Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The Wind Does Blow

As the remnants of Hurricane Patricia came through Alabama, the wind blew. On Monday night, I heard it howling fiercely.   I was fortunate to have no damage.  Then on Tuesday, there were still some stiff gusts of wind blowing.   I went looking for something in a stash of supplies and found a small quilt that needed a finish. The subject of the quilt is a windmill - hence the tie in with the weather. This is an art quilt that was started  some time back. To be precise in the spring of 2013.  In that post, I mentioned that it still wasn't finished. And, at the time I am writing this, it still isn't finished.   But I have made great progress on it. I have been quilting my way thru it and meditating on the process of creating art.

I know, I know...... you want to see it! Good!  I want to show it too. Neither of these pictures show the full image. I took these just to show off the quilting.
I am thrilled with the way the machine quilting is helping to enhance the hand stitching. It is also creating a lovely dimensional texture.  Here is a close up for you.
I still have three yellow tulips to quilt as well as all of the blue ones and all of the green leaves.  I also have the blades on the windmill yet to quilt. Then I can bind and mount this piece. When someone asks "How long did it take you to make this?"  I can truthfully say, "It was more than two years."  I don't really know how much time I have in this, but I am sure it has many hours of planning, cutting, fusing, hand stitching and finally machine quilting. It is roughly 17" by 18.5"  and made with hand dyed fabrics and lots and lots of thread both hand dyed and commercial.  The design is based heavily on a pattern in Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts by Laura Wasilowski.  The flowers, leaves and windmill blades are shibori dyed fabrics by Vicki Welsh.
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

5 comments:

Marjorie said...

Love your windmill--and so glad Patricia did no damage but left inspiration. Every quilt has it's own time to be.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Gene, being a flower lover (tho' who isn't) I just love your tulips and what lovely work. I'm envious.

Lynn said...

Just lovely. I love the mix of hand and machine stitching.

kathyinozarks said...

Gene I am really loving this one allot

Marlene said...

I love the movement that is "visible" in the quilting lines of the swirling wind.