Inspired by the Fabric
I recently purchased a beautiful hand dyed fat quarter, from Gabriele Bullard, of Fabrilish.
Click any image for a larger view
Isn’t it gorgeous?!?
I spent a bit of time deciding how to best use it. Certainly, it was tempting to keep it intact and to simply add other fabrics around it.
But, I wasn’t sure that would quite meet the full potential of this fabric. What if I tore it up and added other fabrics in between? I auditioned this idea on the computer and liked it quite a bit.
So, I started tearing into my beautiful fabric. Literally. I began to arrange pieces on a muslin base, adding contrasting fabrics around each one. I had no plan for what went where or what size or shape it would take. (Which make it both challenging and great fun.)
In the photo above, all the original fabric was used and I had a very odd shape. I knew from experience that unusual shapes are hard to handle, so I wanted to fill in the corners to make a rectangle. The photo below shows the two left corners filled in, and more underway.
But, it wasn’t enough to just fill in the corners. I wanted the pieces to have a lot of different sizes and proportions, and to contrast with one another. I worked on creating interest in this manner as I continued to fill in corners, and this is where it stands now.
See what I mean about adding interest? Compare the “after” picture, above, to the “before” picture, two above. Changes were made throughout most of the left side.
This quilt is not finished. I want to:
– Add interest with many smaller pieces
– Add some curving lines
– Add a lot of texture with quilting, and
– Add hand stitching of some sort.
Plus, I’ll audition the orientation. I think it will probably end up turned.
I’m also thinking about the theme and title of this piece. Perhaps it has something to do with sunset through trees. We’ll see.
I’m having fun with it!
Ellen Lindner
P.S. This quilt reminds me a lot of the quilts my students make in the Instant Art Quilt class. Check out the gallery.
