Friday, November 2, 2012

NEW GROWTH

This post will be added to Nina-Marie Sayre's "Off the Wall Friday" feature...click here to see what other adventurous artists are doing.  

For those of you reading this post via Nina's blog....you may wish to backtrack to my 2 previous posts to see more process views of this piece....or enjoy the tail end of my efforts. 

 Once all the applique and machine embroidery was completed, batting was basted to the wrong side.....but NOT the backing yet.....
 Because....I have one more addition.  Dragon flies have a very special meaning for my niece, therefore.....I'm going to add one.  

Again, digging deep into my stash of hand-dyed treasures (the results of fun dye days with one of my small groups, the Fiber Junkies.)  Here's a piece of poly. netting that I tried to marbleize.  The pattern is subtle, but I think it will work.
 Drawing is not a skill I have, so copyright free images are so helpful!!  After printing several sizes, this one was chosen for the wings.
 It's been retraced on freezer paper and pressed to a sandwich of the netting (two layers secured with Wonder-Under) and cut out. 
 Now I'm auditioning not only the wing shapes/sizes, but the placement and bead colors.
 Though my collection of the bronze beads were more suitable in shape, I felt they blended into the background too much.  Back to the bead bins and more auditioning....
 Adding and subtracting shapes and sizes of beads takes time but is worth the time spent to get it right!  The dragon fly was beaded through two layers...top and batting which helps to support the weight of the beads.  

Next, the backing was basted in place and....gulp.....I secured the embroidery foot, lowered the feed dogs and machine quilted the background.  This is NOT a skill I have conquered but it seemed like the right choice for the piece....and gosh...eventually I must learn and there's no time like the present!

NEW GROWTH
18.5" X 21.5"

My plan had been to face the quilt to provide a nice clean edge as my niece's wall are painted in a dark tan.....but now I'm having second thoughts...and would love to hear from any of you if you have strong feelings about this.  I'm thinking instead that perhaps a very narrow traditional paler brown binding might set the design off better......but then again...maybe not..... sigh....

7 comments:

Carol A. Babineau said...

Great piece! For the binding - to me, it depends on the color of the walls and anything else in the room. Have you thought about any of the greens that you have in the piece?

It would pull your eye to any other green colors that are in the quilt as well as to the sweet dragonfly.

Just thoughts.

The Inside Stori said...

Carol had a good suggestion.....a darkish green may have worked well....but alas....I didn't have any in my stash to coordinate.....nor did I have the proper brown.... SO.....in the end.....even though I asked for advice from all of you..... I went ahead and finished the edge with a facing. Because the hanging wall is painted in a darker tone, I think this will be pleasing and blend in as the new owner desires....clean and modern..... Thanks everyone!!!

Robbie said...

This turned out beautiful, Mary!!! Your niece will be thrilled. Hope you get a picture of it hanging up to show us!!

Sandy said...

I love that swirly background. Was it already a printed fabric you bought?
PS thanks for the encouraging comments you leave on my blog! nice to know someone is looking.
Sandy in the UK

The Inside Stori said...

In case anyone else is wondering....the swirly background fabric is commercial & about 8-10 years old...have no clue who made it.

Vera Holmgren said...

It's so lovely! You were absolutely right finishing just with a facing.

Nina Marie said...

ohhhh so glad you're sharing the process - fascinating!!! And yeah - I'm a facing fan too!