Thursday, January 7, 2016

Working on Becoming UNStuck

Last Fall, our book club read the book, "Sweetness to the Soul," by Jane Kirkpatrick. Right away, I had an idea for a project.

I had planned for the quilt to be wide and narrow with a waterfall, bridge and a hotel like building.

I started with some sketches for the hotel. At this point, I selected some leftover strings/strips and stitched the body of the building. I later appliqued a section to be the front entrance and selected a scrap for the roof. I was feeling good about my progress and process.

I sketched a bridge and a waterfall. I wasn't getting any where. I started doubting my abilities. The more I doubted my success, the less progress I made.

I googled Shear's Hotel and Toll Bridge and found a few photos. The design I had in my head was far from what I saw in the photos. As a ten year old, I fished below the falls with my granddad. A fire destroyed the hotel in 1938 so the hotel was long gone before I fished there. I sketched some more. 

In November, I took the design off the wall. I stitched other projects. A month later, I tried again. It was deja vu. I altered the composition. I tried placing other fabrics on the design wall. Still, I wasn't making progress.

I sketched some more. I wasn't having fun.


I decided, I would construct the waterfall. This was my first attempt. I wanted my waterfall to come between two canyon walls and just below the horizon. While I liked the variety of strips I used, the strips were too rigid. Adding the white sections helped; but, this wasn't "IT."












I wanted to create texture so I added some metallic ribbon and used yarn with the Bernina 43 foot to create some "foam." I loved stitching with the 43 foot and at some point, I need to make something to use that foot. But, it wasn't right for this project.














This was my second attempt:

I like the values and the movement. I cut the pieces, used Elmer's glue to place them. I added a little Angelina fibers under some white tulle. I stitched through all the layers with silk, cotton and metallic thread to hold the pieces in place. This was a fun process! My plan was to anchor the fabric edges during the quilting phase. I'm letting it set for a day or two because I'm thinking it is too small for my piece. 

There is something to drawing the plan out to scale first as had I done that, I would have figured out, my waterfall was too small!

Hm mm. . .what options do I have now?









8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy your thought process, Terry. What an artist you have become! Gail G

Unknown said...

It must have been so much fun to dabble with the unusual materials. way to go!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Gail, Good to see your comment and thank you! It really is a continuing process!!--Terry

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Joanne, you've been my inspiration for trying something and just playing with it. I have loved each and every one of your "nests." It was fun!--Terry

Monica said...

Your waterfall is looking great now! I love the range of colours, and I'm sure the Angelina looks good there too.

I wouldn't worry too much about a plan right now -- just sit down and sew, and eventually it will make sense!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Monica, thank you so much! I've been playing with the water. . .I'm making progress!!!--Terry

Luann Fischer said...

Terry,
To add foam to your waterfall, if that's an option, you can paint cellophane with acrylic or fabric paint, then using a heat gun, kept a safe distance away, you can shrink it and then tear pieces out to use. I did that with my water piece back in July. I have pictures up on the first and second on my blog
Www.letscreatetoday.blogspot.com
If you want more info, let me know.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Luann, what a cool method!!! I'm off to have a look see. Thank you for your suggestion!--Terry