been thinking about Sharon B's TIF challlenge for this month. I think it's a great question but it's a hard one to answer succinctly AND make a small piece to capture the essence of it.

If I've answered the question of "what do I call myself" (a fiber artist) then why is it so hard to create that expression in a piece of artwork? That then prompts another question...have I fully answered the question?

For a while there, in the last couple of months, I wavered back and forth about the "label" I give myself to be placed out there everywhere to describe what I do but, now that I'm really thinking about it, deep down I don't really like labels for me or anyone else. Why can't I just make artwork and be done with it?

Ya like it or ya don't. End of story!

It's only now that I realize that the label is not for me...no, not at all....it's so that others can recognize me in some way to help them SEE ME better, put me in some subjective category and file me away in some recess of their brain..."oh yeh..Grace, the FIBER artist" (whatever the heck that means they think to themselves).

So if I am to label myself to inform others of who I am and what I do, how do I express that in a quilted piece effetcively? More thoughts to ponder.

May TIF might just not get made in May.


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Time & MONDAYS

"Time is the quality of nature that keeps events from happening all at once....lately it doesn't seem to be working." --Anonymous


You may have noticed that I haven't posted lately.

It's not that I don't want to cause I do. I regularly make a mental list of the things I want to post about then things....finishing artwork....dealing one or another family "crisis".....feeling ill or just uninspired...any number of things get in the way and, frankly, I don't like that.

So I'm gonna try a new thing (yeh right you say?) I'm gonna try an experiment for the next month--to have one day a week for posts and I'll make that a Monday. Monday is my wash/clean day and now I'm adding blog post day to it.

Let's see how far I get.

Oh no!...another goal to add the never-ending saturated list. I'll need to take pics of the things I've been working on for this coming Monday's post. How's that for staying on task?


See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

April TIF

I have actually been working on my TIF challenge for April, just haven't posted about it. I'm also thinking it might be a stepping stone to a bigger piece (probably why I haven't finished it yet) but wanted to let you in on what I was doing.

My thinking with this one was to portray a woman who is shedding the old (don't know if you can see the coat she's dropping) to ascend into the new...the new phase...the new thinking...the new (art)work...the new way of life.

I don't use the word ascend lightly because I truly believe we come into a certain greater wisdom on the other side of all this change we go thru, if we are willing to see pass the pain and conflict that might occur...be willing to walk the path that will lead us to a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

I am a firm believer that change, and all that manifests itself thru change is good. We'll see where this one leads.

See ya next time "In the Hayloft",

Simply Spring Cover

I'm trying to get better at pattern covers and just finished this one for my latest pattern "Simply Spring".

It took a while because I discovered some new tools in Photoshop Elements (PE6) that I didn't know existed. Duh!

You know how when kids get a new game and they start playing it without even looking at the directions, that's what I did when I got PE6, I just dived in. So why didn't someone tell me I could play like this????

Head over to my website if you want to purchase this or any other patterns or just email me and I will send it right out to you.


See ya next time"In the Hayloft",

Funky Cool Spring!

I've mostly been working on the computer trying to get pattern directions finished but had to get my hand into some art.

I was asked to do a demonstration at the Charlotte Quilt Show that was held two weeks ago to showcase the way I use fusible web in my applique. Using this method I don't have to remember to reverse my pattern image which is a BIG BIG help for me. This quiltlet is such a cute little thing that I decided to finish it with one of my favorite methods of binding...fusible of course!

                         10 1/2" x 14"

After finishing the machine quilting and binding I thought it would make a great seasonal pattern so look for the "Summer" quiltlet to appear next month. If you are interested in getting this pattern (or others) from me, just drop me an email and I'll put you on the list.

See ya next time"In the Hayloft",

Wednesday Quote

    "We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned
     so as to have the life that is waiting for us."


As you know I collect all sorts of quotes and have them posted all over my studio so that I can pause and breath while I work. This one I have had for a very long time and thought it was time to share.

Remember......

     ...don't stand in your way, step aside and let your path unfurl.


See ya next time"In the Hayloft",