Some much-needed improvisational piecing last week led right to this little quilt. I was playing around with curvy lines, having pulled a haphazardly chosen palette of solids from the ole stash, and somewhere along the line I reached back in to see what could add some interest and came out with what is now one of my favorite Carolyn Friedlander prints. I really like how it seems to pull everything together, and adds a bit of playfulness.
Since that went so well, I chose another Gleaned print to frame all the curves. Love how the design in the fabric changes near the edges. Love that alot!
All along, though I didn't know how I was getting there at first, I knew the end result would be a type of window. The dark solid that I used for the background in addition to the improv piecing is Kona Raisin and I am quite the fan. I find it to be very rich-looking and I think I've decided it's good to always have a couple of yards on hand.
When it came time for quilting, I opted for some organic straight-line to echo the movement of the piecing. I actually went to the fabric store for thread and the best match was Cotton+Steel #753-1078, a medium orange. I used it to densely quilt the frame as well.
And then. I tried a bit of an experiment and did some ghost-quilting in the space below the frame. With any luck, it somewhat mirrors the quilting above, making a four-paned window. Do you see it?
I used Aurifil 50 wt #4030 [plum] for those bottom panes, and went on to quilt straight lines in the background to give the look of siding on a house. The quilt finished at 36 1/2" x 42", and though decidedly quirky, the notion of looking into a window onto some serendipitous improv really appeals to me. It's kinda what I feel every time I walk to my cutting table with my rotary cutter and no real plan in mind. This piece, for me, recounts a time and place and frame of mind that I keep coming back to. And I hope to go there again soon.
I love it! Thanks for the close up shots. Might just be my mood but it looks like a fire inside the house
ReplyDeleteI totally get this quilt. The idea of looking through a window and seeing improv is very cool. I need to check out Kona Raisin, it's a fantastic color!
ReplyDeleteThe mountains behind our valley are on fire right now, and this quilt reminds me of that! Surely not your intention, but interpretation is always in the eye of the beholder. Keep up your fabulous improv. So fun!
ReplyDeleteI have a similar quilt top languishing in my To Be Quilted pile. I need to pull it out and quilt it. In our Modern Guild we did an interactive program with scraps and built a Mondrian/Rothko style quilt. You have inspired me to quilt it.....or at least move it to the top of the pile.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a view into a fireplace on a dark night. I can actually imagine star gazing while being warmed by the fire. :)
ReplyDeleteI "get" it, too! I can't quite see in the pictures, is Kona Raisin on the purple or brown side of black? CF fabrics seem to work in so many situations. Good choice.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Fabius piece of art, Debbie.you always inspire me! Sorry I won’t be at Guild meeting tonight...I fell on vacation in Juneau and fractured a bone near my elbow. I will be in a sling for 3-4 weeks. 😜😜😜
ReplyDeleteI love the view through the window. I have studied the picture and can't really tell how you stitched the pieces, but I'm going to try. Thank you for all the information you share. You do so much to promote modern quilting.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
I feel like a peeping tom!! What a successful experiment and one you should fully explore again! Love the ghost quilting too! I'm curious about Kona Raisin. I have to admit I hate raisins, but in fabric it might be much better!
ReplyDeleteDitto Yvonne's comment. Your explorations are always quite inspiring.
ReplyDeleteSo gorgeous! I love taking photos through windows or window-shaped openings to help frame my image- doing it in fabric is twice as nice.
ReplyDeleteHow do you do that improv quilt block?
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