Work in progress, is what’s up! Go all out, and make it colourful, that’s right. This piece is jumping off the wall.
I just remembered all those beautiful and lively artisan weavings and carvings from Mexico, and got started… I am ready to start quilting this top.
Now that it’s pieced, time to get to the texturing phase…
When I talk to non-quilters about the type of work I do in the studio, I find it easier to show them progress pictures. That way, they can appreciate the technical aspect of producing quilted textiles. Of course, quilters are well-aware of the work involved in adding that layer of marks to a piece…
Duo is a quilt I finished last December, and is shown in my Textiles page.
After a long dry interval, I am back in the studio and working on new pieces. Here is one, still to be textured, but assembled nevertheless. It is now parked, while another very brightly coloured version is in the works… The working title is Leaf Study 4 – Trio…
It’s that time again: I have reached the mark-making stage in the creative process. I’ve finished a quilt top and it’s “maturing” on my work wall. It’s a large piece.. To explain why I love to add that layer of texture, or marks, I have added a new page to this website, titled – drumroll please – Mark-Making…
While I ponder how I should texture it, I will start playing with mark-making, warming up for the big piece. Above, an example of my approach to warming up: a little bag, the result of my warm up exercise… It’s a great way to loosen up, experiment and discover how to apply new patterns on quilts.
Above, a quilt viewed from the back, showing intense stitching that evokes kelp. Note how I change bobbin thread (the orange thread blob): I just secure the thread with some backstitching, and keep going… Miles of thread and lines. Miles to go before I sleep.
Patterns everywhere.
Practice makes perfect, or so they say. So here I was yesterday, back at the machine, sewing, stitching, marking with thread.
I am using repetitive patterns from my image bank of vascular plants, mosses and kelp.
Because I had been away from my sewing machine for a while, I have to build up my ease with manoeuvering, and drawing with the needle. It’s coming back… petit à petit, as they say where I come from.
Looking at countless pictures of kelp and seaweed. I think they are better than ferns! Lots of ridges and patterns to emulate…