My
March journal quilt, in my head, is full of wind –
the wind-swept hillsides, the deceiving sunshine that would make
one think that a coat was unnecessary. That image, however, refused
to show itself in fabric. Instead, a more serene scene evolved
– that of new-fallen snow on the hillside, and the picture
of winter heather in bloom, peeking through the drifts.
The
landscape is hand-appliqued and includes white velvet, and two
different dupioni brocades, one of which is from my daughter's
high school graduation dress. The sky is a Mickey Lawler piece.
Each of the heather plants was stitched by hand, using one, and
in some places, two, strands of silk floss. Colonial knots, again
of one or two strands of silk floss, were used to create the tiny
flowers that are produced. The entire piece was then covered in
a layer of white sparkle tulle, to create the effect of glistening
snow in the fading light. Free motion stipple quilting covers
the sky, and contour quilting was used to give the impression
of drifting snow on the hillside. The sky is littered with beads
of all shapes and sizes to represent the rather large flakes that
characterize the falling snow in spring.
Materials:
velvet, silks, Skydyes cotton, Caron threads, Sulky rayon and
Yenmet metallic for free-motion quilting, assorted beads.
Techniques:
hand applique, hand embroidery, beading, and free motion quilting
