Yellow Springs Open Studios this weekend

This weekend is the Yellow Springs Open Studios event. There are 18 artists at 10 locations. This year I'll be a guest at Libby Rudolf's studio, located at 3950 Grinnell Rd. just outside of Yellow Springs.


The event is Sat. & Sun., Oct. 19 & 20, from 11 am-5 pm. Click here for an interactive map of studio locations (artists are organized alphabetically by FIRST name). Printed brochures will also be available at the studios, and also in downtown Yellow Springs.

Mini Quilts with Cats and Birds

"Cat Love" (top left), "Cat Love Profile," (top right), and "What?" (bottom), all 6" x 6" x.5", handmade by Pam Geisel, October 2019

For most of my adult life I've always lived with a cat. They are often a joy to have around but as I type this, my current cat is just about on top of the keyboard.

"Tweet" and "Sing!" both 6" x 6" x.5", handmade by Pam Geisel, October 2019

Along with "Letting Go" and the two "Breathe" pieces, I also used some of the Robert Kaufman, Effervescence fabric (this is the "Mardi Gras" colorway) along with a rainbow stripe from Timeless Treasures and some white from my stash. The white used for the cats has small white circles on it and the white for the birds has a white zig zag on it.

All of these pieces were wrapped around a canvas frame.

More about Cat Love - Cat Love Profile - What? - Tweet - Sing

"Breathe - Inhale" and "Breathe - Exhale"

"Breathe - Inhale" (left) and "Breathe - Exhale" (right), each 12" x 12" x .5", handmade by Pam Geisel, October 2019

When I was looking for fabric with circles printed on it (that I used in "Letting Go"), I also found this Robert Kaufman fabric Effervescence Gradation Rainbow.

Robert Kaufman, Effervescence, Gradation Rainbow

I only bought 1/4 of a yard but it was enough for me to make the two "Breathe" pieces using the same oval template that I used for "Letting Go."

I also used the same technique, ironing fusible to the back, cutting out the petals, and fusing them to a white fabric that had small white stars printed on it. I pin basted the quilt top with batting and a backing fabric then quilted around the raw edges of the petals.

Both pieces are wrapped around a 12" x 12" canvas frame.

More about Breathe

"Letting Go" (gray) and "Whoo?"

"Letting Go," 20" x 28.5", handmade by Pam Geisel, October 2019

I don't tend to use a lot of fabrics with bold designs or a lot of printing but I have noticed I'm attracted to artwork that has layers of circles on them. I did have a design idea that could use a bold print so I searched for fabric with circles printed on it and came across some Robert Kaufman fabric called Effervescence, which came in several colorways and blends. I was drawn to this fabric that blended from a light gray to black.

Robert Kaufman, Effervescence, Gradation Gray

I played around with an idea and came up with this flower shape made with oval petals. I cut a template so I could determine that I'd have enough gradation in each petal.

I ironed fusible to the back, cut out the petals, and fused them to a black fabric that had small circles printed on it, including one petal that is moving away from the others (the one that is "Letting Go."). 

I pin basted the quilt top with batting and a backing fabric then quilted around the raw edges of the petals. I also quilted nine more petals (or parts of petals on the edges) in the extra space on the left side of the quilt. 

I added nine plastic brown buttons, sewing them on with black embroidery thread but not in the usual way you sew on a button. I also added a pink ivory wood button to the center of the "flower." I bought this handmade button in Paducah, KY, but the card didn't have the maker's name on it.

"Whoo?," 6" x 6" x .5", handmade by Pam Geisel, October 2019

I only used the left half of the fabric that I bought. Perhaps I'll make another one with the right half, which has more brown in it. I did have a few small leftover pieces that I used to make this small 6" x 6" owl piece that is wrapped around a canvas.

More about Letting Go - Whoo?