Water

The Modern Quilt guild is growing by leaps and bounds. Now there is a Valley Modern Quilt Guild.  We have had two meetings so far. At our first meeting we were given a challenge, make anything quilted based on water. ando-hiroshige-whirlpool-and-waves-at-naruto-awa-province_i-G-13-1341-47HS000ZFor my inspiration I found this Japanese block print and my eye was immediately drawn to the whirlpool.P1120062So I pulled out my solid blues and traced the basic pattern on the fabric, then cut out corresponding light blue and white Thai silk that some one gave me. I proceeded to do needle turn appliqué.P1120102I love the silk, but it frays easier than quilting cotton. Since this is a wall hanging and I did try to use very tiny stitches, this won’t be a problem.   Half way done, but not completely happy with the result.  I have a vertical line with the blue and that is really bothering me.P1120281So I changed it, much much better. The quilting of course reinforces the idea of an eddy.  I even pebble quilted in order to give the idea of bubbles.  I even bound the quilt to continue the placement of the blues.P1120283And of course since this is based on a Japanese print I added a signature stamp.  It says nothing, I simply slashed and appliquéd.P1120284A close up of the quilting and how it reinforces the pattern. Which is why I love quilting, the three dimension design that is created by quilting is part and parcel of the whole design. Bas relief, not a two-dimensional painting.P1120286In this case, the back is a busy print, so the quilting gets lost. I put on a sleeve for hanging and my little label. I need to add the date as well.IMG_3825A lot of people took the challenge. Yes, mine was very well received.  Next month the challenge is fire, I am thinking of something very different. Maybe simple piecing so it won’t take me so long?

Leah