Time Well Spent.

The trip to Hampton, VA to attend Quilt Fest 2010, was a wonderful experience....so many quilts and such imaginative work.  As I am not a quilter, I am awe struck with stippling -  heavy quilting that covers areas large and small - that can be totally random or follow a distinct pattern.  Whether done by hand or machine, its  remarkable.


The miniature quilt detailed here, achieves its three dimensional quality and various backgrounds colors by stippling in different color threads rather than different patterned fabrics to provide color.    Since the quilt is created from whole cloth [a single width and length of fabric], its pattern is derived from quilting alone, giving the artists the freedom to develop any pattern they desire.   Despite its diminutive size, the detail is marvelous and well presented.

Equally remarkable are the picture quilts depicting a complete scene.  The piece shown above is a superb illustration of the use of many techniques to achieve realism - thread painting of the figure's hair and spray from the water; water color washes provide the shadows in the water and texture of the rocks while quilting provides the illusion of depth.  The layers of color in the hair shows the lengths the artist goes to to achieve realism.  Wow!

Then there are the fabric painters who paint the design onto the quilt top and then quilt around the painted objects.  One particularly striking quilt was a whole cloth white top with black and creamy iridescent  fabric paint.  The quilting, done in black and gold threads, highlighted the contrasts between the values.

As much as all these techniques fascinate, I dare not add another medium to the number I have committed to already.   No need to court disaster. I'm already indecisive about what to do first.  

At home,  the little heart that has been waiting patiently for my return.  Meeting time is approaching and I want to have something to show that I've been "stretching my repertoire".  I picked two overdyes, Waterlilies Cameo and Fiesta and pulled corresponding flosses for each but ultimately chose the  Fiesta.  Nine squares of the thirty are completed out of the twenty that are true squares.  The remaining ten are triangles to shape the heart.  I'm thinking that since I'm working this design on #22 Hardanger, I'd rather make it into a biscornu which I can make better use of versus another picture.

In any case, I have resolved to complete one creative project per day.  Most will be small and easily finished, while working at least one square a day, perhaps more if I get into a rhythm, on the heart.  By next month I should have quite a few items to post.

As always, we'll see.....