Buzzing

Quite a bit going on here in the sewdio this week.  Having submitted my application for a booth in Lacombe, I've been putting together pieces...some of which, truth be told, began as samples for larger items.  Here's the run-down:

1. She's Come Undone:

I didn't like the quilting on "the tree piece" that I did in Pamela's class.  Specifically, I didn't like the quilting in the sky section.  Oh, it looked alright from the front, but the threads weren't "playing nice" on the back.  I also didn't like the fact that the roof of the building lined up with the 'horizon'.  Something needs to be done about that -- likely adding to the roof so that it covers the horizon line!  The piece remains (for now) in a state of "undone-ness" -- but at least I've given it a "proper" title: "Lost in the Woods":

Sky undone -- with bowl of threads to prove it!

2. Still Considering Contrast:

Remember how I was hoping my class with Pamela ("About Contrast") would give me something to use for our current 15 x 15 theme, "Contrast"?  Well...the best laid plans (as Robbie Burns would say)...

But I'm not one to last long without ideas.  The lovely sunny weather has brought forth beautiful shadows against the snow:

From my front window

One of my favorite walks

I'm thinking about the blue-on-white...and came up with this sample today:

A Walk in the Woods  (C) 2014

Of course, there are some folks who'd rather view it this way:

A Walk in the Woods (C) 2014

Either way, it's 9.5" x 6.5" matted to 15" x 12" (or the other way 'round!).


3. The Glasgow Rose:

CRM, circa 1893

One Example
of the Glasgow Rose

Made famous by Charles Rennie MacIntosh (McIntosh), the Glasgow Rose has long been a favourite motif of mine, and one I've wanted to use in a piece.  Turns out that a special exhibit of the International Quilt Festival (Portland) is featuring roses this year...so my mind is in a whirl.  At a minimum size of 25" square -- large for me -- well, let's just say, if it gets finished and entered on time, it does.  And if it doesn't?  'Twill be a learning experience.

For now, I'm sampling:

Freezer Paper Stencil
in Sketchbook

Freezer Paper Removed

Stencil, Stamps and Spray

A Bouquet Overlaid on a Water-colour Background

The 'grid' or squares and lattices, was an other of the well-known MacIntosh motifs.  I'm pondering using the grid mainly as a quilting design...but perhaps with some cut-back applique judiciously placed...

Playing w/ Grids
Using Bleach and Coloured Marker

4. A Thing of Beauty:

And at last, on the knitting front, the first sock of the latest pair of socks for my daughter is finished!!  It'a a bit big for me (her feet are longer than mine) but you get the idea.  I'm very pleased with how it's turned out.  Pattern:  "Elm" by Cookie A. from Clara Parkes' The Knitter's Book of Socks.  Yarn: "Twig" from Madelinetosh Sock.

Hooking up now to WIP Wednesday on The Needle and Thread Network...because I might just be too busy tomorrow!  :-)

Designing Quilter

In my last post, I talked about a Japanese-themed project on which I'm working.  Today I sketched out an enlarged design and auditioned fabrics for a large (18" x 18" finished) central medallion:

The small diagram in the centre is actually a miniature diagram of the whole piece.  The pieced blocks will frame as-yet-unplanned blocks in the four corners.  There will be a large central applique block, flanked on each side by four other applique blocks.  At this point, the arms of the cross that come into this intersection aren't designed, but I'm getting a feel for how I want this to turn out.

I also cut fabric (all from stash!) for a sample of the central medallion block.  To create this I had to double the size of the design from Susan Briscoe's book.  I'm one of these people who can't really envision what it will look like till I make it, so I now have the background and two parts of the motif cut out and prepped for applique:

In the end there will be six "petals" around the circular the centre.  I think my applique skills are up to the task, so will work on this of an evening -- probably watching The Quilt Show or an episode of DesignMatters TV.  :-)

Coincidentally (serendipitously?) I've been aided in this more formal design process by a kit I won as a door prize at a Heritage Park Quilt Festival dinner a few years back.  It too involves a central medallion.  Though what I'm doing with the Japanese-themed quilt isn't strictly 'medallion-style', I thought I would take out this kit and assemble the top, just as a learning experience.  It has a real "country" feel to it, but is a bit on the dark side for my decor, so I expect it will end up being given away.  In the meanwhile, though, this 70" square (!) piece is teaching me method, design, colour theory (value and contrast) -- and will culminate in being something I will try to quilt myself using the "Medallion Quilt" section of my trusty class with Ann Petersen, "How to Quilt Large Quilts on a Small Machine".

Yesterday I washed all the fabrics except the background -- which is cream-coloured and will have to wait for a "white wash" day.  Today, I cut them out and organized them in a chart, per the instructions:

Doesn't this look tidy?

The blocks on the left are paired in combinations, in preparation for constructing a series of half-square triangles.  The pieces on the right have been "set aside for later".  :-)  The paper at the top is the chart I used to number each fabric - light/dark, light/dark, light/dark...

My online class with Pamela Allen, "About Contrast", begins tomorrow.  Who knows how useful this piece will become?  That, and the fact that the next 15 x 15 theme is "Contrast", and I'm all set!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday over at The Needle and Thread Network...why don't you join me and see what other Canadian quilters are up to?