Torah Cover #3 Heal The World

Time to get back on track and create the third and last torah cover.  The theme for this cover is "Tikkun Olam" or  Heal The World.  This is one of my favorite practices of the Jewish religion.  It originated in the 16th century and includes anything from helping the homeless to being environmentally healthy.  It's what we call today social action. 

This is the drawing of my original design.  The world is broken and it needs to come together to be repaired.  As I look back on this, from my pesentation,  I am surprised that is was chosen.  My colored pencil drawings just do not do the fiber torah cover justice.  The silk is so much richer and luxurious than paper and pencil.



I started with a piece of batting that was bigger than the finished torah cover.  I used many of the different colors of the silk dupioni that I had used in the other two torah coves.  This would bring unity and a cohesiveness to the 3 covers.  To develop the design I cut strips from each silk and then layed them out on the batting.  This was the basis for the cove.  Next I sewed the silk dupioni into vertical sections.

This is the torah cover constructed from the strips.  My plan was to construct the cover using the batting as a base, with a technique that we quilters call "sew and flip".  This ends up as a "quilt" that is pieced and quilted at the same time.

Next step:  Torah Cover construction.

Zentangling

This pen and paper has brought me many hours of fun and creativity. 

I was introduced to Zentangle several yeas ago and have wanted to try it ever since.  I finally carved out a bit of time to experiment.  I used a Pigma Micron pen and the 4"x6" photo paper that comes with new inkjet cartridges.  I started by watching a  YouTube Video, that gave a nice introduction.  Zentangle is really a fancy form of doodling.  Here is my first one.

I found it to be relaxing and so enjoyable.  The lines and designs appeal to quilters because the lines and patterns  can be applied to quilts.  There are lots of blogs and websites to peruse.  Some of them detail what type of pen/paper to use.  I like using the photo paper, but it is not superabsorbant and does smear a bit. 


I have tried to do one a day.  And each time that I do one, I search around for new fill-in ideas.  This ends up increasing my "vocabulary".    A Sharpie marker works well to fill in larger areas.  Here are a couple more.

There are books and classes out there, but all you need to start is a pen and a piece of paper.  Try it.  It's fun!

A Sharpie Marker Quilt

Sometimes, we as quilters get so hung up on technique, and the proper way to do everything.  There's the right kind of fabric and the right kind of thread and the right kind of drawing implements to write on our quilts.  Well imagine how surprised I was when I drove from PA to CT to go to a baby shower and "the activity" was decorating muslin squares with Sharpie Markers.  A friend of the Grandmother-to-be (a non-quilter) was going to make them into a quilt for the mother-to-be.

There was one of these quilts there as a sample, that was clearly used and loved. 

 

My initial hesitancy disappeared.  I controlled myself from volunteering to put the quilt together - since this friend had done a great job in the past - and when I saw how much fun everyone had decorating their squares, I was hooked. 

What a great gift that will give years of joy.  But, just a warning if you decide to do this yourself - the marker will bleed through the fabric onto your table.  Use some type of protection.

June Is A Busy Month

I usually lead a very quiet life, spending most of my time designing and quilting in my studio.  I certainly do enjoy getting out though, but look forward to getting back to "work".  It's not really work.  It's an inner drive that I have.  There is inspiration all around and I want to translate it using fabric into quilts.  From a pattern I may see on a building to the colors of a beautiful flower - there are just not enough hours in a day. So here I am , it's not  even the end of the first week in June, and l have spent more time out of my studio than in it.

I was invited to go to the Devon Horse Show.    It is right in my backyard, located on the Philadelphia Main Line.  It is a huge event in the horse world.  I had never been before and decided to go in recognition of my new daughter-in-law's mother, Char.  Char is a horsewoman, who is a very active rider/hunter in CT.   When I found out that I could bring my buddy, Bailey, as long as she was on a leash, that really sealed the deal.

We got seats in the grandstand to watch our first event.  The ring was set up with all these different jump type things.  (Do you like my technical terminology?)  As they announced that it was 7 and 8 year olds, we all thought we were going to see children on horseback.  Silly us.  They were referring to the age of the horses!  The riders were all adults.  The horses did not look that big from a distance, but as they got closer, wow!  And to watch these beautiful animals use those rear, powerful legs to fly over those jumps, was just amazing.

Then we went to check out the Budweiser Clydesdales.  My normally shy and aloof puppy, Bailey, decides that she needs to befriend one.  When I sent this photo to one of my sons, he e-mailed me back.  I quote:  "I guess it does make sense that a dog named after a liqueur is making friends with a spokes-animal for beer."

The next outing was to  The Gallery Walk in West Chester, PA.  This university town, full of restaurants and little shops was packed with people.   Not only are there galleries packed with artwork, but local businesses also showcase local artists. Wine and cheese/hors d'oeuvres are served at most venues.   "Layers", our art quilt group, was lucky enough to be invited to show our wok in the offices of Morgan Stanley.  We decided to showcase the quilts from our 4 challenges.

The quilts looked great hanging on the walls and in the windows of the individual offices.  It was a new medium for people to see quilts as art and it was very well received.

Coming up on Wednesday, June 9th, I will be lecturing in the Pocono Mountains, at the Pocono Mountain Quilt Guild.  Located in Stroudsburg, they will be meeting at the Senior Center that night at 7 PM.   The topic of my lecture is "Inspiration From Squiggles and Dots".  It brings me back to wanting to spend time creating and sewing and translating all those thoughts into quilts.  If you're in the area, come and hear about how my overactive brain thinks.  You'll either walk away looking at the world in a different way or thinking that I look at the world through an unusual pair of glasses.

Memorial Day Burgers

The weekend of Memorial Day brought beautiful, but hot, weather to Pennsylvania.  For this unofficial start of the summer, lots and lots of people head to the NJ beaches - or as they say here in the Philly area - they head "down the shore".  We are not beach people and do not go down the shore.  But, it was definitely a day to take a break from making Torah covers.

 There has been a lot of buzz about a new hamburger restaurant that had opened in Philadelphia, by Bobby Flay.  Bobby Flay - king of grilling.  I heard that it was so crowded, hours of waiting.   So, instead of having our own bar-b-que for Memorial Day, we thought since everyone would be out of town, down the shore, maybe we could get in.   So off we headed to Center City and Bobby's Burger Palace.  

A good sign - we got a parking space right in front of the restaurant. 

We really did not know what to expect as we entered the restaurant.  We had even phoned ahead to see if they took reservations.  Well weren't we surprised when we saw the menu on the wall and a counter where you placed your order.  

For my first time, I decided to order the classic burger.  Then, we ordered ALL the fried sides - french fries, sweet potato fries and fried onion rings.  You pay, get a number and find a seat.  The food is brought to you.

The decor is modern retro fifties with family style seating at both long tables and at the counter.  We had no problem finding a seat.

We did not have to wait too long for our food to be delivered to our table.  The "fried sides" came in these cute metal buckets.  The burgers were delicious and the perfect size - not too big and not too small.   A great Memorial Day Bar-b-que was had by all.

Torah Cover #2 "Flames"

The body of Torah Cover #1, Pomegranates,  has been completed.  It will  now be set aside to await the other 2 covers.  When the bodies of all 3 torah covers are completed, I will then construct all of the covers at the same time, assembly line style.  This is my plan, since it is quite challenging to construct the actual Torah cover with the wood insert.  My goal is to do it in the tidiest, most elegant manner so that no raw edges can be seen - either inside or out.  Constructing 3 at a time will help me with this ever evolving technique.  It is always on my mind that I am creating these Toah covers to last for many, many years and I must do my best work with longevity as a prime consideration. 

Time to start Torah Cover #2. The theme - FLAMES.  There is a recurrence of the  appearance of flames throughout the history of the Jewish people.  From Moses and the burning bush to the eternal flame to the death camps during WW II.  It's a concept that needs to be celebrated and mourned, and definitely contemplated.  Flames can represent destruction, purification, joy and holiness. 

The initial design concept on paper: 

This time, I used an overhead projector to enlarge the design to full size.  After enlarging it, I still had to make adjustments.  I used this pattern to make the actual pattern pieces from the freezer paper. 

It was fun to collect the fabrics for the flame.  I was looking for colors that ranged from red to yellow.  Some of the silk dupioni I already had.  Some I bought on Fabric Row in Philly and some of the fabric I bought on my most recent shopping trip to NYC.  I was looking for fabric that glowed.

 As  a quilter, one of the most enjoyable aspect  of quilting is developing a working palette.  We call it a stash and it involves accumulating fabric.  Sometimes it is for a specific project - like for my Torah cover.  Sometimes, it is just accumulating fabric because we like it.   Here are some of my silks for "Flames". ( I can't explain it, but the colors are not that accurate. )

I dyed the background of the white silk dupioni using the same technique that I used for the Pomegranate Torah cover.  This time I used various combinations of yellow and red dye.  After dyeing the fabric, I layered it with the batting (I used the same Warm Blend again).  I quilted this before adding the appliques.  By doing the quilting before the addition of the appliques, I was able to stitch the horizontal quilting lines without them being interrupted by the applique.  This method results in a more fluid line and also there are less loose threads to tie off.

I used freezer paper to make the pattern pieces.  Instead of fusing down the pieces, I turned under the edges, ironed the seam allowance to the waxy side of the freezer paper  and planned on using  a machine blanket stitch.  Below is the freezer paper pattern , to be cut apart, with a snippet of the assigned silk color.

The flame pattern pieces were positioned on the Torah cover pattern.  And then the  inevitable.happens.  Even though I had lots of choices for fabric, I just couldn't find the  right one for the central flame.

So what's a girl to do?   DYE!  I hand dyed a piece of fabric using the same silk dyes that I used for the background.  .  Can you see the bit of gradation from the top to the bottom?  This was perfect. This central flame's subtle change in color,  blended with the change in color of the flames.

I used many different  rayon threads for the quilting to match the different colors of silk dupioni.
Here's a close-up. The sheen of the thread really complimented the sheen of the silk.  This looks so rich and vibrant.

And the completed piece waiting to be made into a Torah cover.

NYC Shopping Trip

I received an e-mail from a friend that I made in my fabric dyeing class.  Did I want to meet in NYC for a garment district exploration?  Does a wild bear poop in the woods?  I needed lots of silk dupioni for my torah poject, so it was perfect timing.   Angela took a bus from CT and I took the train from Philly with my "working girl" friend, June.  Before leaving, I consulted the bible of NYC Garment District Shopping - Paula Nadelstern's website:  http://www.paulanadelstern.com/fabric/guides/index.php  . 
This was not my first time visiting the Garment District.  Over the yeas I have honed down Paula's list to my favorite places, and places that have to be visited. Most of them ae located between 38th St and 40th St and 6th and 7th Aves.
1.  Daytona Trimmings
      251 W. 39th St
Daytona has any type of trim you could possibly want or dream of.  I love all of their rick rack and  velvet   ribbon.  It's like being a kid in a penny candy store.  As you decide what you want, an employee cuts it off the spool and puts it in a plastic bag with the price. 
2.  Butterfly Fabrics
    260 W 39th St
This is THE store for silk dupioni.  All of their fabrics ae from India.  They have every color of silk dupioni and their prices can't be beat.  They ae also willing to make 1/2 yd cuts.

3.  Mood
    225 W 37th St

If you have watched any episodes of Project Runway, you have head of Mood.  It's where the clothing designers have 15 minutes and a certain amount of money to furiously pick out their fabric. You take up one of those old-fashioned elevators with an elevator operator to the 3rd floor.  And you just can't believe what you see.  What's even more amazing is that this is just one of the floors.  This floor has most of the fashion fabric.  Downstairs is Home Dec and upstairs is mainly wool.

Check out their silk dupioni section.  

I bought some very cool drapery fabric for my guest room.  When checking out, I decided to act like a total Project Runway fan, which is a bit out of character.  I asked if they were casting the next season, since the last one had just ended.  It tuns out that the next season is "already in the can" and they are actually stating the season after.  I also found out that they now close the store when the designers come to shop.  Originally, they did not.


4.  Beads World
     1384 Broadway

There are tons of beads and findings, but my favorite section is the one with all the different shapes and colors of sequins - great for embellishing.

5.  M and J Trims
    1008 6th Ave

This store is pure and unadulterated eye candy.  I have to be honest - I hardly ever buy anything here.  It is so overwhelming with so much to look at.  I just leave happy!  It is definitely a must visit.

6.  Habu Textiles

     135 W 29th St

This stop was for Angela.  She's a weaver and this is a showroom for Japanese fibers for weaving. On the 8th floor of an office building, you enter and the room was filled with these baskets.  Most of the fiber was silk, with the occasional paper and wire.  I know it is a mecca for weavers, but it is not on my must visit list.

7.  Purl Soho

     459 Broome St

This is one of 2 shops in Manhattan that is know for its quilting fabric.  (We did not make it to the other - City Quilter.) We were pretty exhausted at this point and it was raining quite heavily, so we cabbed it.  Soho is an area known for its at galleries and cute upscale shops.  This is a new location for Purl Soho.  It is a large store for the city, but quite minimalist.  The front of the store is filled with yarn.  The quilting fabric is located in the rear.  Their fabric is quite unique.  They do not carry the ordinary.  There is Liberty of London,  lots of solids, imports and lots of fabric by what I call the contemporary young designers.  It was a busy shop. 

After meeting up with "the working girl" at Purl, we rewarded ourselves for a rough day of shopping with dinner at Perilla. Opened by the winner of the first Top Chef TV show, Harold Dieterle , it was delicious.  And we even had dessert.  We earned it, with all of the calories we burned walking all over NYC!