A Hand Dyed Portrait

Here's a portrait of one of my daughters playing her clarinet.  It uses all fabric dyed by me on a background of Kona cotton in black.  I did this portrait months ago but I finally put a border around it so it's ready to be quilted.  This portrait is based on a photograph taken by my other daughter.

By the way, I love black Kona cotton.  And I'm almost out!  I always buy it with a 40% off coupon at Hancocks, and I usually buy at least 6 yards at a time.  I use black in so many of my pieces.  I think I'll have to ask for some for Christmas.  I am allowed to receive quilting gifts, after all.

My gallery visit went well.  It's the Soon Bok Lee Sellers Art Gallery in Hoover, AL.  They showcase a different artist there each month, and I'll be sharing the gallery in December with a state calligraphy group.  They're expecting me to put prices on most of my work, because this is how they are supported, a 20% commission on works sold.  This is new territory for me.  I've done a few commissions in the past, but that's about it.  So I'm going to get busy and make some pieces that I think will be marketable.

I worked very hard today on a new portrait, and I may have cheated on my no buy challenge.  You tell me what you think.  I created a pattern for the portrait.  But I want to make the quilt very large - about 4 feet by 3 feet.  So I went to Kinko's to make an oversized copy.  It cost $9.00.  I felt I had to confess this!  Please forgive me!  I promise not to buy anything more!  And I'm using my stash to make the quilt.  Even though there is a lot of black in the piece, I'm vowing to piece together bits and pieces of dark gray to make do.  Okay, now I feel better!

I've got a winner for my giveaway!  It's Donna B.  Even though she sent me an e-mail instead of posting a comment, she was the first and only one to get it exactly correct.  The correct answer is:  buttons, pop tabs, zippers, and copper from my walk a few days ago.  Several of you thought it was foil.  The copper was a bit tough to cut through, but I managed it with my trusty bandage scissors.  Donna, I'll get your prize to you soon!