I decided this would be the perfect quotation for inside the heart of my project for the Alliance for American Quilts... My friend Barbara thought it was a new take on putting a quotation in a sampler, an idea I love and had not thought of! But she is an English professor... ;-)
You do have to look closely to read it. I wanted to fill the space of the sky but not make it too contrasty with all the lettering.After this stitching was done, it was time to finish the edges of the quilt. I wanted to retain the intricate shapes of those sunflower petals...and that took some doing!
I have layered my top, "batting" (which is really flannel drapery lining) and cotton backing all together, spray basting them with Sulky KK 2000. Next I zig zagged the layers together with a 1.5 mm stitch all the way around the perimeter of the quilt. Then I trimmed as closs to the zig zag stitching as I could.
Then I made two more passes with the zig zag, first at 2.5mm, then at 3.5 mm. I learned this technique from Rosemary Eichorn's book, The Art of Fabric Collage.
I used Coats and Clark variegated quilting thread in the top, and a lightweight embroidery thread in the bobbin.The edges are not as perfectly clean as I would like, but there were a lot of fine points and I could not for the life of me get the free machine zig zag to work on my %^#$%* Pfaff. Still this is acceptable.
I hope that as a composition this works well whether the viewer can see the writing or not, and that the piece has as much impact and meaning with it as well as without it too.There is more to explore with this concept!
Meanwhile, this quilt, as all the entries for this year's contest, will be shown in Paducah in April at the American Quilters Society show, as well as at other venues throughout the spring and summer, and auctioned off on Ebay in the fall, proceeds to benefit the Alliance for American Quilts.
I can't wait to see the other entries!
I bet going around all those points was a trip. Great looking piece in the end.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful quilt - and I love the way the quote draws you in!
ReplyDeleteUR BOOK CAME TODAI AN IT FANTASTIK, FRUM TEH BYOOTIFUL FOTOGRAFS 2 TEH CLEER AN THORO INSTRUCSHUNS! AI HAZ BEEN LOOKIN AT IT ALL DAI AN GETTIN FIRD UP WIF ALL KINDZ OV CREATIV IDEAS! AI LUV WEN DAT HAPPENS! LOOKIN FWD 2 SPENDIN LOTZ DA HAPPEH HOURS WIF DIS!
Beautiful Quilt!
ReplyDeleteThe text produces a lovely "cloudy" effect - well done!
ReplyDeleteWow! Those edges are fantastic! And I love the quote in white-on-white. Nice touch. The piece is terrific!
ReplyDeleteSuch a brave woman to finish the edges like that! It's perfect and I love the "clouds" in the sky.
ReplyDeleteI got the copy of your book that you sent... thanks so much for autographing it! I can't wait to meet you in person... it's gonna be fun!
I love the quotation. As a former English teacher, I think it made the quilt.
ReplyDeleteIt's really wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love it, but one bit jumps out at me. It's the missing petal on the sunflower top left corner. I would use a brown/orange fabric marker to blend the satin stitch that touches the sunflowers centre.
ReplyDeleteThe message is timely and beautful; the dangly carrots are such fun!
ReplyDeleteYour finished piece is really lovely. The quote blends nicely and its hidden message is perfect.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful art. work Allies !!!
ReplyDeletemany hugs......
Beautiful! I like the edge treatment you did, it preserves some of the character of the piece, without making a "frame".
ReplyDeleteWow just gorgeous Allie!
ReplyDeleteAllie, it's lovely... I can just see it on a wall. It would also be great on a pillow!
ReplyDeleteMy mom would love the Sunflowers..
I was up in your "neck of the woods" well at least in Portland over the weekend... seeing our sweet little grandbaby. I thought of you!
We had sunshine when we landed on Friday.... and pouring down rain on Monday as we flew out!
Glorious.
ReplyDelete