Houston Journal Quilt

I’ve seen a few bloggers posting pictures of their 2007 Journal Quilts, and thought I’d throw mine out into the universe as well. The big show in Houston has opened, so it’s now “legal” for me to show my quilt off. This was my first year to participate (and it’s the last year of the project). In past years the quilts were 8.5 by 11, this year they changed it up a little bit: they had to be 17 by 22.

I don’t seem to have many any really good looking pictures of it.

Here’s a closeup of the quilting before I added the buttons and beads.

The background was made with a layer of red wool, over which I sprinkled cut-up bits of an eyelash yarn. The applique pieces were attached to the background and then I put a layer of HOT PINK tulle over the top of the whole piece before I did the satin stitching around the applique and the freehand machine quilting in the background. I emphasize that the tulle was HOT PINK because that was a leap for me! Pink! And Red! Together! It shifted the color of the wool just slightly and added an interesting texture. It’s main purpose was to hold the little bits of sparkly yarn in place.

I edged the ribbon with black seed beads — similar to something I did on one of my other journal quilts that I showed a few weeks ago.  I really like how it looks, I just wish I had a picture that showed the detail clearly.

I had a small problem with my iron that involved melting some of the tulle, which necessitated the addition of something to hide the nasty spot — which is why the red buttons got added.  Again, you can’t see the detail, but there is also a red seed bed on top of each button.

I love, love, love, the beaded binding.  Love it.  Love buttons.

The original idea for this quilt actually involved a multi-color background, but it wasn’t working.  So, I started over with the red. (When in doubt, go red….).  I’m really taken with this heart squiggle of mine.  You’ve seen it before, and you’ll likely see it again.

One of the boys wanted to know why my quilt had 2 “S”s on it.  And I think it was my husband that said the heart shape looked like cartoon hair.

Pay It Forward:  I’ve had one taker so far — doesn’t anybody else want to play along?  See yesterday’s post for the details.

TTFN-

Suzanne

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More dresses in art

Whilst trying to fall asleep last night, I thought of some other things I had seen that I thought were inspiring:

Sharon Schamber has at least 2 pieces (that I know of) that are inspirational:

If I remember correctly, the “blocks” in the dress are actually painted. (The photo links to her gallery where you can see details of this quilt, as well as look at her other works of art).

Another quilt that I remembered last night was this one by Lura Schwarz Smith: Seams a Lot Like Degas

This quilt was named one of the 100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century.  And I don’t just like it because she used my favorite block in the skirts….

And last, but not least, I thought of Paula Vaughan.  I used to be a cross-stitcher.  And I was always drawn to the very large, very detailed projects — especially Paula’s paintings of dresses and brides and flowers and…..quilts!

Several years ago I started a piece that depicts a bride getting dressed.  It’s still a long way from being finished.  Most of the other pieces I’ve done were either her florals or…her quilts…imagine that!

I still find her work to be very beautiful, and as I think about the examples that I’ve drawn from for my dress in art posts, I’m finding that I am drawn more towards art that is PRETTY than I am to  art that is EDGY.  Sometimes I feel like I need to apologize for this, but you know what:  what’s the point?  I like what I like.  If you think the stuff that I like is…saccharine or trite…or…whatever, that’s OK with me.  It takes all kinds, right?

I didn’t get a whole lot of comments on yesterday’s posts, so maybe I’m pretty much alone in finding these depictions of dress in art fascinating….but I’d love to hear comments from you on what I’ve posted — or other suggestions for things to look at — or…whatever!

It’s Wednesday again, and I was hoping to have my Work In Progress posting be of a Work That’s Finished — but I spent nearly all day yesterday glued to my chair trying to resolve some printing and website issues.   I don’t want to post pictures of what’s in progress until it’s done, because I don’t want to bore people with pictures that don’t look like anything has changed….maybe later today??  That’s if I can get my fanny unglued and back out to the studio.

TTFN-

Suzanne

As before, all of the pictures link back to the artist’s site that the picture came from.

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