BLOG 182

This week, I decided to concentrate on the challenge I have committed myself to do this year, called ‘In The Red’. You may remember that I referred to it in the hazy past of 2013, but we were given another year to complete it as the challenge quilts had not been registered into the exhibitions that usually take them. I had no difficulty in putting it out of my mind but I received a nudge about it recently so I need to make progress.

The rules say that you can do anything you like as long as red dominates the quilt. The quilts need to be 36” x 36” or a perimeter of not less than 144”.  So here goes. This is the drawing that I have unearthed and what I aspire to create in fabric and, for your interest, here is how I am starting to go about it.

                                          Drawing

 I’m not sure how I am going to construct the image at this stage (with or without a fusible?) so I start by overlaying the drawing with freezer paper to trace off the face of the horse. This I break down into smaller pieces to try and isolate the different tones of light, medium light, medium dark and dark. (I traced the same freezer paper pattern onto baking parchment just as a reference but didn’t actually refer to it again!)

                                             Patterns

I want to work section by section so I highlight the lines and attempt to identify the smaller sections of the pattern.

                      Sections of the pattern

 

The next step, and it has to be said my favourite part, is to sort out the fabrics. Here is a workable palette from darks through to lights. I have reversed some of the fabrics to get a very light tone.

 

                                        Palette of fabrics

 I have always had a belief that I can do anything I set my mind to, if I want to do it (and it’s the want that drives me, that’s imperative!). This to me is the excitement of creativity, bringing an idea to life and creating a ‘fabric’ from a pattern which is what a quilt top is essentially. So at this stage I am not daunted by the number of pattern pieces or the complexity of the pattern and I leap straight in. I use the freezer paper pattern and cut out individual pattern pieces, making sure that I had plenty of reference lines so the pattern will fit back together again. Here is my first attempt on the muzzle and nostrils using raw edge applique.

                                 The muzzle and nostrils

I continued in this vein and this is what it looked like after most of the paper had been removed. I was pleased with the effect but I felt the shading was awry and decided to start again.

 

                                       First attempt

 I returned to the pattern and simplified it. It’s all very well having lots of pattern pieces on paper but when you start to work it in fabric, it can be fiendishly fiddly! The revised pattern still looks complex but there are fewer pieces. Back to the drawing board!

                                      Revised pattern

PS I will be teaching the ‘string piecing’ technique used for my String of Diamonds quilt in Llangollen next month as follows:- Quiltfest Workshop with Dilys Fronks A String of Diamonds

Llangollen Pavilion on Saturday 8^th February 10am-4pm

www.quiltfest.org.uk for booking form and details. I hope to see you there!