BLOG 235

BLOG 235 February 15^th 2015

I am starting this week’s blog by repeating the profound words I uttered last week with regard to the ‘Remembrance’ wall hanging.

If it comes together, I will submit it; if it doesn’t what the hell! Working with these thoughts in the back of my mind has been very liberating. Nothing is wasted in the process; I have learned valuable lessons in problem solving and I have had lots of sewing practice!

And what prophetic words they turned out to be! I had done a considerable amount of detailed stitching with cotton thread on the sea side of the hanging.

                                               Stitching

 

And so, because I couldn’t wait any longer to see the effect, I decided to start on the soldering. Horror of horrors! Apart from being able to make holes through all the layers, the felt just would not burn. What had been sold to me a synthetic felt must have had some wool content in it because it resisted the heat of the soldering iron. By using a soldering iron and a heat gun, I had hoped to produce a lacy effect in order to portray the fragility of life in the face of a hurricane force storm. Using scissors to cut out the gaps just didn’t work; it looked too measured. I was so disappointed but the valuable lesson of testing your felt before you start to work was learned and the quilt has been binned. ‘Cancel and continue’ comes to mind; I won’t dwell on failure but I will learn the lesson taught!

                                             Binned

 Here are some more favourites from Quiltfest, which has finished once again for another year. This clever hanging uses stripped fabric so well. The applique stems and flowers are offset with such precision. Your eyes jump about all over the place when you view this quilt, giving the feeling of a having a migraine!

 

 

      

                                               Stripes

This was a jolly colourful piece made in the sort of fabrics that I would consider using myself. I just liked it.

 

 

                                         A broken jug

 And this one is poignant, by its association with WW1 and with its imagery. It is such a thoughtful piece.

 

 

 

                                A little piece of England

 Here is my A4 contemporary quilt hanging amongst some other entries. My initial thought was that my quilt seemed quite formal compared to the ‘looseness’ and innovation of many of the others. Anything seems to be acceptable for ‘contemporary’.

 

                                       A4 Contemporary

 And my quilt alongside my friend Jennifer’s quilt.

                                                Region 13