lobsterdesigns: (Default)
Lobster Designs ([personal profile] lobsterdesigns) wrote2010-12-14 03:38 pm

Because all true quilters plan several projects at once

I've been considering making a wallhanging for my GP for a while now. She is an absolute treasure, and when you have ME you really appreciate that. I noticed that she was wearing turquoise for one visit, which suits me as I adore turquoise. She was here today for blood tests, and she admired the turquoise/pale green baby quilt which I've just started the quilting on. So I think turquoise is definitely the way to go, especially since it works well for a nice cheery wallhanging. It's occurred to me that I might be able to rustle something up for Christmas if I get to work on it now, and I think it would be good for me to do a quick art quilt project. A bit of brainstorming:

* Wallhanging size. Something I could draw out on A3, say.

* Turquoise, perhaps with deep blues. I'll rummage through my considerable batik collection and see what speaks to me.

* I'd like to play with luminescence, the sort of effect you often get with sunsets when one colour glows through pure and strong against darker, more muted tones. It's also high time I did more with depth.

* Curved, flowing lines appeal here, and something abstract and without too much piecing. I can get all swirly in the quilting.

* Something sea-inspired? I am trying to work out what to put into Google Image, as nothing I've thought of so far has really got me anywhere. Seaweed might be a starting point for the shapes.

* BEADS!!!1! I have oodles left over from the Isis quilt.

* I'll need to be able to hand-quilt it, so I don't want to go mad with tiny piecing or lots of layers.

* I've seen some gorgeous effects with organza on art quilts, and this may be a good time to try that. Or perhaps not. Unless I can find something locally (which means sending out someone to pick out stuff for me, I'm too tired for trips out), I don't think there's time to get anything in the Christmas post. I had a look at organza samples on eBay a while back, but the sodding things were all silk and as a vegan I won't use that. Organza ribbons might be an option, since that would solve the problem of frayable bits. I wonder whether the local cake decorating store, which has lots of ribbon, happens to know whether they're silk or polyester? Does anyone know more about using organza or other sheer fabrics on art quilts? How do you sew them on inconspicuously? How do you prevent fraying? If I perhaps did a butted edge, could I then sling on a ribbon as binding? If I go for ribbons, should I go for wide or thin, light or dark, colour matching or something different? I saw a quick collage at the quilt meet last month where putting a strip of dark pink organza onto a blue background, to represent mountains against the sky, added surpring depth.

Ideas are very welcome!

Re: Me, brainstorming

[identity profile] virginiadear.livejournal.com 2010-12-17 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"If at any point you feel like scribbling potential beading lines across it, please do, I'm really valuing your contributions here!"

My turn now really to be flattered!

By "scribbling potential beading lines across it," you are referring to...? I don't have photoshop (this isn't my own machine I'm communicating on: mine doesn't have an internet connection.) In fact, it has no graphic program I'm aware of other than Microsoft Paint.

Or did you mean by "scribbling" a scribbling of *text?*

Re: Me, brainstorming

[identity profile] elettaria.livejournal.com 2010-12-17 04:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Sometimes you can do relatively well with Paint. If you save the picture, you should be able to sketch rough lines on it, if you're that way inclined of course.

Re: Me, brainstorming

[identity profile] virginiadear.livejournal.com 2010-12-17 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Save the picture as in copy and paste? If so, I must have done it incorrectly when I tried that yesterday.

Sometimes I get things exactly right with pc's, and other times I'm completely inept with pc's, computers, and the Internet. Mostly,completely inept.

How do I save the picture and put it into Paint, please?

Re: Me, brainstorming

[identity profile] elettaria.livejournal.com 2010-12-17 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Right-click on it and then select "save image as", put it in an appropriate folder with an appropriate name, and then you can open it in Paint.

Re: Me, brainstorming

[identity profile] virginiadear.livejournal.com 2010-12-17 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
W'hoo! Thanks much!
Last week I learned something about embedding (I think that was it, anyway.) And the week or two before that, about making hyperlinks in LJ entries (mine, I mean.)
Oh, don't laugh! I know that for a lot of people, probably most people, this is child's play but I really do have to work hard at it.
(Straightforward e-mail, I learned fairly quickly.)

Thanks again! 8^)

*dashes off to play in Paint*