Deadlines can be a good thing. I’m not keen on short-term deadlines or a constant stream of deadlines, but an occasional deadline can spur completion of a project which might otherwise remain on the design wall for a very long time. It is easy for me — one who loves every step in the process of creating an art quilt — to dither and question and let the possibilities stall moving forward.
The quilt top was completed May 17 (see my posting here) and the final stitches were done September 17. While not lightening speed, this is a fair clip for me. And here it is:
The rich reds (Ghana wax batik) and the gold/copper paint have me thinking of autumn in the garden. The painted linen top is the grass rustling in the breeze. The tomato slices are outline and echo quilted with Superior #100 Kimono silk thread. Stitching all the detail is worth the effort to have the image pop. I couldn’t resist adding a few seeds here and there. I considered a green glass bead but the glitz they would have introduced would have taken away from the big story here, the oakleaf hydrangea. A more discreet seed was necessary.
With the tomato slices on the left and bottom, a repeat of the flowing grasses down the right side seemed a natural.
I felt no need to create another design layer on the gold/copper-painted fabric or the silk screened silk. It seems to me that they tell their story just fine.
See the progression of Oakleaf Hydrangea II here and here.
Now it’s time to meet that entry deadline.
Franki, this is marvelous. Along with the ginkgo leaf, the hydrangea is one of my favorite images. As always, your quilting amazes me.
Thanks for the kudos.
This is a really gorgeous quilt. Love the color choices. But I wish you had posted its size, which helps to imagine seeing it in person.
Thanks Sara! Hover your cursor over the photo and you get more details. It’s 28 1/4″ x 26 1/4″.
Another great project, Franki. Don’t you love getting them done!
Yes!
Lovely quilt. Did you use a real tomato to do the stamping? Mary Ann
Thank you Mary Ann! I did not stamp this fabric. It’s an incredible Damask that was treated to wax relief in Ghana. I found it when I was in Santa Fe this spring for a conference.
Beautiful!
Another beautiful little quilt by Franki. Your choice of quilting for the various fabrics was perfect. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! Decisions on the quilting take a long time.