Quilt Cuffs

Alaska inspired and delicious to make and bead. The final touch: a moose antler button clasp.

2 1/2"x8", hand dyed fabric collage,
free motion quilted, beaded
Photo/copyright Amy Mackinaw

Spirit of Alaska flags

What a gorgeous fall day to be set up at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market. A beautiful way to spend the day--munching some carrots, too-- 😊

Spirit of Alaska Flag Set, each flag 6"x 8"
Caribou, Raven, Mountains, Salmon, Grizzly

Tundra Bearberries

Padded Shoulder Pouch, 6 1/2" x 8 1/2", 50" strap
Available at Alaska Geographic Store, Fairbanks, Alaska

Follow my work on Instagram: @amymmackinaw
Facebook: Bearberry Designs / Amy Mackinaw
Or email me: bearberrydesigns@gmail.com

Blue Moon

Blue Moon. 11"x14"

Blue Moon I See You

New work in progress--this sheer is so tantalizing. Where else will the ideas go?

Polyester organza, painted cotton, freemotion stitching

Yes

Birch Moon

7x10" Fiber, beads, photo by Amy Mackinaw

Ocean View

Sometimes it feels right to step back and let the fabrics speak for themselves:  "Marbled, gelatin-plate printed, Procion MX dyed pimatex cotton, polyester organza."

8" x 10" Ocean View, photo and copyright Amy Mackinaw

Alaskan Winter Moon

Techniques of surface design: hand-dye, marbling, gelatin-plate printing, free-motion machine quilting and beadwork, collaged and overlaid with polyester organza to represent a moonlit night in an Alaskan birch forest.

Photo and copyright Amy Mackinaw 2018

Alaska :: Nothing but FUN!

A new series, playing with free-motion machine sketching and inking with Derwent Inktense pencils.  "Washed" and sealed with Jacquard Colorless Extender.

2"x2" Magnets copyright 2017 Amy Mackinaw

Denali Prints

Though her official height shrunk by 10 feet recently (due to more accurate measuring technology), she is still "The High One" to me.  Denali 20,310'

Denali original silk screen prints on hand-dyed cotton, 8x8"
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Springtime Snow Dyeing

It seems the snow always melts before I get the chance to snow dye...but not this year!

Set up with plastic-lined frame, stretched with snow fence.
One piece of cotton pre-soaked with soda ash solution under the snow fence to catch the melted snow and dyes.
Two pieces of cotton scrunched on top of the snow fence.

Sprinkling a variety of blues with an old spice bottle: turquoise, cerulean blue, azure blue, grape.

Added a strip of extra snow to see what happens if more snow added on top--
how much more pastel will the colors get?

Close-up of melting snow and dye on fabric.  Stay tuned for results--

Marbling Collection

Here's a new palette of marbled cottons using Jacquard Marbling Colors, each created in a 16x24-inch baking pan salavaged along the road and possibly used previously to catch old car oil?  Hard to say, but after lots of scrubbing, it's turning into a valuable tool!  Can't wait to start working with these fabrics---

16"x24" marbled cotton pieces drying by the woodstove, Jacquard Marbling Colors
photo by Amy Mackinaw

close-up of marbled cotton, Jacquard Marbling Colors
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Marbling process with paints, whisk, large baking pan
 and methyl cellulose medium to support paints

Something New Under the Sun?

We are in the middle of our March sunshine with dozens of inches of snow on the ground.  It's mostly blue and white out there, but who can resist throwing in some color?  Not me!

"Taiga" Tablet Sleeve, hand-dyed cotton, organza, beads, 1/4" foam
10 1/2"x12 1/2" -- photo by Amy Mackinaw

Animal Spirits: Shoulder Pouches

Here's a new batch of colorful shoulder pouches with inner zip pocket, hand-dyed and commercial cottons, lined with pre-quilted cotton. Original designs are silk-screened, and embellished with free machine embroidered quilting and beads.

Caribou and Chickadee, 8"x10"
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Grizzly and Moose, 8"x10"
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Denali Sunset

Denali Sunset  12"x30", Hand-dyed and commercial cotton, organza, machine quilting, glass beads
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Caribou, Moose and Grizzlies, oh my!

...and a little chickadee, raven and salmon, too--

Hand-carved, block printed, quilted coasters  5"x5"

Chickadee shoulder pouch  9"x11"

Moose shoulder pouch  9"x11"

Winter Work

Work from a recent local show:

"Skis on Rack" and "Freestyle"
each 12"x24", hand-dyed cottons, organza
photo by Amy Mackinaw

Alaska Range from the Trail  9"x11"

Birches in Blue  8"x10"

Spring Birch  8"x10"

Birch Hill Sunset    12"x30"
all photos/artwork by Amy Mackinaw

Winter Solstice

Counting down to the shortest day of the year on December 21st.  Here near the Arctic Circle, we will have fewer than four hours from sunrise to sunset, but for about an hour on either side of that--before the sun rises and after the sun sets, we have a period of time called civil twilight, and on cloudless days, that time offers up the most truly beautiful light--all around the sky, a blending of royal blue to lavendar to rose, with glints of gold and orange at the horizon--it's magical.

Mixed media collage, acrylic on watercolor paper, canvas and a chicken feed bag,
machine sewn with rayon thread, photo by Amy Mackinaw

Loons

This Loon Vase Mat is getting the final bead embellishments; then all layers will be sewn together and bound with colorful bias tape: the top quilt sandwich with polyester organza, waterproof nylon, heavyweight Pellon interfacing and duck cloth backing.  Ready to top a table or decorate a wall.

Portable bead work station--photo by Amy Mackinaw

Building Collage Inventory

While getting breakfasts and lunches ready to go, there is also time for some work with the brayer and a handmade foam stamp using Jane Davila's method.  These will go into the machine-sewn card-making stash.

Acrylics on watercolor paper, photo by Amy Mackinaw