Mandala CXXVI, CXXVII, and CXXVIII

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXVI. Click on any image to enlarge.)

In anticipation for last weekend's workshop, I completely stitched Mandala CXXVI.  I brought it still attached to its stretcher bar ... which was several inches larger than the finished piece ... in order to stitch the button edge without the needle running into the stretcher bar.  This piece served as my demonstration for removing it from this larger stretcher bar, stapling to the smaller stretcher bar over which I had already glued a piece of acid-free foam-centered board, and stitching the two layers together ... in order for the weight of the objects to be evenly distributed over the entire surface.  (If this doesn't make sense, please see an earlier blog post regarding my presentation techniques!)  It's often difficult to put into words these instructions.  It is far simply, especially in a workshop, to actually SEE the process.  So ... this piece was finished with workshop participants watching!  I even brought the float frame and a label for the reverse side!

(Above:  Mandala CXXVI.  Custom framed: 17 1/2" x 17 1/2". Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt.  Found objects include: A Maxwell House coffee lid; four, blue dyed wooden Tinker Toy connectors; all sixteen chess "black" side chess pieces (that are actually brown/wood); four old hole-punches; garter hooks; eight, touch-less door openers; eight, polished wheat pennies; four brioche molds holding red and blue plastic bottle caps and beads; and buttons.) 

All the participants in the workshop got a section of this same, old quilt ... already stapled to a stretcher bar but carefully marked for only a 12" x 12" area for stitching. The smaller size is obviously easier to stitch in a workshop situation!  As another example, I did one too!

(Above:  Mandala CXXVIII. Custom framed: 13 1/4" x 13 1/4". Found objects hand-stitched to a section of a vintage quilt. Found objects include: A spiral from inside an old clock; keys; gray, white, and tan plastic bottle caps; blue plastic insulin lancets; and buttons.)

Mandala CXXVIII was the piece I designed, stitched, and finished during the workshop.  One of the participants was able to tell me that my "little blue things" were insulin lancets!  I had no idea that the round "heads" twisted off to expose a tiny piece of metal!  These tiny things pierce the skin of diabetics in order to draw a small drop of blood for glucose monitoring.  When they were donated to my stash, I was told they were "medical" devices that had passed their expiration date!  That's all I knew.  Now, I know just how important they really are.

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXVIII.)

This small piece was intentionally designed so that it could hang as either a square or a diamond ... another point I wanted to share with the workshop.

(Above:  Mandala CXXVII. Custom framed: 20" x 20". Found objects hand-stitched to a section of an antique quilt. Found objects include: A glass part of a lamp stem under which is a small sieve; six, vintage ice cream treat/Popsicle refrigerator trays; six gold flatware spoons; eight touch-less door openers; vintage blue plastic numbers and cent signs; six, white dominoes; six brass circles salvaged from old trophies; six sewing machine bobbins; four, upside down, disposable ashtrays on which were stitched four, rusty stars; and buttons.)

Finally, I brought along Mandala CXXVII in progress. This was an important demonstration piece because it allowed me to show how some of the objects are stitched together before they are attached to the quilt.  In this piece, I drilled holes in the refrigerator trays first.  Then, I stitched the dominoes, trophy circles, and bobbins onto the tray ... before stitching the tray to the quilt.  I did the same with the disposable ashtrays and rusty stars.  Basically, the corner "element" was stitched together before it was attached. 

(Above:  Detail of Mandala CXXVII.)

This piece was also an excellent example of how elements are pre-drilled.  There were lots and lots of holes drilled for this piece.  As a result, participants had no fear of drilling their own holes!

(Above: Detail of Mandala CXXVII.)

I didn't actually finish this piece until I got home.  Although Mandala CXXVII can hang as a square, I like it even better when hung as a diamond! (Below!) I'm now already at work on my next piece.