Sunday, August 31, 2008

The Burner Bag...Embellishment Finished

Sewing on this has been VERY STRANGE as it is so outside what I normally do. But then, graffiti is outsider art so it helped push me into a different zone entirely...
I also think of graffiti as folk art, so that was the look I ended up going for...

Design wise it was a challenge and that ended up being the fun part. How to make this work? I ended up using a lot of repetition to try and structure the chaos a little bit.

All my seams were graphic and used large stitches...and this pleated ribbon here, held down with a row of chain stitches, travels around the bag a bit.

I felt better about this guy once he was framed like this. His smile was starting to get to me!

This is how I hold the cording in place before I couch it down. I used a lot of this too.

I call her "Burner Girl. I think she is holding the business end of a spray nozzle from an air compressor that her cat is monitoring, spraying the wall in front of her. I had to paint around her in white acrylic so that she would show up better.

I am going to spend today finishing this into a totebag. It is so weird. I MUST hang some fringe around the opening....

When it is done I think I will mosey on back to my flowers....at a dead run!

22 comments :

Dayna said...

It does seem a bit out of your comfort zone! Excellent job none the less.

Jeanne Turner McBrayer said...

It looks great, but that spray can guy is downright scary!

Susan said...

Wow, what a departure this was! Still the same beautiful design and stitching, though.

Kay said...

Hmm-the frame around Burner Girl looks shrine-like. That's interesting. Seriously, I like the curved lines of this, and the entire design looks good. Fringe--perfect!

Judy S. said...

You may have been working "outside the box," but your end results are splendid, Allie. I'll bet there'd be a bidding war on e-bay over your finished tote bag! I agree with Kay that fringe will be a superb finishing touch. Be sure to show us the bag when you're done, please.

BTW, what is the stitch at the right edge of smiley-guy, and is it a multi-colored ribbon?

Anonymous said...

hhhmmmm Allie - I didnt think you could do it, but you've made the images look...well....pretty. grin. I really like the looped cord you are going to couch down, and the ruched ribbon - you have the most inventive seam treatments.

Possibilities, Etc. said...

Well - it does put a bit of balance into your design work. LOL I'm glad to see you running really fast back to the flowers. My James' wife would love this bag.

Marty52 said...

I love the ribbon and cording details! You've done a great job of bringing this all together but I can see why you will go running back to your flowers! ;0)

Jane said...

Gosh - this is my first visit to your blog and I'm bowled over by the graffiti bag. Looking forward to seeing the completed item

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Wow is all I can say. I really couldn't picture how you would blend it all together but you've done a superb job! Ilove it.

Debra Dixon said...

Very different and that's a good thing every now and then!

Cat said...

Well Allie, I have to admit... I like this... I like the combo of old style and new style.

...but then I do tire of Victorian...

...and I like modern crazy quilt stuff.

Good job!

shebaduhkitty said...

now this is seriously reinventing Crazy quilting. wonderful work

Christine said...

I agree that your design and execution is fantastic as always, it's just not my cup of tea, VBG. I'm sure someone will love it though. Thanks for showing us that we should step outside our comfort zone occasionally.
Hooroo,
Christine.

JoWynn Johns said...

Wild and wacky, Burner Girl! With lots of good ideas I'm filing away.

Anonymous said...

I can see why you would want to run at breakneck speed back to the soothing world of Mother Nature's flowers. It has been interesting to see where you have taken this.

Cathy said...

Who'd have thought of combining tagger art with CQ except for you!?! You go! BTW, I've nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award. See my post of today, Sept. 1. Hugs, Cat

Jane said...

That guys face is truly a mad departure of serenity... a definite CQR for sure. Love the couched ribbon work, fits right in.

Susan Elliott said...

I think it was ingenious to use these pics of burner imagery...I've been very educated here. Especially since I've always admired the art form when I encounter it. I understood the need to have larger more graphic stitches for this style...I'm having a completely different issue with my Tiffany block but the wrestling match is the same. Overall, my fave is the milagro-type burner chick and painting the white behind her was what she needed. Very fun indeed.

Veleta (Sammy) said...

I have to say that this totally different tote I have ever seen! Kind of grows oon you! Great work in doing all this different uses of stuff...

Unknown said...

jeez al, pretty wierd!!! love seester

Anonymous said...

Amazing! I always admire the drawings that I see on the sides of train cars and to see how you were able to make such a beautiful quilt with these images in fun. Lots of "wall art" in Pueblo, you'd be a big hit there.

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