I should be sewing and having fun at Fountainbleu State Park with other crafty friends, but I've worked so much on testing that I decided to take a raincheck on the weekend. I just didn't think that I'd be able to drive the 2½ hours to the lodge. So I thought I'd finally share this finish.
Oh my! what fun! Of course, I chose fabrics (in this case blues with a touches of gray and navy) and sewed them up in a variety of lines and curves. I made the quilt sandwich on the long-arm so that I could quilt and paint interchangeably.
I chose the places where I wanted the cotton bolls to be and drew them out with a few stitching lines. I then quilted around those areas so they would pop forward. At this point I stopped to paint inside the stitched areas. For the most part, I switched back and forth between stitching and painting until I felt that it was done.
After it was all done and dry--which took several days--I mounted it on an empty frame that my art teacher friend, Leta, had given me and decided that I really do like it.
In fact, this project is the result of those free frames. Leta told me she knew I'd "do something with them." And so she gets credit for putting me on the path to painting both pieces.
Imagine what she'd have me doing if I actually took her art class! Her classes are painting another project, this one with a Louisiana theme, and some of the works are pretty amazing. Because I've been busy with testing, I haven't been in much, but what I have seen I love. Now to share this work with her so she can see what I've been doing.
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I love this! How clever to come up with a way to combine the painting and your quilting - I hope you work like this again.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kaja. I have plans to create another today....well, to start another. I've discovered that I really can work on two projects at one time. It takes well over an hour for the paint to dry and I can't stand twiddling my thumbs, so I sew scraps together or something of that nature. Eventually I'll use up whatever I've played with.
ReplyDeleteMary you could sell these at Steeles I bet. Omg it is gorgeous. Love love love. The colors are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely combination of painting and quilting.
ReplyDeleteA great finish.
Thanks Leta and Karen for the encouragement. I'm having fun with my second one. Well, the quilting is done and it's mounted on the frame, but the gesso has to dry. I am going to start painting tomorrow. I can barely wait!
ReplyDeleteThat's really neat!
ReplyDeleteWe definitely missed you this weekend!
I definitely was sorry that I couldn't make it. I know it was a blast! I've really enjoyed the pictures though and am excited that we're going to do (try) another retreat soon!
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