Saturday, January 9, 2021

Sewing Saturday

The above quilt, "recover" was done for the Project Quilting" challenge this week. I'm new to this challenge, but a longtime watcher of the show "project runway" that inspired it. 

The challenge is to design and make a quilt within one week, following the parameters given.

This time the challenge was to use the panetone colors of the year, gray and yellow. blech. So... this was a real challenge for yours truly... not enjoying gray. Guess what  I discovered? 

I like these grays!

On the mantel for January!

When I heard the challenge, I knew I wanted a mantel quilt for January that reflected my word of the year, "recover" DH said a lotus represents rebirth. I remembered all the pics I took at the waterlily garden in Denver and thought.... okay.... and interpreted the water in gray fabrics and the lotus in yellows.

 I used a combination of piecing strips, and applique of tiny strips over those, for the background, including a hand marbled by me gray fabric of swirls. I cut petals in yellow shades from cream with gold flecks to strong yellow solids for petals and a honeycomb fabric with bug for that center pod.

My machine is acting up so when I started quilting, and knew I planned to use mylar and metallic threads, I prepared the piece without a back to see how the tension would be heavily quilting the petals

It was fine after I adjusted the bobbin tension.

note I pulled the top of the quilt to the back of the peltex and glued it as I knew how I planned to finish the edge. 

since the tension was fairly good,  I went ahead and cut a backing fabric, put a line of fusible web along the edges of the backing, pinked it and pressed it over the folded over top edge. 

My plan was to catch this in the quilting of the whole.



finished back with pinked edges

I'm only sorry you can't see the sparkling metallic threadwork.... it adds so much

The last thing was to add the square silver beads... just as a  new vertical line to balance all the horizontal lines.

Designing for fabric artists doesn't stop at the initial line drawing... it goes into texture of threads, and 3-D elements.

Thank you to the organizers of this challenge, for inspiring me to make a quilt that I love, one that symbolizes my word of the year. 

Now the color of the month at RSC is pink... lovely warm happy pink

I know I'll be doing another endless diamond block in pink, already cut and waiting for handwork. 

I am choosing fabrics to make a winter sweater wall hanging so this pink scrap worked it's way in

And I wanted to ink on fabric too, so I did a quick face and will surround her with applique, to gift one of you if you like when she's finished.

It's not easy to be creative these days.... I am constantly disturbed by the violence in my country.

Linking to

 oh Scrap Sundays 

 

35 comments:

Laura said...

I am so glad you did the PQ challenge. Mine is in my mind so I won't complete by the deadline. I love the dimension and detail on your flower and the added embellishments. Being a lover of all things bee, I love your little bee charm?/button. This is something hopeful. Thanks.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Love the grey and yellow. Soothing yet with a pop of color. Nice work.

The Joyful Quilter said...

PQ 12.1 turned out beautifully, LeeAnna!! Nice start on PINK month for the RSC, as well. Oh! Out of curiosity, what size did the Lotus piece turn out to be?

LA Paylor said...

10" X 12"

piecefulwendy said...

Oh, LeeAnna, what a pretty mantle quilt. I admire your artistic eye for detail, and how you so easily put it into a quilt. Those pink blocks are pretty too, and the sweater - so fun!

MissPat said...

What a wonderful piece. This is exquisite. So glad your machine didn't derail this one.
Pat

Sara said...

OMG - the little quilt you called Recover is FABULOUS!! You are definitely an artist. I love it.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,
So cool! that yellow flower quilt is genious !
and pinks and drawing/painting on fabric! 2021 is starting with a lot of positive thinking creative vibes!
hugs,
Joanne

PaintedThread said...

I love your Project Quilting quilt!! Beautiful! I've been thinking about joining that this year. We'll see...

grammajudyb said...

Fabulous job on Recover! I’ll bet it is fabulous in person! I like gray and yellow together, so I like this one a lot!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

That is gorgeous, LeeAnna! The gray is perfect for water and the yellow lotus flower really pops out. Your amazing quilting adds so much, too. Sewing therapy is definitely a needed thing right now!

scraphappy said...

Your challenge piece is lovely. I guess getting out of our comfort zones from time to time is a good idea. Great pink progress as well.

Duke said...

Your lotus quilt is just beautiful!

Norma Schlager said...

When we looked at model homes in FL last year they all seemed to be gray and.....pick a color. Your and gray and yellow look great together in your charming little quilt and your lotus flower is perfect.

Sandra Walker said...

‘Miss Pat’ sent me here and I’m so glad she did and so glad you did!! This—!! It’s just wonderful LeeAnna! I, too, used metallic threads and they are a bee-atch to photograph but oh the zip they add in person. :-)

Kathy E. said...

Lovely mini and your lotus is stunning! This piece reminds me of a black & white tv show that becomes colorized...kind of like the scene in the Wizard of Oz when color first appears. The grays are perfect to show off the yellow!

PersimonDreams said...

I'm so thrilled you joined in the PQ challenge! Your piece is beautiful! I love the story and reasoning behind it and I love that you've discovered that grey's not so bad. I'm a huge fan of color but I've found that adding in some good neutrals can make the colors look even more amazing. Great work and thanks again for joining in the fun!

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Your little lotus quilt is delightful! Love all the details.

Kat Scribner said...

Okay Leeanna . You are an artist! I read about this challenge and your rendition is wonderful!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

What a wonderful mantel quilt and all it represents! Congrats!

Elkes Lebensglück said...

the Project Quilting is wonderful and the painting isvery nice!

AnnieO said...

Gorgeous Lotus mini quilt. I love how much you add to these little art works.

Ann said...

How clever of you to create a small gem of a lotus. I've been admiring the petals. At first I thought you'd edge-stitched them before cutting them out but looking at the back, it appears that is quilting. Impressive that none of the backing shows and how gently they layer one on another.
Thanks for explaining your back, too. Something to remember.

Juliann said...

I love that bright yellow in your quilt and how wonderful to have that color shining into your January. I had not heard about project quilting so I clicked the link and it sounds like fun. So great that there are these wonderful challenge groups to help us keep moving. I also like your word for the year. I will be cheering you on with that too.

Mel Beach said...

This is gorgeous! I love all the dimension and texture you incorporated into your piece!!

Divers and Sundry said...

Your quilt looks like a painting. I love the design and colors.

Andree G. Faubert said...

Hi Leeanna, I really love your quilt and it's so perfect for your "recover" theme. This is my third year doing Project Quilting and I love it. My word of the year is calm and it was easy doing that in grey and yellow, also not my favourite colours but it is rather soothing. All the best in the new year. Take care.

Angie said...

LA - the quilt is a very visual representation of RECOVER. The lotus POPS. I am sure you will find inspiration every time you look at it!

Twyla said...

WOW!!Gorgeous!

Rebecca Grace said...

Your PQ piece is amazing, LeeAnna! That is exactly what Recovery looks like -- one brave flower that has the courage to bloom in a bleak landscape. And the little bee, pollinating that flower, is a subtle promise that there are more flowers to come.

Susie H said...

Recover is BEAUTIFUL! But then again, I love gray and, when paired with yellow, is really spectacular. Even the back is spectacular. The sweater quilt looks like a fun idea!

Marsha Cooper said...

oh that is beautiful with the yellow flower

Lena Pugacheva said...

I'm not a fan of grey either, but it's a perfect background to make your yellows really shine!

Arun Goyal said...

Beautifully crafted flower design. It would be my pleasure if you join my link up party related to gardening where you can share anything about Gardening and Nature here at http://jaipurgardening.blogspot.com/2021/01/garden-affair-small-space-gardening.html

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Your mantle quilt is simply perfect! Great word for this year too..recover. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.