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:

  1. 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!

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

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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!

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  5. 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.

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

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