Bethany Studios: August 2006

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Choosing colors, Fusing fabrics

Of course, being such a TaaDaa! kind of gal, I hesitate to add blog posts of unfinished work. However, I have this urgent need to prove I am creating piggy-backed onto my urgent need to create (UNC syndrome). So, after playin around and thinkin on stuff for quite a few days, and consulting my sister, I arrived at this lovely spectrum.

The fabric that is laying horizontally in this photo is the one I have chosen to use as my background, using a technique my daughter, Glory, perfected this summer at her aunt's house.

I didn't actually use the whole piece of cloth to create this background, as I thought I would, because I got to a certain width and decided that was it. But I love this mosiac look; the fabric almost seems to shimmer like fish scales.

I plan to add to the length of the background, but the bottom half is probably just going to be a piece of whole cloth, uncut or cut very little. I'm not going to do the same technique as the top half. And after auditioning several pieces of cloth, I think I'm settled on this one.

This color scheme is drastically different from the last one I used (I can hear you thinking that very thought). But my inspiration is, not only to be more "organic" - hence warmer colors, but picture this: honeydew melon on an orange melamine plate, mashed sweet potatoes and avocado. Plus, it's fall in some places in the world - my favorite time of year.

Monday, August 21, 2006

The Final of the Jewel Series

Jewel Series #6

Detail

Jewel Series #7

Detail

Jewel Series #8

Detail with toenails in need of painting

What I learned doing this series: it really is a good idea to make a bobbin in each color; never start quilting at the edge and stitch towards the middle; if I cut the backing fabric 1/8th of an inch smaller than the quilt and pull on it while I'm attaching it, the front will pull over the edge to the back; there's no one in my sewing room saying, "What are you DOING? You can't do that!" - I can do what ever I want, and I like having that kind of power. All this aside from the learning curve I went through in the creation of the tops. Woohoo!
What I want to challenge myself on in the future: I want my quilts to have a less mechanical look to them, I want more organic shapes or textures in the design, either in the fabric or in the quilting.