I started this quilt top in a fit of inspiration – but without any real plan – quite a few years back. It depicts my favourite view from the old family cottage porch. Those are my boys jumping off the dock, though they are quite a bit bigger now. And the chair in the foreground is my ‘happy place.’
From time to time I dig this quilt out to add a few more details, but there is a problem that I just can’t get past, and until I do, it will never be finished.
My musings last week on the old cottage collided with my discovery that GardenWeb has a quilters forum, so I dug this out, determined to seek advice, choose a course of action, and – as noted in my blog mandate – “finish that (darn) quilt.”
So here is the problem: Whatever idea I had for the mountain background when I sewed in the green wholecloth outline has deserted me. It desperately needs shading and definition. I have photos to work from, but I can’t figure out how to go about it.
I solved a similar problem in another quilt with 1 inch watercolour squares, but I don’t want to do that again. My best idea at present is to use snippets, but I feel there is a better idea waiting for me out there.
Please click on the image for a larger view and if you have a thought on how to resolve my dilemma, do share! My adopted weekend community of Gibsons has a Fiber Arts festival each August, and my goal is to finish and submit this quilt for display in the 2009 festival. Thats leaves me about 15 months, and with my busy life, that is a realistic goal.
Thanks for visiting and for any advice you can offer!
Hello, try joining this group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fiberartsconnsocal/ and post it there. It’s a group to help quilters in achieving their goals with entering shows, selling their art, etc. It’s a great group, very friendly people some with alot of experience. You should definitely check it out. : ) Hope to see you there.
i think it looks great as it is!
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I don’t have any advice, but I LoVe it!
Check out this group. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fiberartsconnsocal/
It’s geared toward helping quilters get juried into shows and create prize winning quilts.
I came by because I was intrigued not because I have any skill in this area. I love it as it is but if you are really keen to add definition I would (thinking of the future quilt “from my back deck” which will have to include mountains and trees) use thread embellishment to mark shadows; dips and curves in the landscape (just pick a time of day that has some shadows marked and note them) and for the trees perhaps some lightening/darkening to give a hint of tree tops.
I only have a simple Elna sewing machine with limited decorative stitches but I will use that and an open toe? foot to do straight stitches, zig zags and simple covering (read mess) to give my mountains and trees definition.
I think you might have inspired me to get mine moving..LOL
All the best with your lovely quilt and thank you for inviting us along to share your terrific blog.
Shirley/Sadia
ok, so if you read my profile this week, you know I will have nothing useful to contribute here !!! I think the quilt is awesome as is. It is great that there are people in the world who can make quilts. I have 0 sewing capability and 0 artistic capability. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
[...] windows. In any weather, the view from this cottage is my all time favourite (remember that darn quilt?) The best view in any [...]
I know nothing about quilting, but I love your quilt. I do know a quilting expert however (she is the sister of a close friend and has published several books on quilting, so let me see if I can pry any helpful information from her….