This has been fun. I had not intended to make such a large piece (it is about 30'x40"), but the background just kept growing as I kept adding more of my favorite fabrics. My quilt is intended to be an abstract of trees/leaves in the woods. I created the background out of 1.5" (finished) squares. I was hoping to create a feeling of depth with the use of color and value. The "tree" shapes are fused over the background. They are also intended to increase the sense of depth. The whole thing is free motion quilted with King Tut (background) and Sulky (trees and borders) threads. I have not added an actual 3D object to
it, as I just felt like it was "done". I welcome any comments. Thanks.
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6 comments:
I can see the depth in the background. I see shady greens and browns where the forest is more dense, more open areas where the sun is shining through yellow and orand leaves, and bits of sky.
I thought the trees were black silloettes at first glance, and then I saw that you used a print. I looked at the larger picture and saw a beautiful dark batik that looks a bit like bamboo. It might have been interesting to do the same design with bamboo shaped trunks. Although I like the straight trunks also.
I like the outer border. The colors go nicely with the middle. Although for me the busy stripes and bright colors are a distraction and pull my focus away from the center. Perhaps using the tree color for the outside border and using the other as a narrow strip for the inside border would have been less distracting.
Thanks Linda. I really like the idea of using the bamboo shaped trunks. As for the border, originally I was planning to use the black batik, and ran out the other day to buy another yard of it, and then when I laid it against the quilt it just didn't look right. But I'm not super crazy about this border either; I might fold it under to see if it will work better as a narrow border; I might also use a facing instead of a binding on this one. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
I love the center panel of this quilt. You've absolutely captured Autumn and depth. I agree that the border isn't quite working, for me I think it is too purple and that give s it a different feel to the center. Sorry that is a bit wooly, I just can't think how else to phrase it.
Brenda, I think it's gorgeous. You've done a great job with the color placement. As far as the border, if you have photo editing software, try cropping it so it shows a smaller border, no border, etc to see what you like best. I copied it into my photo program and cropped it so it has a small border (to about 3 times the little black border) and I think it improves it. Try it!
Cynthia
Beautiful center panel: I love that you put the squares on point. They seem to draw the eye up. The colors and placement are great.
I like the branch that goes across the top left corner. It adds a wonderful design element; that one along with the last diagonal one that crosses it move the eye back around counter-clockwise down to the bottom where you start going up again. (Wow was that ever hard to explain without just showing!)
I really like the borders. You did a great job with the mitering. The corners are great, although I wish the tan color on the bottom right were more purple or blue. It doesn't blend as well as the rest of them. I love the purple in the border, which just goes to show that there is a great deal of personal taste which creeps in to critiques.
Other neat things about the border: if you squint your eyes at it, the oranges in the bottom left and top right pop out, making another diagonal with the two skinny branches in the same direction. The darker value of the border also gives the impression of looking out a window.
This little quilt grabbed me. I thought I didn't care for the borders but, the more I looked at it, I decided it was just that the borders looked wavy - I have a feeling if it was properly hung that the borders would be very attractive since they pull some of the colors of the center out to the edge. One thing that might have been good (or not) would have been to extend some of the trees out into the borders here and there. Nice work.
Roberta
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