Saturday, April 23, 2011

Challenge 56/Splintered Leaves

I had already been thinking about what I would use as a background for the next challenge, one of my UFO's! I had another one in mind, but after digging through my stash underneath the bed in my motorhome, I came across this piece and decided it would work with the challenge theme of Nature's Rhythm. I began with a piece of sun printed fabric which I had done about five years ago. I had already trapuntoed the leaves, but was not enamored with the results, so I put it away, as I seem to do with a lot of the pieces which I am not happy with. Little did I know, that I would eventually pull it out to recycle, redesign and rebirth it!

The piece had already been trapuntoed and layered for quilting before I rejected it. All I had to do was finish the trapunto and cut away behind all the leaves. After that, I took it to my cutting mat and began disassembling it with my rotary cutter. Then I fitted the pieces back together in a fashion which looked good to my eyes and joined them with a zigzag stitch. After that, I layered a thin flannel backing behind the piece and begin quilting the open areas and around the leaves. I enhanced the trapuntoed leaves with jaquard and setacolor metallic paint. I made 1/4" bias tape and applied it first with glue and then decorative stitching to cover my joining stitches. My plan is to attach it to a prewrapped canvas and hang it as a piece of wall art. It measures approximately 18 x 20".

I am very happy with the way the piece finished out. I really like the color combination and the happy accident that the trapuntoed leaves form a diagonal pattern. I am wondering if I need to somehow enhance the quilting in the right top corner to make the piece more visually balanced. I was thinking about darkening the background behind the leaves to lift them, but this is supposed to be an abstract, so I am not sure that is warranted. I also want the colors and interesting paint patterns to be apparent. Any and all comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciate.

Starting with the UFO




Finished 'Splintered Leaves'


6 comments:

Sharon Robinson said...

I love it! The colors are wonderful, and the leaves feel like they're falling through the air, or maybe floating on water. Nice job!

Jan said...

Floating objects on water is what Andy Goldsworthy does a lot of. I think he would approve of this piece. Lovely!

Carole said...

This is so great Louise. Who would ever have thought it was from a discard. I like how you have joined it together then used the bias tape... and the coloration of the leaves really gives it that 'art' feel and sense. I have to say your quilting is superb!
Well done.

Wendy said...

There is a certain zen quality to this piece.... nice work, Louise. The soothing colors and flow are just perfect and the browns are the perfect compliment!

Anonymous said...

Louise, thank you for including the photo of the UFO because it clearly illustrates what an artist can do with a UFO if she has no fear of the rotary cutter!

The finished piece is very elegant. Your choice of using different quilting stitches adds to the interest. A lovely, flowing composition that brings to mind the leaves underfoot after a storm.

LAQuilts said...

I love taking a "project" that didn't really work and transforming into something new. Looks great. You leaf skeletons are well done.