A Special Collaboration and Quilts You Won't Believe

This marks my third year collaborating with Mrs. Boysen-Taylor’s eighth grade class at the Palouse Prairie Charter School in Idaho for their Humanities Expedition. The students are off to a great start! Here’s a brief look at our process together and the students’ early progress.

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To practice cutting skills, Mrs. Boysen-Taylor provides her students with a comprehensive worksheet.

Our process together is made up of multiple stages. First, the students read Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and select a passage that resonates. Together, Ms. Boysen-Taylor and I share instruction and pointers on paper cutting techniques as the students sketch their designs for their selected passages. They share their sketches with me and I offer feedback by way of personal video critiques. Final drawings are made before moving to the actual paper cutting. 

At the end of March, students watched my three videos sharing information and inspiration on what paper cutting can be, as well as a paper cutting demo. Now, a little over one month in to the project and their rough drafts are in my hands for review. I’ll film individual critiques over the weekend so the students have them on Monday. Spoiler alert, their drafts are pretty great! I’m always impressed by their ability to get an idea out of their heads and onto paper.

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Mrs. Boysen-Taylor’s class watching the second of three videos I put together for them.

Students mastering their cutting skills:

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Each year, Mrs. Boysen-Taylor dreams up the coolest ways to reproduce the students’ work. For example, last year the students made book marks, and you can read what they did with their book marks here. Such a fun, creative idea! I won’t give away what she’s dreamed up for this year’s class. Every year, I wish I could be a student in Mrs. Boysen-Taylor’s class. Going through this Expedition with them, even long distance, I can honestly say these are lucky students!

In a few short weeks, with permission granted by Mrs. Boysen-Taylor and the Palouse Prairie Charter School, I’ll share the students’ finished work. Until then, if you have any questions about the Expedition, please leave a comment! Also, if you collaborate on a student project with your local school, I’d love to hear about it!

HAVE YOU SEEN the dazzling carved wood quilts and kimonos by the incredibly talented Fraser Smith? http://www.gofraser.com

Finally, if you’re interested in following me on Instagram, please say hello @tierneybarden AND, to see how my fabrics are being used by talented makers, follow #tierneybarden! Thanks!

Quilt Fun Beginning With Paper and Scissors

Saturday March 16th was National Quilting Day, and I was fortunate to have been invited to teach an abbreviated version of my paper cutting workshop to members of the Thumbstall Quilt Guild in Marcellus, NY. Being a member of this guild made sharing my love of paper, scissors and fabric even more special. We had three hours together and these quilters played hard! Let’s have a look over some of the students’ shoulders as the day unfolded:

Denise Bell invited me to teach my workshop, and I have to say that I could make an entire post on solely her paper cuttings and fabric pieces! She took the ball and ran so far with it that she might still be running! Denise recently returned from Mobile, Alabama and used the lush vegetation as her inspiration. Of the many layouts and ideas Denise explored, each and every one of them had such a painterly quality and an undeniable liveliness. For me, her work inspires jubilation and celebration. Keep going, Denise!

Denise Bell smiling through the entire workshop!

Denise made this piece inspired by her recent trip to Mobile, Alabama.

Carol Armstrong used her class time to take one basic motif and apply it to each of the folded papers we reviewed at the top of the class. So industrious, and so inspired! She took a bold step out of the box and began layering her paper cuttings and coming up with compositions for really intriguing pieces. I, for one, will be anxious to see what comes of her paper play!

Carol wisely cut several variations on a theme.

Pam Mueller tracing one of her unique designs.

Pam Mueller (right) had a small mountain of paper cuts to choose from and decided on this one for fabric. During class, she pulled a turquoise watercolor batik from her stash, which will make for spectacular results! I can’t wait to see Pam’s finished piece!

Marion Lutz (below) wowed the room with her gorgeous leaf and stem design! Back at her home studio, Marion continues to make progress. She has big plans for this piece, and all I’ll say is that I already put in my request for a pre-order! It’s going to be so good!! You can find Marion @fauxsister.

Marion Lutz tracing her lovely design.

Marion Lutz’s original design. Stunning!

Camille DiSanza took one of my Flower templates and enlarged it free hand, then cut the original template from the light green fabric and her enlargement from the dark green. She set out to create a shadow effect and nailed it! She’s a shining example of giving oneself permission to play and letting the magic happen!

Camille DiSanza with her fabric panel destined to become a pillow cover.

Sue Hopkins traced and fused my Tulips template onto an asian print before fusing it to her table runner. The original table runner pattern had a different flower appliqué, but Sue decided to venture out on her own! Using only the fabric she brought, she cut a total of seven Tulips. She decided to place four Tulips across one end of the runner and three across the other end. I can’t wait to see your finished table runner, Sue!

Sue’s fabric choice gave added movement to her Tulips!

Sue Hopkins fusing Tulips to one end of her table runner.

Four Tulips down, three to go!

Typically, I offer this workshop as a full day, so I can attest to how hard these women worked in three short hours! When I see the progress and the fun people have, I often feel this should be a multiple day workshop. It would allow for a comprehensive exploration of the process, as well as allow students the space and time to really develop their own ideas and get valuable feeedback from the group.

If your guild or quilt group is interested in this paper cutting and fused appliqué workshop, for one day or two days, please email me. It’s a lot of fun, very inspiring and the results around the room are as unique and beautiful as the people creating them. See more of my work on Instagram @tierneybarden.

I’d like to thank the Thumbstall Quilt Guild and all of the students shown above for their permission to share their unique work with all of you. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions below in the comments!

Shakespeare, Paper Cutting and an Expedition

Presenting the stunning paper cut bookmarks made by the students in Ms. Rebekka Boysen-Taylor's class at the Palouse Prairie Charter School in Idaho. This work is the culmination of their 2018 8th Grade Humanities Expedition, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Working with these students is an honor and one of the highlights of my year. 

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Students, from top to bottom: R.F., Joey, Benji

For the past two years, I've been fortunate to work with Ms. Boysen-Taylor and her students in what the school refers to as a Humanities Expedition. A professional is invited to work on a project with the class, and in some shape or form, share first hand working-world knowledge and experience.

Ms. Boysen-Taylor and I first connected in 2016 by way of her facebook inquiry for a paper cut artist. Elizabeth Duvivier passed along my name, as I had just taught a paper cutting mini workshop at Squam Art Workshops. The rest is history, and for even more insights into our journey together, you can see and read all about the 2017 Expedition here.

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Students, left to right: Xhander, Blake, Elisa

 Our process together is made up of multiple stages. First, the students read Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and select a passage that resonates. Together, Ms. Boysen-Taylor and I share instruction and pointers on paper cutting techniques and best practices as the students sketch their designs for their selected passages. They share their sketches with me and I offer feedback by way of a personal video. Final drawings are made before moving to the actual paper cutting. 

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Students, left to right, then top to bottom: Viola, Norea, K.R., Dante, Shafer

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Students, left to right: Madeline, Isaiah, Shawn, Keenan

The next time I see their work, it's finished, which is what you're seeing in these photos. Ms. Boysen-Taylor had their art copied onto glossy card stock so that the students could autograph their narrative book marks before slipping them into books throughout their local library. Ms. Boysen-Taylor didn't stop there. She approached the Idaho Shakespeare Festival in Boise which agreed to sell the book marks, helping the students earn back the money for materials. 

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Students, left to right: Isabella, Julia

Aren't these eighth graders so talented?! I've marveled at their imagination and skill. I've also watched in awe as their teacher continues to demonstrate leadership, foster creative expression and spread compassion. Ms. Boysen-Taylor inspires and innovates. I'd love to spend even one day in her classroom!

Working with her students was so much fun, and what moved me was their good humor combined with their willingness to adjust, improve and grow. Each time I look at their work I find more to see. I hope they're enjoying the last of days of summer before ninth grade begins. Here's wishing them all a successful new school year ahead!

If you have any questions about the Expedition, our process together or anything else, please leave a comment or email me: tierneybarden@gmail.com. 

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photo courtesy of geniuskitchen.com

Do you love pickles?

Below is the recipe I try to remember to make each summer because it's that good! 

Grated ginger really sets the recipe apart, and while I tried to find the recipe link on bonappetit.com, it's not coming up, but that's where it originally came from.

Bread and Butter Pickles by Kevin West

Yield: about 2 quarts

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs kirby cucumbers, cut crosswise into 1/4" rounds (about 8 cups)

2 cups thinly sliced red onions

1/3 cup pickling salt, or Kosher salt (not table salt)

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 -1/4 packed light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds

1-1/2 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. celery seeds

2 Fresno chiles or red jalapenos, pricked with a toothpick

Preparation:

In a large bowl, toss together cucumbers, onions and salt. Add 3 cups ice and set aside for 2-3 hours. Drain, rinse well, drain again.

In a large pot combine the vinegar and all remaining ingredients with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Add cucumbers and onions, return to a boil. Turn off heat.

Ladle into 2-3 clean, hot 1-quart jars. Leave 1/2" space on top. Wipe rims, seal and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool to room temperature before storing in pantry or refrigerator.

Gallery Talk: Resplendent

At last, we've reached the final post about the making of my art quilts recently shown at Squam Art Workshops. 

While the previous five quilts focused largely on their story telling element, this quilt's story is in its making. Enjoy a closer look at Resplendent's inception, techniques and artistry. For the complete view of "My Enchanted Wonderland" installation, please click here.

Resplendent, 2018

Title: Resplendent, 44.5" x 46.5"

Materials: Naturally dyed organic cotton sateens, commercial cottons, metallic and cotton threads; two layers wool batting

Techniques: English Paper Piecing, hand and machine piecing, fused applique, hand quilting

Date: June 2017 - May 2018

re-splend-ent, adjective

attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous

Looking back over the months that this quilt was being made, I can honestly say that resplendent is the best word to adequately convey how I felt through the entire process, including how I felt when I saw it finished for the first time. From the initial design idea, to fabric choices, exploring paper shape combinations, cutting paper for the center medallion, and hand piecing and quilting - at every stage, I felt a sort of inner radiance mixed with thrill and eagerness to keep going. 

1" hexis cut from paper and wrapped with fabric. I'm a fan of glue basting.

In the beginning, this quilt was intended as an attempt to satisfy my curiosity about medallion quilts (their history, variety of quilt components and assembly methods). At the same time, I had been anxious to start an English Paper Piecing (EPP) project using my naturally dyed fabrics. Just at the early stages of designing this quilt, Elizabeth Duvivier invited me to teach at the June '18 session of Squam Art Workshops. We had discussed paper cutting being a large part of the class, and then with a little more play time and sample making, I bridged paper cutting to fabric by way of fused applique - more on that a little later in this post - but it's important to note this time of play was a key moment in the planning of the workshop, as well as the evolution of this quilt. Lesson: make more time to play. 

First things first, I began the process of making Resplendent by cutting piles and piles of 1" paper hexagons. I also pulled a stack of my naturally dyed silks and cottons in colors that I see around me every day during summer months. I laid them out to create a transition from light to dark and noticed darker greens were needed, but because they aren't in my standard dye palette, I turned to Nancy Rink's New Aged Muslins by Marcus Fabrics. Feeling the need for a little bit of visual texture, I brought in just a few batiks, and a stripe by Moda and stars by Andover. 

EPP hexis being sewn into units before being sewn together to create the center panel of the quilt. 

Making the most of every piece of fabric, especially my hand dyed indigo.

A few of the jewel shape paper pieces used in the outer border being wrapped and glue basted. 

One unit of many forming the outermost border. The center diamonds are all lovely, soft shades of peaches and pinks from my dye pots.

A tray made transporting the English Paper Piecing units much easier!

I chuckle when I recall how I used to think sewing by hand must take ages! Having done a bit of hand sewing before embarking on this quilt, I knew that with an efficient set up (tools, posture, support, etc.), hand work actually moves right along. Stitching one color and shape to the next is satisfying, relaxing and enjoyable. I'll even admit to finding it slightly addicting. Sewing EPP is like solving a puzzle - as soon as you put two pieces together you can't wait to see the next piece put in place, and the next! 

Speaking of puzzle pieces, once the center panel and outer borders pieces were stitched together, the four outermost corners were in need of a solution. They presented a fun design challenge, for example, I knew I wanted the colors to flow around each corner, keep the eye moving and maintain a coherent design, but I also had to keep in mind that a paper cut design would be applied over this space, so how not to compete with that design? Below are photos of my solution, and with that portion completed, I moved on to the paper cut motifs. 

A corner in need of a solution. 

One half of the corner unit.

One half of the corner unit meeting up with the border.

Two corner units sewn together, inner border added.

In the quilt world, there exist a few applique methods. I tend to do a lot of needle turn applique, of which you can see an example here, here and here, but when it comes to my paper cut designs I find fused applique to be the most appropriate method. Generally, if it can be drawn and cut, it can be fused. It's a fairly simple process, and any one can use this technique with beautiful results. I enjoy sharing the technique with fellow creatives, not just quilters, and you can see the work of talented Squam students in my Instagram feed here.

On the left is a paper cut that didn't quite hit the mark for Resplendent's center medallion. I must have cut four or five different designs, fine tuning each time, getting closer to what I felt was just right. 

The final paper cut design ready for transfer to fusible web, which had already been adhered to fabric. When cutting, I first get my head in the right place: patience, steadiness and staying in the flow. 

The paper cut design is cut and turned over to the right side. 

Fusing the center medallion onto the quilt top. Tiny, sharp scissors trim any stray threads before fusing. 

Once the quilt top is completely assembled, at last, all of the paper pieces can be removed! Aa a mountain of paper pieces grows, one can see the wisdom in reusing papers.

The assembled quilt top, paper pieces removed, and the entire top pressed. The next steps include layering the batting and backing, basting, machine quilting the paper cut motifs, hand quilting the rest, and then binding. 

The day to begin Resplendent's hand quilting was memorable. It was 7:00AM on Saturday May 19th, 2018, and I was in my Nest with fresh hot coffee to my left and my small wooden tool bowl on my right, and the TV was airing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. There was one specific moment after the ceremony when a reporter commented that this wedding was "resplendent". I could hardly believe my ears. Of all the adjectives to describe the wedding, he chose the word I had named the very quilt I was stitching. Without slowing, my needle simply continued to weave glinting gold metallic thread through all the layers, holding them together for a lifetime.   

Big stitch hand quilting, detail. Metallic thread and Aurifil cotton thread.

A view of the back of the quilt. Topography comes to mind.

One last look, Resplendent surrounded by Specimen (L) and New York Beauty (R)

How's that for a fairytale ending? Thank you all for the time you have taken to read my posts about this special body of work. I value your interest and your feedback. Many of you have been so kind to share your own reactions and thoughts with me, and I've sincerely enjoyed those conversations. 

A heartfelt thank you goes out once again to Elizabeth Duvivier @elizabethduvivier and Meg Fussell @squamlove for the opportunity to produce and show this body of work, as well as their support. This has been an epic stitched journey and I've enjoyed every single moment. I remain open to traveling with this show, and would appreciate any potential locations/events you may know of.  

Please continue to share your questions and comments below or by email: tierneybarden@gmail.com. I read them all. You can also follow my natural dye works and daily life on Instagram @tierneybarden.

Enchanted Squam. A Fairytale In the Woods.

Welcome to "My Enchanted Wonderland", an installation of art quilts that I had the honor of sharing this past week at Squam Art Workshops in NH.

Housed in the Deephaven Library at Rockywold-Deephaven Camps, an inherent coziness and intimacy infused the space surrounding my Nest and art quilts. As soon as the quilts were hung, I stood back with my amazing helper Terri Dautcher (@tldautcher) and we took it all in. It was the first time I saw my work all together and, as Terri can attest, I got a little choked up. I've spent the past eight months creating this installation, with most of it being made within the last six months. As a quilter, this has been a physically intense period of time, completely self-induced, with every art quilt featuring hand applique, and some also incorporating hand piecing or hand quilting. As a story teller, the intensity only continued to build because each story is so personal, and at the same time, universal. It's a lot to carry, which I see as a privilege because they are our stories. Sharing this little world of stitched stories with 200 like-minded people, nestled in the woods along the edge of Squam Lake, was truly a gift, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 

The view to the left of my Nest (the bed, the sacred space that fosters stitched stories.)

The view to the right of my Nest.

This installation was companion to the workshop I taught for two days, also titled Enchanted Wonderland. 28 incredibly gifted, generous, kind women gathered around work tables and cut what I'm calling botanical paper cuts, and then translated their favorite piece in fabric. (The blue and white pillow below is one I made as a class sample.) Some students even took their fabric pieces to the next level by adding hand or machine stitching outside of class. To be surrounded by people so open to adventure, and to see their eyes light up with excitement about what they've just created - well, it's my favorite part about teaching. I believe this workshop is worth offering to a wider audience, so stay tuned for a workshop update. You can see a group shot of each class holding some of their work on my instagram feed, @tierneybarden.

Close-up of the heart of my Nest. The pink and black Antique Stars is in the process of being hand pieced and will be hand quilted, some day.

Back to the installation, over the next few weeks I'm going to share each quilt right here, one at a time, as a way to talk more in-depth about my design process, how I choose quilting techniques in relation to the story being told and other topics. Send me your questions here in the comments, by email, or DM @tierneybarden on Instagram and I'll do my best to answer in the upcoming posts. That would be fun!

On my Nest is a Welsh-inspired quilt top that I made entirely with my naturally dyed organic sateens, and will be hand quilting this summer. There's also a small black and white paper cut featuring a mouse friend (background) that has then been hand appliqued also in black and white (foreground). More on this and other little pieces coming soon, too.

While at Squam, I was frequently asked what's in store for the quilts. I'd like them to travel to other unique, intimate spaces, and to share these stories with more people. I see the installation changing to fit the space, a welcome challenge. I'm open to location suggestions, and you can email me here.

Paper cuts used in Dark Night, 2018.

To every person at Squam Art Workshops who experienced the show and shared their thoughts and questions with me, thank you! For every person who held their experience more privately, thank you! To Elizabeth Duvivier (@elizabethduvivier) who flung the door wide open to such an incredible journey, thank you! To Meg Fussell (@squamlove), thank you for keeping Squam Love alive!  

For a generous dose of magical, woodsy, love-filled Squam Art Workshops eye-candy:

#squamlove  #squamlove2018  #squamwardbound and follow @squamlove to be the first to know about future Squam workshop offerings, have an inside look at all things Squam, and more!