alone in the studio

Monkey Hands Studio

    Some of the dolls I've made over the past year or so. 

It's been just over a year now since I began the alone in the studio blog.  It was a great format for me to use as I recorded projects and my creative process while in casts and boots for six months after breaking my foot, and as I began, in my disabled state, my China relocation. I really was very alone most of the time.  My foot has healed, I've been working in Beijing, and I'm no longer so much "alone," so, even though I relish alone-time to create, it's time to move forward and mix things up a bit.

Monkey Hands is the name of my new blog.  It reflects my process (very monkey-handed, as in the Zen/Buddhist term "monkey mind" , where I move rapidly from one project to the next, exploring new techniques and ever-curious and seeking.  That said, my intention is to move more deeply into some of the traditional handwork I've been learning lately, including sashiko and pojagi, while continuing to enjoy bird, doll, art quilt, and quilt-making.  

It's been wonderful getting to know quilters and artists from all over the world. Your blogs, ideas, and comments inspire and encourage me. I hope you'll continue to visit me at Monkey Hands.  alone in the studio will remain "open" so the year-long posts will still be accessible.

Onward!

Lovely Lavender Winner

 

New bird in process, perched to critique the new blog, Monkey Hands .

The fourth comment wins Lovely Lavender! It was posted by Carol, from Quilt Fever--congrats, Carol!

 

The fifth Summer Giveaway concludes at noon EST tomorrow, Friday, September 2nd.  The prompt to enter for a chance to win "Pinks" leads you to my new blog, Monkey Hands, where the winner will be announced.   

Giveaway Five: Birds, Pinks & a Blue; Studio Update

Fat quarters, half and full yards. Go to the new blog Monkey Hands and post there on the post titled "Seeing Pink", telling me why you like pink!  You can win again, even if you've won previous giveaways here. Why not! Think pink! The deadline to post is noon on Friday, September 2nd.

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 The studio is slowly beginning to come back together.  Slowly being the key word!

Announcing Blues and Orange Giveaway Winners & Surprise Winners!

Thanks to everyone who participated!  Stay tuned for the Lovely Lavender winner, to be announced tomorrow, and to enter the fifth Summer Giveaway, also announced tomorrow!

Denna at Wedding Dress Blue was the 11th commenter, the number chosen by the Random Number Generator.
 
 Congrats, Denna!  Send me your mailing address and I'll get your blues right out to you. 

Shifra wins a surprise blues giveaway consolation prize, so mazel tov, Shifra!  Email your address!

Mimi takes Orange with number three from the Random Number Generator! Congrats, Mimi--email me your address so you can get going with these oranges.

 Gina at Cat Whiskers wins the surprise orange giveaway consolation goodies, so congrats, Gina.  Email your address so I can get this on their way to you!

 

Summer Giveaway Four: Lovely Lavender

Lush flannels--one and two yard lengths.

Post here by midnight EST on Wednesday, August 31st, and tell me what's different about the photos in the last few posts on this blog. 

Don't be shy!  You can win more than once, you know.  There's no rule that says otherwise!

Summer Giveaway: Orange! and Studio Progress

Yardage and fat quarters; let me know if you're in an orange mood by noon EST on Wednesday, August 31 !

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Chaos abounds! Here's a picture of the new studio in process.  Some new shelving has been built, and the old studio has been emptied.  The suitcase contains the fabric I brought back from Kwang Jang Market in Seoul.

Summer Giveaway Two: Sewing the Blues

Eight fat quarters; post here by Wednesday, noon, EST, if you can put them to use!

Comfort Quilts 2011: Number Five

I added wide red borders to frame the central panel, and then sent it off to Phyllis at Quilter's Pantry  for long-arm quilting.  She outlined the countries and then free-motion quilted the waves in the oceans.  Cool!  Thanks, Phyllis.  

It's now on it's way to my mom in Arizona. She'll quilt the red borders and add yellow binding. This little quilt (42 x 48-ish) is coming together as I envisioned.  I ran out of time (and steam) to finish it; my time here in the states is so short.  Thanks, Mom! She'll donate it from her home in Tucson.

Summer Giveaway One: Amy Butler Winner!

Carol of Quiltfever is the winner of 1.5 Amy Butler quilt kits, with 10" squares, binding and backing fabric included.  Congrats, Carol!  The .5 is additional yardage for backing and binding -- I used the 10" squares for bird making earlier in the year. 

Giveaway with a twist: One name was chosen from among those who have posted to this blog during the month of August.  Stay tuned for future summer giveaways!

The "New" Naked Space

This is the new space in the "Silk Mill"--literally a former textile factory, with much of the block-long building still unfinished and unoccupied.  It's just down the hall from my current studio space. I'm probably a bit nuts to be doing this when I only have a few short weeks here, but this space just opened up and it has better flow as well as afternoon sunlight. I teach and give workshops during the afternoons or evenings (when I'm not living in China), and I appreciate natural light. This room also has a small utility sink, as well as a tiny little office-type space. Eventually, I plan to move the studio to my house in the country, but that won't happen until the "China tour" is finished. 

I haven't figured out how I'll set up the space, so stay tuned.  This will be a work in process for quite some time.  Suggestions are welcome and encouraged! 

Stay tuned, also, for the "summer giveaways," as predicted in June. They're on the horizon, and they're going to be good!