I have been trying for quite a while to get my stash down to a reasonable level, while still holding on to everything I like. It doesn't work very well because I like almost everything, which is why I bought it all in the first place. I also like to hang on to things I've made.

I have managed to give away many boxes and bags of fabrics to various charities, but now I've started giving away things I still really like. This week I donated two more bags of fabrics, including some pieces that are large enough to make backs of quilts. I also went through some old projects that never got completed. Many of those blocks are now out of my hands. 

I understand that my donations will go toward quilts for children at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which was started by Paul Newman and serves children who have serious illnesses. Every child leaves with a quilt.

This first block, from a pattern by Bethany Reynolds, was supposed to be part of a quilt, but I must have tired of it quickly.  I only made one.

 

 

 

The next are my rows that a group I belonged to years ago were making for each other. It was called Row by Row. We each made a row for all the others. I never put my rows together. I gave them all away last week. I wish I had taken pictures of the rows I received. These are mine.

 

I don't easily get rid of things, so this was a big step in my quest to downsize and just leave room for the things I want most to do for the rest of my years. Having too much can be paralyzing. Wish me well as I continue this journey.

I'm submitting a 12"x12" quilt  to SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) for this year's benefit auction. I had completed this a few years ago as part of a set of three similar pieces which were exhibited in a Sisters in Cloth Quilting Arts exhibit at the Guilford, Connecticut, public library. Our group of twelve fiber arts has exhibited at the library frequently. 

One of my three was purchased by a friend.

 

 

I felt that this needed embellishing, and I love adding beads to my quilts when needed. This piece reminds me of a super nova, and that's what it is called, Super Nova.

 

The background is a fabric that I dyed, the blue is a commercial print. 

 

 

 

 

I see that I haven't been on my blog for five years! I must rectify that.

The SAQA 2022 virtual conference just ended yesterday. What fun and what inspiration. One of the best parts of the conference is getting to know fiber artists from around the world, albeit via Zoom. 

The speakers and their presentations were terrific. I learned so much and I came away looking at my work in a different way. The opening keynote speaker was Janet Echleman. I encourage to check out her installation art.

Also on the first day, Bobbi Baugh had me writing down a full page of notes and ideas about how to tell my story through my fiber art. The final presentation was by Jim Arendt, who inspired all of us tremendously. In between the two were many other wonderful presentations.

Lightening talks by artists and studio tours were another highlight.

The Spotlight auction raised a lot of money for SAQA. These are very small pieces that members donate (I donated one) and then anyone can bid on them. I'm happy to say that I won one of them this year, one  made by Carol D. Chewning. I was especially happy to win this one, with the theme of peace and the sunflower.

In many breakout rooms, we were able to have conversations with a group of four to six people. Last Saturday evening, about two dozen of us playing BananaGrams. It was such fun that we had another session on Sunday. Another session was held, but I slept through it.