Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Getting Back on the Horse.... Grape Street


Grape Street
Hand dyed cottons, fused, hand and machine quilted, 12"more or less square.


This is the first quilt I have made since October of last year. I think this is the longest span of time without quilting in my whole career. I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to produce anything, but I had to do some class samples and so I put my mind in the teacher-mode and taught myself what needed to be done.
It was SO FUN!
I was done by noon (I started early) and decided to make another.


Orange Avenue

Orange Avenue
Hand dyed cottons, fused, hand and machine quilted. 12.5x13"

Keeping simplicity in mind, I went for the larger pieces in my scrap bin, and kept to the same family of warm colors, accented with the blue-greens.


I didn't clear up the worktable, so I have more scraps waiting for me. I think the trick here was to
1. Start with a predetermined finished size
2. Stay with a limited color scheme
3. Take advantage of some premade (who can remember when) strips sets
4. Keep empty space for the quilting

I make strips as a way of priming the pump. It always works, but I don't always use them immediately. They do get incorporated into quilts, eventually.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:41 AM

    Hallo Melody,

    What a beautiful start of a new quilting year, thank you very much for sharing and the inspiration it gives. I really have been looking forward for these quilts, although at the same time I enjoyed your painting experience very much.
    Living on a caribbean island with a rather limited cultural live is not always easy, but I feel very lucky to get so much inspiration through the internet.
    Sunny greetings from St. Maarten,

    Regina

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  2. Anonymous8:52 AM

    Beautiful! Thank you!

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  3. Anonymous9:14 AM

    When Grape Street came up, my first reaction was oooo. It's very striking. I've enjoyed watching your paintings develop as well.

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  4. Anonymous9:20 AM

    Oh, that pile of scraps looks like fun to play with. Hey, I have one of those.....I am off to play!!

    teri

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  5. Anonymous3:56 PM

    Had the same reaction as Beth R. Love them both.

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  6. Melody - are the strips fused or pieced?

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  7. Anonymous7:45 PM

    Love these, but most of all I like the photo of stripe sets - love, love them - makes my heart go pitty pat love them!!

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  8. Good Lord Melody. This is what some people work for years to accomplish and YOU are just warming up. Go girl.

    (Thanks for the diamond knitting tutorial the other day!)

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Hello,
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