While on a recent retreat in Winter Park, FL, I started on a new abstract quilt. These were the fabrics I took from home.
There are more here than I would need, but I wanted to have options. I was sure to include both light and dark fabrics. I auditioned them on my design wall, which gave me the opportunity to think about color proportions, as well. Very useful.
At the retreat, I got to work.
This was my work space, complete with a travel sized design wall.
After cutting fabrics in the proportions I wanted I began to sew them into pairs.
Then, I began to slice into some of them, adding skinny strips. These added a lot of energy. Nice!
After quite a bit of slicing, dicing, and alterations, it was time to look at them as a whole. I arranged them with my favorite/starting fabric in the middle. At this point, I was just trying to get a feel for what I had. Was there enough variety of “block” sizes? Were there empty spaces that needed some altering?
I realized I could make my favorite/featured fabric join together into a long line. But was that good thing? Hmm.
I pretty quickly decided that the line was too predictable, so it was out. But, I also realized that my FAVORITE fabric was duller than all the others. I’d need to scale it back. So, I moved my very brightest fabrics to the center. MUCH better!
But, some of that favorite fabric would need to go. Can you see it on the left? Have you heard the saying, “If a combination is not working, remove your favorite thing.?” Yep, that’s where I was. Maybe I could cut it into smaller pieces?
This is where I left it at the end of retreat. Of course, I had to take it all off the design wall to get it home, but I took a bunch of pictures.
This is a fun, but sometimes challenging, way to work. I was excited to continue with it.
Ellen Lindner
Fun and interesting! It’s always good to see somebody working through their ideas. I don’t think very much art is created exactly as originally imagined!
It’s a fun way to work, Sunnie, especially at the beginning, when nothing needs to “work.”
The colors are fantastic…….can’t wait to see the completed piece as I know it will be fantastic too!
Thanks, Mary.
Merry Christmas!
Did you bring your own easel and design wall or were they provided at the retreat? If they’re yours, how do you protect them while transporting them?
Hi Lif,
I brought the easel and design board in my car, so they were pretty easy. The design wall is sized to fit in the car at the largest size possible. 🙂
If you draped a flannel backed tablecloth over your design wall, you could roll it up and take it home ready for the next steps. Sometimes you need to use a few pins to keep things oriented—but it is easier than trying to re-do it from photos.
Just a thought—but it has been so long since I’ve gone anywhere to sew I may have forgotten something vital about the process—but I do recall unrolling workshop pieces and thinking–I’d wished I’d finished it at the workshp
Thanks, Sylvia. That’s an excellent idea. I usually go to a retreat annually, so I’ll definitely give it a try next time.