Friday, August 28, 2026

Citrus

 It gets it's name from the colors chosen: lemon, lime, tangerine with a dollop of blueberry. The pattern is called Winding Ways. It was on my list of "Must Dos". The block is a small curved-petal looking square. See the two yellow with pinks beneath in the top row third from left. Every other block alternates it's color. So there is a block with green centers next to a block with citrus colors. The piecing is not difficult. For all of the curves, only one pin was required at the center for the last seam that joins the left half to the right. For that, I sewed from the center out on both sides. The pin and stitching method insured no shifting. It did require a lot of fabric pieces. I sent many fabrics to a vendor for laser cutting. Each piece was precisely the same size. And, I had many to choose from.

The difficulty for this design is the planning of colors to achieve the large round shapes. Each large ball touches 9 blocks. In planning, I laid out the pieces for each small block for the first three rows. When satisfied, I sewed the top row. Then I laid out the pieces for the 4th row. And, continued in this fashion for the length of the quilt. 

There is always something that catches ones eye, a contrasting element of some sort. In this case it is the blues that appear however infrequently in this work. When I thought I was finished, I realized that the blues were mostly present at the top of the quilt. Another row was needed and added. Now there is balance



Citrus


Citrus - Close Up


Sunday, August 23, 2026

African Geese

This work began with a very large collection of African fabrics that I had gathered over the course of 20 years or more. For the geese, I selected some of my favorite busy prints, while the backgrounds are made from tonal fabrics—those that read almost like solids but still have texture and visual interest.

The fabrics used for both the geese and the borders are repeated throughout the quilt. I used  the backgrounds of the geese to combine similar colorways, creating a movement that draws the eye across the quilt.

If I had a list of the top ten quilts I have made that I love best, this one would definitely be on it.

 



Friday, July 3, 2026

Collage work incorporating found digital assets. I love this color scheme.

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

An Organic Fourpatch

Gotta love those Blend modes...


 

Monday, June 29, 2026

Photoshop vs Procreate

Generally speaking, you can accomplish the same things in each of the programs. Procreate is IPad based and so travels well. Photoshop is much better suited to a laptop as it requires more space. And of course, if you are after fine photo work, PS is the answer.  

I've been trying to achieve the look of gel printing but in a digital manner. Here is one of my first efforts. Even though it is quite simple, it is quite elegant. Watch this space for more of the same.


 

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

You Can't Step Into the Same River Twice

The title of this artwork You Can't Step Into the Same River Twice is really a metaphor for life. Live in the present, the past has moved on. I love taking photos from on high, an aerial view. This top down view of a tree-lined river flowing is just that. 

It is autumn and the leaves are turning glorious shades of red, orange and yellow. Enhanced with stitching to represent tree branches adds a complexity to this piece.

I love it and felt it needed to be seen. And it will. It is headed to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts in a SoCal SAQA exhibit. How exciting is that!




This is a detailed view.

Monday, September 22, 2025

Someone Told Me...

 

That is the starting point, the jumping off point. SAQA Oregon named that theme for this years traveling exhibit.

My go to is Someone Told Me...She's Mad about Pink. 

She's three. My three year-old granddaughter is indeed mad for PINK. And she's willing to shout it from the roof tops. But then, what's not to like about a color so joyful. It puts a smile on my face too!


Someone Told ME...She's Mad About Pink



Closeup


Thursday, July 31, 2025

Tickled Pink

The most recent challenge for my small Fiberart group was to produce a work that is inspired by a female artist. I chose Huguette Caland. whose work I have admired  for a long time now. Originally from Lebanon, she was a painter, sculptor and fashion designer. It is her paintings that I admire the most and wanted to interpret in Fiber.

I like that she tends to use bright, pure color and that she often applies paint with a grungy, muted texture. But, I really like her use of layers the most. She adds little elements such as checkerboards, stripes, dots and houses over the top of the base layer. These are tiny so not a part of the focal image but make you want to get up close to notice.

 I have tried to capture this level of detail in my work, titled Tickled Pink. It begins with a base layer of muted and grungy pink and grey to which I have added painted florals, branches, checkerboards and dots. The top layer and focal point is a plethora of flowers, resembling trillium. They are dyed, painted and stitched for another layer of texture.

This is my tribute to Huguette Caland. It has been a fun experience to note elements from her work and use them in my own way.

 


Thursday, March 27, 2025

Collage Mix #1

Abstracting collage with various found materials. I wanted to keep this in the neutrals family. I really like the composition. The combination of hard lines and torn edges; the combination of rectangles and circles; line work that finishes what is found in the top image. These things all appeal to me.


 

Monday, March 24, 2025

Verde

 Verdant Pastures might be a better name. This calms me. I hope it does the same for you.




A Bit of Sunshine

Pink and yellow have become a favorite of late. They are so fresh. Paired with black and white, the colors both pop and settle. A collage on a wooden panel.

Saturday, July 27, 2024

I Think that I Shall Never See...

Joyce Kilmer and me...as I too seem to have a recurring tree theme in my art. This work consists of hand dyed and screen printed cloth along with commercial fabric as well. It's called A Walk in the Woods. I created it some years ago but it still fascinates me to this day. Don't you just feel the path beneath your feet and the stones along the side marking your way. Enjoy the view!

A Walk in the Woods


Sunday, August 27, 2023

Can't See the Forest for the Trees

I have been revisiting some of my favorite quilts. This is a one. First, it's abstract and second, it's about one of my very favorite subjects, trees. Originally inspired by the trees of Oregon for which they are plentiful, it came to life with a challenge that originated at the Allison Inn. Drafted in Photoshop with a single image of a beloved tree, the composition was then abstracted. Look closely and see the five identical trees, increasing in size. Shades of green provide changing contrast. The asymmetrical framing gives it root, pun intended.. Looking at the closeup, provides a snippet of the shapes produced with the overlapping branches. Enjoy! Leave a comment if you like. 



 



Sunday, June 25, 2023

Lightning Strike

When lightning strikes, it can be so beautiful. The way it illuminates the night sky, bearing witness to the entire spectrum of colors, is simply awesome, in the strictest sense of the word. This artwork depicts just that. It is 15 inches square.
See it in my Etsy shop:   https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElaineMillarFiberArt

Monday, June 19, 2023

Hat Tricks

Hat Tricks is an online class taught by Lucy Farmer at Jeanne Oliver's site.  https://jeanneoliver.com/courses/hat-tricks/  It is a totally freeing, anything goes, use what you have type of class. You can buy a kit or scour your house for fun ribbons and baubles. My favorite was the addition of a focal point. I used a pearl to go with the polka dot ribbon that was on a holiday gift. Leather cording and beads anchor the ribbons. I love wearing this otherwise ordinary hat.

Try it. All the classes at Jeanne Oliver on half off for the next three days.



 

Friday, June 16, 2023

Waiting for the Warmth

The first golden light of spring which awakens all the flowers is celebrated in this fascinating piece of fiber art. Hand painted canvas with collaged flowers added into the mix. Machine stitching creates a depth to this work of art. 
See it in my Etsy shop:   https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElaineMillarFiberArt

Sunday, April 23, 2023

What's Black and White and Brown all over...

These works were done with paper. Hey, that's fiber too! In a class called Collage Joy by Catherine Rains, our first assignment was to make  4 x 4 collages only sing neutrals. I love this palette and so enjoyed this. They are unified through size, color and circles. Keep watching because there is more to come.  


 

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Catch a Glimpse

MIX is at it again. This time one of our inspirations is from a napkin , no less. Use the structure, use the colors, you decide just how you will be inspired.


Here is my work. I call it Catch a Glimpse...of the colors that is. I love the framing and have done a few other pieces in this way. It is a standout!



Tuesday, January 10, 2023

GO . SEE . CLAP

The Columbia Fiberarts Guild's Online Winter Exhibit is now open.  

Here is the link.  https://www.columbiafiberartsguild.org/copy-of-summer-22-gallery 

You must click on it and go see the gorgeous work. My piece, A Symbolic Life, is apart of this wonderful collection.




Saturday, August 27, 2022

Showing Up

I love finding words of wisdom in magazines and old books.
It's fun to repurpose the pages.
Still practicing the art of collage.