Saturday, February 23, 2008

Second Embellishment Project... A Landscape

Come on, sun!!! You can do it, you can actually shine here in February!..

...and actually mostly stay out, all day! See that blue sky up there? It still exists, wonder of wonders.
It is so good to get outside after weeks and weeks of cold and rain. And look what I found...

Marty's daffodils! Yes, they are poking up and getting ready to welcome spring at last.
Now, what does this have to do with my Embellisher experiment #2?
I have wanted to combine crazy quilting and landscape quilts for some time now. I have a long way to go before I get a handle on it, but in the meantime, it is time to start exploring, esp. with my new love, the Baby Lock Embellisher. What I am seeing outside is inspiration....


I thought I would create individual fabric "swatches" that I would piece into a block of sorts.

Just experiementing like mad. This is wool merino roving about to get felted onto the base of cheapo felt I was trying out.

Here are two chunks, ready to piece together on the sewing machine.

Another chunk in the making. I love what the Embellisher does to silk velvet...just puckers it all up, which we all know is what it really wants to do.

Whoops, busted a needle felting that ribbon over the seams on the right there. Dang it. I should have just couched that by machine.

Add a horizon line and you have a little landscape.

Some of you might have seen this coming. Embellishers were made for creating skies, I just know it.
So, fast forward to the piece as it stands now. It is hard for me not to develop it further, but I have to keep trying new things so I will let this stay as it is, at least for now. I added a bunch of chunky hand embroidery to see how it worked with the felted fabrics. It was pretty fun. There is potential here.

Germination
12" X 14"
As I said, there is more I could do with this, like fix those upright shrubby things with some baby leaves all over it, etc.
Well, maybe I will during the Oscars. Just for the heck of it!

16 comments :

Julie said...

Unbelievable - I knew you would take off running and leave me in the dust :-) !!!! I LOVE the sky especially.
I put links to two video clips for Chris Nejman on my blog today. Also tagged you with "You Make My Day Award" but don't expect it to keep going in circles...just my opportunity to let you know how much I enjoy your blog and your work!

Judy S. said...

Hi Allie!

It's sure great to see some sun here, isn't it? We've got some crocuses blooming in our yard, much to my surprise and joy.

Your landscape reminds me a bit of Mount Vernon, just as the tulips are peeking out. Sounds like you're enjoying your new machine. Have you done much felting?

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Well - I misspelled everything. I was just thinking that I should cancel all of my appointments and put on a very large pot of tea in preparation for watching this evolve. It's beautiful and fascinating!! It's warm in Austin, and the trees are leafing out - we do wish we could have just a little bit of winter to remember what it's like and hold off our beastly hot weather a bit longer.

Vicki W said...

We had a pretty sunny day today too. Your landscape peice is terrific!

Mary Corbet said...

Oh Wow - terrific development! The finished square is amazing! I would have never "seen" it from the first pieces!

And the machine sounds like heaps of fun!

Barbara C said...

Oh Allie, this is magnificent! The textures are just wonderful. It looks like you've opened the door on a whole new set of possibilities.

Jane said...

Love seeing your exuberance with the new machine, your experiments are great. I've heard these embellishers do all kinds of things and now in the hands of a CQ er like you? I'm sure we're in for all kinds of fun stuff. I'm with you, come on sun!!!!

verobirdie said...

I've just bought one too, and did not have much time to play with it yet. Watching your experiments is very inspiring! And playing with the embellisher is amazing too. The "what if..." part seems endless.
Your landscape is lovely and I'm already waiting for your next project.

Threadspider said...

Speechless! Gorgeous!
And sun too. Spring is breaking out all over the northern hemisphere.

Kay said...

You are amazing! Just like, a lovely piece like this.

JoWynn Johns said...

Simply mind-boggling! A gorgeous landscape as your first experiment with this technique. It's just lovely, and so captures the spirit of spring.

Kim said...

Wow - I didn't see it at first - but the finished product is stunning!

Marty52 said...

Hurray for daffodils!!!! ;0) Love your landscape, especially the clouds... embellishers were definitely made for clouds, and probably water of all kinds. You sound like you are having such a grand time with this!

Karrin Hurd said...

Love the finished product, and how it evolved. I think I need one of those machines myself!

Anonymous said...

Hi Allie, as usual beautiful things are ever growing in your world!!

This landscape looks like it very satisfying for you to do! :) New technique happily married with an old love... It is so lush and gorgeous!

The cloud reminded me of the frustration I had with silk fibers (end result being a lame dove). What I wanted from the silk fibers was lost when I tacked then down. They are tricky...did you use toule? You may have mentioned already...I am going back to check! :)
Hope all is well!

digger derricks said...

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