Favorite Tree Challenge

We had three months to work on this challenge - Favorite Tree - chosen by Lettie Blackburn. People either found it very challenging or really liked the subject because of the  11 people participating 15 works were created.

 How To Choose From Riches Such As These

Lettie Blackburn

 The Last Stand...Remembering

Lettie Blackburn

Lettie says this is a dead pine tree whose design fascinates her and this is the third time she has used it in her artwork.

 

 Georgia Street Gingko Tree-October 16th

Carol Bormann

This interpretation of the gingko tree was inspired by a photo Carol took a few years ago. The viewpoint is from under the spreading limbs looking up toward the sky. The canopy of the tree was covered with yellow leaves. The piece was created using applique and machine embroidery.

 

 Georgia Street Gingko Tree-October 17th

Carol Bormann

This piece abstractly illustrates the yellow leaves that all fell in one day. The black trunk and branches of the bare tree contrast with the circle of fallen leaves. Machine embroidery gives pattern and dimension to the mat they formed. The tree silhouette was fused on top of the leaves.

 Grace

Dianna Callahan

A drawing on fabric.

 Tree in Ozark Sunset

Dianna Callahan

 Redbud

Cathy Jeffery

Tree in Sunlight

Donna Olson

 

 Owl In a Pine Tree

Roberta Ranney

 Boo Hoo Wahoo

Emmie Seaman

A Wahoo tree is a small native tree usually found in the wild in damp areas. It has beautiful color in the fall and red berries in the winter which the birds love. Emmie's beautiful Wahoo in her back yard was destroyed in the ice storm of 2009 and only a bare trunk was left. The tree trunk is cut free form and fused to the hand dyed background. Embellished with machine embroidery.

Wahoo Tree (back)

Emmie Seaman

This was a first attempt but the above was preferred so this was used for the back of the of the quilt.  It is a photo image of the tree in fall foliage with berries printed onto canvas. A  photo image of the dead tree is fused onto that.  

 Ginkgo

Lucy Silliman

 Dogwood

Diane Steffen

 Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Vivian Terbeek

Non-Deciduous Palm

Merrilee Tieche

Merrilee misses the warm coast.

Chinese Christmas or Dirty Santa Party

Every year we have a finger food, gift exchange party to celebrate the Christmas season. The gifts must be handmade or from a collection. The food was outstanding which I didn't photograph, I just ate it. The gifts were also outstanding.

 Carol Bormann holding a journal with hand made cover made by Lettie Blackburn. And Lettie holding a pillow made by Emmie Seaman

 Cathy Jeffery holding pieced, molded leaves made by Diane Steffen. Maybe we can get Diane to write a blog post about her technique.

 Donna Olson holding Christmas socks.

 Lettie holding a wall quilt made by Roberta Ranney.

Pottery made by Dianna Callahan

Merrilee Tieche was Queen for a Day while she plows through tissue paper.

Then we also had show and tell:

 Roberta Ranney with one of her many owls. She says this is the last one; made for herself.

 Quilt for a four-poster bed made by Lettie Blackburn

Red Strips by Cathy Jeffery

Cathy Jeffery is holding another piece in which she used scraps from her red strips. Note Vivian Terbeen wearing the tiara. Now she's Queen for a Day!

YES! we had loads of fun.

Transportation 12 x 12 Challenge

 Our latest challenge chosen by Carol Bormann and entitled "Transportation" was revealed at the last meeting.  In a personal manner, life has become challenging for several of the members and only nine participated but it was still fun to see everyone's creative innovations.

 Hazardous Ride

Cathy Jeffery

I was inspired by a tumble that I took on my great nephew's skateboard, thinking I could still ride it at the age of 62!

 Avacrow

Donna Olson

I took this name from the movie "Avitar" where the form of transportation was gigantic winged creatures. I would just settle on a Crow. 

 Go Mama

Emmie Seaman

Babies in a backpack get a warm, cuddly, smooth ride.

 Bike Ride Across the Danube

Lucy Silliman

Lucy is a world traveler who rides out of the ordinary modes of transportation.

 U Turn

Diane Steffen

 

 California Freeway

Vivian Terbeek

 Gassing Up At Phillips 66 on Route 66

Carol Bormann
The 1957 Ford (my first "ride" in a Mid-Century Modern setting was machine embroidered using rayon thread on black polished cotton.

I Love New York Taxis

Merrilee Tieche

I visited the Eastern Seaboard from October 2 through October 14. Ten days later, Hurrican Sandy swept toward New York. I had planned to use busy New York City somehow in the representation of the Transportation theme of this little quilt, but seeing the photographs of the beautiful bright gold NYC taxis submerged in hurricane driven waters really focused that idea. This was my first trip to New York and I fell in love with the city, it's energy, and beauty.

After the Rain

Dianna Callahan

HOT AND DRY

Enduring a bad drought this summer, Dianna Callahan named our new 12 X 12 challenge theme, "Hot and Dry."

 There were only nine of us participating this time. Summer has been too busy for some. Perhaps they'll add more later.

106 In The Shade

Emmie Seaman

Much of my landscape died during the drought and trees in the forest lost their leaves. It was so hot and miserable outside, I felt like a prisoner in my own home. I should add a window with bars on it.

 Hope

Carol Bormann

While traveling through northern Missouri, I saw dry and cracked fields with corn stalks short and withered. By contrast, the corn in Nebraska was green and lush due to the irrigation the farmers were using. I realized there could be "Hope" if the crops were nurtured. This custom machine-embroidered piece shows this hope with the small green plant emerging from the cracked earth. It symbolizes the "Hope" I feel with the progress that has been made with our economy in the past 3 years. The crop is not developed enough yet, but if it continues to be fed, it should keep growing and be bountiful.

 Buzzard Over a Dry Gulch

Dianna Callahan

 Extreme Drought

Cathy Jeffery

 Donna Olson

 Lucy Silliman

 Arid Crops

Diane Steffen

A flight over Missouri from California in August inspired this version of Hot and Dry.

 Only the Dragon Fly Was Happy

Vivian Terbeek

Because when it is this hot and this dry, only the Dragon Fly is out visiting the sun flowers.

Hot and Dried

Merrilee Tieche

"FOURTH OF JULY"

12" X 12" JULY CHALLENGE

Members of Uncommon Threads explored the "Fourth of July" theme for the July Challenge. Colors used were to reflect the traditional colors of the holiday.

CELEBRATING AMERICA

Maureen Ashlock

Fireworks in fabric – Due to my son’s illness we did not celebrate the Fourth at his house. This was my fireworks.

LOVING LADY LIBERTY

Carol Bormann

Most of us are descendents of immigrants who came to America with the promise of a better life for them and their families. No matter what political affiliation people have chosen, I hope they remember this symbol of our liberty for all who live here. The design is custom rayon machine embroidery on cotton with fireworks freemotion stitched in multi layers of Rayon thread.

STORM

Dianna Callahan

 My son-in-law is a Marine who fought in the Desert Storm war. I had saved a “desert storm” T-shirt from 1991, and used it for this project.

POLITICAL FRENZY

Diane Steffen

Presidential campaign is in the works. So much negative garbage is on the news that it boggles the mind. Why can't we just hear the good things about each candidate and make our decisions?

RED, WHITE, and BLUE MAKE LAVENDER

Lily Kerns

No political commentary intended. This is just a simple statement of fact. Holes in lavender tulle layer reveal the stars and stripes below it.

ALL-AMERICAN CROW

Donna Olson

Eagles are often used as a patriotic theme. My fascination with crows is evident in many pieces I have done, so I decided that what we needed was an All-American Crow.

MAKE PEACE, NOT WAR

Emmie Seaman

Although some think that being anti-war is unpatriotic, I think I am very patriotic. Thank God our democracy allows us to disagree and speak freely.

CELEBRATE

Lucy Silliman

“Celebrate” has a blue starry background with red stars and white sprays of light. Fireworks have always been an important part of our 4th of July celebration. Lake of the Ozarks is known for its big displays with everyone in our cove taking part in the fun.

STARS and STRIPES

Cathy Jeffery

I played with the idea of a new interpretation of our nation’s iconic symbol – the flag. What developed was my patriotic creation of the “Stars and Stripes”.

FLAG and FIREWORKS

Vivian Terbeek

A flag photo was printed on fabric and appliquéd to a dark blue background. Three explosions of fireworks were created using machine stitching and lots of colorful glass crystals. This is my childhood memory of going to the park was the 4th of July celebration at night. 

FIREWORKS ON THE WATER

Merrilee Tieche

This piece features an ocean with fireworks and a full moon over a backdrop of navy tulle painted with an American Flag. Reflective Angelina film creates the fireworks and their reflection on the water’s surface. Inspiration came from experience in my younger years of watching fireworks from the deck of a boat, surrounded by hundreds of other boats celebrating the 4th of July the same way, floating on the Pacific Ocean.