This quilt creation (yes, it is a quilt- three layers with quilting to secure it) doesn't have a name yet. That's because I'm still speechless over it. Maybe that should be its name? Speechless. It began as a class project taught by Dianne Hire at the American Quilters Society show in March. When I walked into Dianne's classroom and saw all of her class samples, I thought, "Oh, this is going to be great fun!" And it certainly was.
Dianne may be the Queen of Quilt Enhancement given her creative addtions of curvies, tabs, dangly things. All of them are stitched and inserted into the seams of a pieced base. And then comes the embellishment of the enhancements! There are two felted beads made in a mini-class in my Fiber Art Bee group, along with other beads and bits I've collected along the way.
There are two more little geckos like this one hiding in the layers of the quilt. Can you spot them all?
Even the smallest scraps and figurative motifs can find a home in this style of quilt. Add some black and white prints for accent, and the whole piece invites you to lift, inspect, and examine it. I know I'll make at least one more of these projects! Oh, and by the way, the display rod is a simple dowel cut to size, painted with black craft paint, and dotted with white Posca Paint pen. Two wooden beads glued to the ends, and I've got a lightweight hanger that coordinates. Below are some of Dianne's class samples and the inspiration for elements to add to the project.
You can hardly count the layers and elements in this quilt. Dianne also uses stacked beads and buttons along with broken jewelry like those banana-shaped yellow beads on the dangling flower.
Prairie points, large and small, and tabs upon tabs- so much to look at in Dianne's quilts!
Also, the Queen of Curvy Piecing, you can see (almost) how the base piece has irregular shapes pieced together before the dangling bits are added. Even those have curved seams. Dianne's book is show below.
4 comments:
You might call this gorgeous piece Speechless, or you might call it Traveling America. That's what I thought when I saw how you transitioned from a southwest feel (fabric wise) to other areas of the country, like the black and white I think of when I think of NYC, or Colorado and Wyoming when I see the rusty orange, or Minnesota when I see the blues and greens on a black background, or the deep south when the arrows and circles that remind me of chicken scratches, and New Orleans when I see the gorgeous pinks and purples. It's a potpourri of lovely fabrics and techniques, too. I also liked the instructor's sample quilt. It's definitely a lot different from yours, which is hot and bright, while hers is cool and more muted. Both are inspirational and stash busting, too.
What fun! layers and colors and shapes and ... geckos! looks like you had a Great time with many choices, lots to see!!
Nancy, this is just fab!!!! So artsy!!! I love it!!!! You have to make more!!! Love all the little details in it!!! Can't wait to see in person next year...which, we need to make a point to meet up!
Nancy I am so glad you visited me and I found this post I missed. I L.O.V.E. this fabulous quilt with all its bits and pieces and embellishments. It really draws me in to see what I am missing. This Work of HeArt really speaks to me and I believe "Speechless" is a great name for it. True Creative Bliss...<3
Post a Comment