Remember this?? Purple Mountains Majesty? From my box of scraps?? the first post is
HERE
For years I've been working on a series of free form landscapes.
This year for the
rainbow scrap challenge, I decided to use the color that month, follow my heart, and just make what makes me happy.
No big plans, just enjoy my fabric.
did you notice how the effect changed when I sewed the sections with a gentle curve instead of overlapping the raw edges? I did.
Every sewing day is a learning day. I don't know which effect I prefer on this piece but I lost a bit of wildness when it was all tidy and seamed and finished off. I also added in some more curvy bits and a sky. It will be somehow floated on a background next.
For now, lets look at the water scene..
I took skinny long strips and started sewing them together. Color is so soothing and exciting at the same time isn't it?? No worries, just sew, spritz, and press. it will work. Some curves, some random seams. When my pieces were too short I joined them on an angle and loved how it turned out.
when I added in the bottom strips, and I love the really skinny stripe's effect in the corner, I didn't like the abrupt color change, so I think I'll lay a little raw edged cutaway strip as an applique.See it like a little hill?
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| 11" tall X 21" wide |
Anyway, as I sew, enjoying myself, I start to see nature emerge, and go with the flow. This became an ocean scene, and I see it quilted, with stringy green thread for grasses, some clouds maybe with paint. Maybe it'll get longer if I add in a horizon with sky at the top, I don't know. This is enough for now.
I am content!
This is the purple mountains with sky added
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| 18" X 21" |
Can't you just see it all quilted??
I can! I do like the curve sewn in here.
I also made some scrappy diamonds to go with last year's gemstones...
some black and white, some colors with black. They are loose now, because I think these, with the white ones will be used somehow to set the gemstone.
As usual, click on images to make them larger and see details.
I plan to enjoy the RSC this year, but working with the color of the month with no big goal in mind. Just use of color.
It flows with my mantra of "follow your heart" and feels better to me than a fully designed bed quilt. I don't need another bed quilt but I always need artistic expression in my life.
45 comments:
Inspiring, as always!
Hi LeeAnna!
Yes! I see them as only you can creatively quilt!
Follow your heart!
Wavy lovely.definitely a series growing. i usually end up adding more watery ocean like fabric strips to bottom especially if i have decided what this might do,if anything, besides a postcard background. great colorplay warm up! You flow with the glow!!
I love that way of sewing. Beautiful colours.
Those interesting free form landscapes. Love the use of color and the process.
Love it... Love it so much I almost packed up all my fabric to send to you.
Hugs
then I'd make something for you Terri!
I decided the answer is to use odd shaped scraps. If I'd had to cut up yardage I wouldn't have had this mix of texture or angles. So just sit yourself down at the machine and sew little piece to little piece! LeeAnna
Lovely landscapes--hugs, Julierose
Those colors sing to me!
I love that you are starting with just the colour and seeing where it takes you. It's certainly sparking your creativity.
Now you'll be able to add Queen of Improv to your many creative titles! How about a curvy-edged border instead of mounting on a background? Since you obviously can handle those curves! Love the diamond, too!
How lovely. It's so enlightening to read about your process and watch how you choose each step based on previous strips. A curvy border might be perfect or perhaps making this curvy and adding it to a strip that is straight on the outside. I love your reference to America the Beautiful. Awesome reminder in these troublesome times.
Looks so great! How about some free-form Drunkard's Path for a border? I like the diamonds, too.
The strips that became the sea really caught my attention! So beautiful! That piece definitely makes me think of water.
I truly love watching you play with color.
Maybe all your RSC pieces can be put together in one big landscape at the end of the year? (I was visualizing the purples joined to the green/blues)
Sometimes it is good to wait for the right moment. You have done a great job with your scraps and colors.
I'm loving all your scrappy blocks!!
It's so much fun to see your mind at play.
These all make me smile, and yes! I see mountains, and hills and depth and textures. Glad you are following your heart. :-)
Oh, I do like this...love the colors....love the curves. Nice.
Leeanna, these bits and pieces of love in a landscape makes me want to look at every piece close up...then back up and admire how bits and pieces can really liven up our own life landscapes. There, that's it for my philosophy of the day.
I love seeing how your imagination and artistry turn fabric into true works of art. So fun to watch you create.
Oh, my goodness, this is fabulous!
I'm not sure what is more fun - seeing your work or "listening" to you talk through what was going through your head as you created each section.
Way to go!
Follow your heart is the perfect way to quilt!! Love all these curves, colors, strips and stripes! Quilting will be super fun!
Peaceful land and seascapes! Love it. I need to follow your lead at some point. Not that I'm not having fun with all my cutting and sewing, I just see having MORE fun!!!
Isn't that what it is all about-enjoying our fabric;)
Yes, you are a writer! I love "listening" to you describe this journey of expression. The curves and stripes are wonderful.
I agree that playing with the color of the month without a well-defined GRAND PLAN is much more fun. And yes, gently curved pieces made such a difference in the feel of the piece. Happy to see you playing!
Your writing style and landscape quilt sewing are so relaxing! So pretty! I can relate to your thoughts as I work on my Crazy Quilt! Glad I found you on A Quilting Reader's Garden! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for linking this lovely post to AHIQ.
One of my favorite places on Earth is Lake Michigan. The colors in your blue/green piece capture the feel of the shoreline perfectly. And your mountains are a wonderful take on the coin theme of AHIQ! I like the idea of using the RSC colors for landscapes.
I'm glad you remembered to link up!
This is lovely! Your account of the process is very enlightening. Thank you.
Such a beauty, especially with your expression of following your heart. Don't you love just doing what your heart tells you to do? I say I have quilts in my head and they know what they want. My job is listen and follow directions to the best of my ablility. I'm not sure it's the same thing, but I have a feeling it might be close. Have a great week creating and following your heart!
I came here immediately from AHIQ LeeAnna, your purple mountains is superb! So striking - my favourite bit are the strips at the bottom, they add so much movement. Hope all's well with you my lovely, hope to catch up properly soon ) x
A lot of times, it's the scraps that lead us on the quilting journey - enjoy yours!
Seeing these pieces again in relation to the Chinese coins, yours have such a freedom of movement and grace.
Wow. These pieces are awesome. I love how all those little bits sewn together add up to something this beautiful! And thanks for sharing your thoughts on this....it's always good to understand (at least a little) how someone else approaches this sort of work.
Wow! These are stunning! I just love your color/fabric selections and how you put them all together!
What an inspiring post full of scrappyness beauty!! Thanks for sharing!!
Love your improvisations! It sounds like such relaxing fun!
Your creativity continues to amaze me. Sorry for not commenting sooner-I'm woefully behind.
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