BLOG 243

BLOG 243

This was the week of the final push to finish work for my Holyhead exhibition. It has been a continuous slog of application, concentration and hard work. I acknowledge that it was self-inflicted because that’s just the way I am, but I don’t want to go through that again in a hurry! And why did I do it? I suppose the reason was that I didn’t want to let myself down by not having any new work on show and I didn’t want to let others down by exhibiting all of the same work over again. If I had to choose an epitaph for myself it would read ‘she was always anxious to please’!

Here is the Turtle-in-a-Wall hanging under the sewing machine. Again, as in the two previous wall hangings, I decided to blend the colours of the turtle fabric.

                                               Turtle at work

                                                            Detail

I chose a Mettler variegated thread because it reflected the colours in the fabric and it sewed beautifully.

                                                   Variegated thread

 For the individual wall tiles, I matched threads with the colours in the fabric.

                                                    Matching threads

 Here is the completed turtle, illustrating what I wanted to achieve when I started. This one has come through a few transitions fabric-wise to get to this pleasing outcome, perhaps the next one will be plain sailing. I’ll believe that when I see it! And did I say the next one? Watch this space ……… eventually!

                                                       Quilted turtle

 

                                                                 Detail

 It is easier to see the quilting detail from the back before tidying up. As usual I have done all the quilting straight onto the batting.

                                                 Quilting on batting

 This is the WS of the backing fabric, already sewn onto the quilted front. It was placed with RS together against the front of the quilt and I have sewn a ¼” seam all around the outside edge. I have trimmed away the excess fabric and cut across the corners prior to turning through. Notice the cut strip of fusible close to the top edge; the quilt will be turned through this opening.

                                              Before turning through

 And what have I learned? I have learned that I can still work under pressure when need be and produce a good standard of work for others to enjoy. I can still come up with original ideas and interpret them to my own (and others people’s hopefully) satisfaction.

                                                  Three in-the-wall quilts

 Here are some of the sale items I have been making.  ‘Rainbow Gardens’ seems to be a good title for these creations.

                                                       Rainbow gardens

                                                                 Detail

                                                          Framed Gardens

 And there are 4 of these soldered felt pieces which I intend to call ‘Burning Issues’. These I have mounted on card.

                                                           Burning Issue #1

 Other sale items are ironed and packed ready to go but I will post photographs when I am ‘hung’! Not before time says my husband although a little drawing and quartering wouldn’t go amiss as well!!