Archive for the ‘Making Art’ Category

Embroidered Dog Portraits

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

 

Purlene by Andrea Zuill

Some of my first needlework samples I ever posted where  portraits of dogs.

Maggie by Andrea Zuill

I am a little dog crazy and these portraits where great fun. 

I even got a commission to do the piece above.  And, yes, that is the actual dog’s expression.

I have decided to try another dog portrait.  This one will be of a dog named Button.  Button is a terrier mix that was adopted from the Humane Society by friends of mine.  I will post some of my steps  I take to create a portait.  Button will be the first hairy dog I have ever done.  Wish me luck.

I

Transfer-Eze, a new product for embroidery.

Friday, January 29th, 2010

   I was reading the magazine Quilt Mania and I came across a new embroidery product called Transfer Eze.  With Transfer Eze you can put a sheet into your computer (like a normal sheet of paper) and print your embroidery pattern.  Once this is done you peel that backing material off then stick the film, with the image, onto your fabric. When you finish stitching your design you use cold water to get rid of the film, leaving just your stitching and fabric. 

   Here is my step by step on using Transfer Eze and the results.

  Using my regular, cheap HP printer I printed my design onto the Transfer Eze.

 

  I peeled off the backing paper and stuck the image on 100 % cotton muslin fabric.  The Transfer Eze was easy to apply. As you can see I didn’t iron my fabric and the film adhered very nicely.

 

  Printing on the Transfer Eze was very easy and left a nice, dark and clear pattern.  Transfer Eze feels like a paper fabric.

 

  No problem putting the fabric and the Trans. Eze into my hoop.  The Trans. Eze feels like having your fabric applied to a stabilizer.

 

  Very little trouble with stitching.  There is some extra resistance  but probably not much different than using a stabilizer.  I have major carpel tunnel and stitching with Trans. Eze didn’t bother me a bit.

 

  You can see the texture of the Trans. Eze in this photo.   I tend to manhandle my work so I was glad to find that I had no lifting or releasing of the Trans. Eze while stitching.

 

  Completed stitched design with Trans. Eze still attached to fabric.

 

 

After stitching, peel and cut away extra Trans. Eze. 

  

  Lastly, after clipping the extra Trans. Eze off I soaked my fabric in cold water.  The directions states that it takes 5 to 10 minutes to remove the film, but it dissolved much faster on my project.

The only problem I had with Transfer Eze is that Trans. Eze film was like having a very thin spacer between the stitching and fabric. When I removed the film my stitches weren’t as tight as I would like to be.  I believe I could improve the tension of my stitches with practice.   Maybe this tension problem happens with stabilizers too?  I just don’t know. 

Remember, if you try Transfer Eze practice on a sample first.  The results I had may not be the same for everyone and every fabric.

The only place I could find Transfer Eze was at Original Creations Quilt Shop.  Here is their info.:

Original Creations Quilt Shop, 16863 Highline Blvd., Cut and Shoot, TX, 77306

phone: 956-491-5650

Email;   jerry@originalcreationsquiltshop.com

Website: http://www.originalcreationsquiltshop.com/home.htm  ,  Their website is a little hard to use.  If you click on Transfer Eze it doesn’t take you anywhere. 

 

Need your help. Book Idea’s….

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009


I think I want to write a book.  A craft book to be more specific.  But, here’s the thing, I don’t know what kind of craft book. 

Here is what I think I am good at:

Designing. I think that I am pretty ok with designing embroidery and quilt patterns.

Choosing colors.  It took a long time, but I got a handle on it.

Finding a simple, none fussy way to create quilt and fabric art.  This includes how to design, compose and choose colors.

What I am not good at:

Sewing projects like purses, pillow cases and potholders.

Creating projects in general.

Ugh, I need help.  Let me know what you would want from me. 

Another personal expression in architecture.

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

  So you have seen my blog on Thunder Mountain in Imlay, NV.  Now I present you with another type of personal expression in architecture.  When traveling not too far from Thunder Mountain I spotted another unusual group of buildings.   We were traveling thru ranchlands in Yerington, NV. (more…)

A coffee house show.

Monday, July 20th, 2009

     I’m having a coffee house show at Blue Mug in Escondido, CA.  I haven’t done one of these in quite awhile.

  The fun part is to sit in the cafe and watch people look and comment on your art without knowing that the artist is sitting right there.  A bit of a voyeur, I am. 

  At  art openings only the people that like your art will talk to you.  You get a  one-sided  view of how people feel about your art.  It’s interesting to hear why they DON’T like your work. You can overhear how they feel about the color, subject matter, and composition of your work.  It’s interesting hearing their views no matter how much a complete idiot they are.

Being an anonymous observer also makes it easier to follow people out to their cars.

Junes Free Pattern!

Friday, June 5th, 2009

 

 Oh yah!  No one had to remind me.   I remembered the monthly pattern.

Here is a fun little owl pattern.  I hope you have fun with it!

Click on image to get the full size pattern.

Chickadees

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

  I have had a lot on my mind lately.  I have another art show coming up at Galleri Urbane in Marfa, TX.   I need to ship out several pieces this week and then finish up several more paintings.  When I paint I get into a weird frame of mind.  It’s like I go through the world with blinders.  A sort of tunnel vision that allows only thoughts regarding my paintings.  My house is a mess, I eat poorly and let’s face it I get pretty bitchy. 

At night I really want to rest my mind.  I find peace and calm in designing prints.  You may have notice that many of my recent blogs feature new prints.  As emotionally wrenching my paintings are for me, creating prints is playful and fun.  I need both in my life.  They help create a fragile balance in my life. 

So, as you can see, I have designed yet another chickadee print.  You never can go wrong with birds.  This print is not for sale yet. 

Can there be too many Antler Girl images?

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Can there be too many images of little girls with antlers?   Discuss……

Just kidding.  I wanted to try to create a image totally designed on the computer.  I was trying for a Golden Book illustration look.  I call her Mother Nature’s Youngest Daughter in hopes that I might create a series of Mother Nature’s daughters.  I haven’t decided if the series will actually happen.  The style is very different from my other work.