Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Heart Throb

No on can accuse me of having something done ahead of time for my own challenge!  If I'm lucky, I'll be late to my own funeral!  I was thinking about several different possibilities.  Right across from my sewing machine was a box with this red roping peeking out.

It is tubular and made of some synthetic material.  I purchased it several years ago on Christmas clearance  because I thought it had some quilt possibilities.  Since it is Valentines month, and the awareness month for women's heart health, I thought I'd be a little graphic and use this roping.

Here's my unfinished piece.  I had it together and ready to quilt on Saturday....and went to bed.  Sunday, we went to visit my daughter at Ohio University for her birthday....and when I went to finish it today, I broke three needles.  I think my timing on my sewing machine is off kilter, and since I spent the whole day on Wednesday of last week trying to drop my other  machine off to get the tension fixed...well...I'm without a sewing machine right now.

The blue line shows the sinus rhythm of a an ekg done in perle cotton by bobbin work.  The  roping you can see is used for the veins and arteries.  I hand embroidered the veins on the heart, and machine appliqued and then stuffed the various parts of the heart.  The sad thing is that the background is drapery fabric which needed stabilizing,.  So...before I appliqued it, I ironed decor bond on the back of it...bad decision.  My hands being not  normal  (meaning, affected by some drugs I'm on) ,  I couldn't needle the applique...so I ended up doing it by machine.

Not quite how I envisioned it...but..almost done.  The tape around the edges is to tell me when I have to stop quilting as enveloped this.  
at

8 comments:

  1. Unknown2/6/13, 8:47 AM

    I have to commend your creativity on this piece, you really stepped outside the box. The topography of the heart is very evident and I like the fraying bits at the end of the cording, it really adds a lot of interest.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown2/6/13, 3:11 PM

    Thanks, Louise....I have had some friends comment that the EKG rhythms scared them (nurses)....but I looked at an EKG of supposedly normal sinus rhythms...of course the heart covers the ones I stitched in the middle.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tobi2/6/13, 10:55 PM

    An altogether too lively looking disembodied heart! Not that I know much about EKG rhythms, but I get the feeling there should be several lines, not just one, which would add texture and interest.

    ReplyDelete
  4. fastfriday2/9/13, 2:21 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. fastfriday2/9/13, 2:22 PM

    A very timely topic for a quilt, and also great use of the red roping to add texture. Pam Clark

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cherie in Del Mar2/15/13, 11:34 PM

    Hi Lisa,
    This is a really powerful piece! You really can almost see it beating and hear the sounds. Awesome! and perfect valves!
    Cherie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cay Denise2/17/13, 2:58 PM

    Lisa, I think your piece (whether finished or not) is a successful interpretation of the challenge theme. I especially like how you've used the red cording for the arteries of the heart. Are you planning to quilt the background further (after your machine is up and running well)? I know you said you did some machine appliqué, but I can't see where that is. I'm thinking that micro-quilting the background might help to flatten it so the 3D heart can pop better.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Unknown2/19/13, 4:36 PM

    Yes...I hope to...I got the machine back...and the local Bernina shop says there's nothing wrong with it....sigh.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.