Friday, August 10, 2007

Nice Matters....and the Landscape is Sewn Down

I am loving how this blogging award has encouraged us to celebrate our online friendships! Thank you so much to Susan, Pat, Annie, and Debra for thinking of me...I send it straight back to you, and with love. There are millions of blogs out there...it is kind of like a universe of stars, but all of my blogging friends make up my home galaxy.
This morning in particular I would like to send this award out to my two Judys...well, one is really a Judith....Judy Harper is my friend in Austin who loves crazy quilting and is transforming the possibilities of needlepoint with her c.q. experiments and designs...we have so much fun writing to each other about all kinds of things, and I so appreciate her perspective and humor and support...
Judith in England is fairly new to crazy quilting (but is a natural) and is also a fabulous gardener...her gardening blog is here, and I am an constant reader! How I wish I could go with her on one of those long walks through the English countryside that she describes so well....
Thank you all who take the time to comment on my entries so that I know you are there...and for those of you who don't, I am glad you are there, too!

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So on we go to the landscape project. It is all sewn down now...so the 3-D effect that some of you commented on is quite gone. Now it is up to the use of perspective to make my landscape have depth. My uncle was really good at that in his cottage paintings; he has done most of the work for me.

Here is the little landscape under the machine needle. I switched my sewing table around into the corner, and what a difference it makes! I should have thought of this years ago.

The basic ingredients....size 60 Microtex needles (to keep hole size in the printed silk to a minimum), clear smoke monofilament thread, and the 505 Spray and Fix for spot tweaking while sewing. Also, I forgot to mention that I had interfaced the muslin foundation before I laid out the landscape. That helped the zigzag go very smoothly.


Here it is from the back....

...and from the front. Marty asked about the cottages....I scanned a photocopy of my uncle's painting, then used that jpeg to print onto the silk satin that I ran through my little home Epson printer. Pretty simple...now that I know to up the saturation levels in both the jpeg and the printer settings.

I am quite happy with how this is going! Now comes the hand embroidery, where I will have to be keenly aware of the scale of the elements I add. This whole thing is about tricking the eye with visual cues, so I don't want to break the spell...

9 comments :

Threadspider said...

Thanks so much Allie for your lovely words and for your constant encouraging comments. :>D It's wonderful to be able to share, as both a giver and a receiver.

That landscape is so beautiful and I am glad you included the photo of the sewing machine in the corner. I have an idea of scale now. Stunning view from your windows. How are the flowers and Robert's vegetables coming along?

Gerry said...

Congrats on your award. It's certainly gone to someone deserving of it.

The landscape is amazing. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

And what a great view you have. Goodness, I'd just get lost starring out the window.

Rian said...

It's looking great! And what a lovely space you have in which to sew.

Possibilities, Etc. said...

I look forward to watching this process with more interest than good movies on TV!! Something to look forward to almost every day. Thanks for sharing. and how is Robert coming along - as well as his vegetables??

Debra Dixon said...

This feels like you could step right into it! Your landscapes are so lovely. I wish you would do more of them.

Granny Fran said...

The landscape is fantastic even before you do the stitches. How I love your windows and view; what an inspiring place to sew.

Susan said...

Thanks, Allie! I like the way you put that.

I cannot believe how fabulous this landscape is, though I should know by now not to be surprised by your wonderful work. It amazes me how it went from pieces of fabric to an actual landscape!

Vintage to Victorian said...

Hi Allie

This is my first visit to you (not sure how I arrived) - and rather than lurk my way through I felt I must say how beautiful your work is. I love the landscapes, and although I've only scrolled down one page so far, I've seen so many lovely pieces that I shall need to come back and drool!

Sue

Grangry said...

My goodness Allie, this is impressive!