Every once in a while (which, for some of us is not quite as often as for others!), one has a day of sewdio time that just....
flows...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQaqdsvwfjXbvaDuD_2w33Wr-FY7JL5lGPXucGp-8g5ZcduG0acr-BJ4Lk3gN3ZvYUeHRSosVU992Jh_9IkxIcrwBjMTbkoNoCkpF7mrOaY7Xo0MtTqieCQ1ZX6aM1O13_aeI/s200/Hexie+Background+finished.jpg) |
3" hexagon background - English Paper Piecing |
Today was one of those days
pour moi. Some time ago now, I
posted about the background I was creating for my next 15 x 15 Group piece with the theme, "East Meets West". It was a series of 3" hexagons, English paper pieced. Until some time in the middle of last week, I was pretty certain it was going to take forever to create! I needed to cover at least 16" square to allow for quilting and trimming, and I began to wonder...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbEs3K9WIZ3kiQTtYdpgWxjAlZR4o-hGyktiVbIQJhwGOYwKID8R1MoBu5IFuhBZ1HSf71B3ulaNmEw0E8wYs7SAeXzwNu0y1Y1jWY0yYTJCvKwTiYIsLiLzNZkVHsDSmNrVz/s200/EMW+backing.jpg) |
"Japanese" print backing (stash) |
But by Monday, all had come together. First I sandwiched the quilt with a great "Japanese" background. Then I quilted it, tone-on-tone, with straight lines top-to-bottom only. After that, I was ready to plan and work out the foreground.
I knew I wanted tea pots. I'd collected photos of a variety of styles, purportedly 'English', 'Chinese' and 'Japanese'. From these I traced the shapes...and from there I planned to create them in fabric.
But...what colour?
Enter "Inspiration" in the form of
Linda Kemshall, and one of her latest
DMTV videos, in which she's doing a sketchbook study on the colour
RED. Aha!
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/Flag_of_Japan.svg/900px-Flag_of_Japan.svg.png)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDKMbDRd3VW7iHRuoeAQTvAY7hY5NPRxqkl2iZgdRDr0EEmVW_JGh3Oaq2S7PHrKCCtGw1Zx9QGrq7PvVX4PvDdMVWi33BkGPlpA42gN04TfV8ULbUSqJj3l10F4O9c2dVGiM/s1600/canada+flag.gif)
Based on her suggestion that one research one's colour, I looked into the significance of
red for the Chinese and the English (I couldn't find much re: the Japanese but perhaps I wasn't looking in the right places). Regardless,
RED has served as a colour associated with royalty (Imperial China), revolution (as in the rise of "Red" China) and the military -- as in the English "Red Coats" who fought (in vain) in the American Revolution. Those same "Red Coats" played a part in Canadian history...and then there are our RCMP "Red Coats"...and red is the dominant colour on the Canadian flag...not to mention the Japanese flag... (sorry; I can't seem to draw a 'border' around that circle to clearly delineate the Japanese flag...nonetheless...
I rest my case.
Today, I auditioned three batiks (from
Hamel's Fabrics' Show Special in Red Deer last year -- thank you!)...traced the tea-pot shapes I'd found...and auditioned them in place using a Teflon sheet, because the plan was to fuse each grouping and then fuse the grouping(s) to the background. I'd not used this technique in a while so have to confess...this is the first time I really
got the concept! Who knew?!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQX5eOVX-1XFFXnswH6z5vt5C9NQHltP47vaS7mIFBgTwUM5soWtsKqTYqTaGAv7WWDBo2k8iUb3zIqIZwSVNZnUTWn0U2ZmletCBd9r6k2fiPltF-RB7oCyijJLD7c2Unn7Bl/s320/Prepping+Pots+%2526+Cups+on+Teflon+Sheet.jpg) |
Pieces fused together on Teflon sheet |
Next I placed them on the pre-quilted background. fused them down and quilted them -- using machine applique on the raw edge and a tiny blanket stitch (1.5 long by 1.5 apart on my Husqvarna Lily 555).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCekENtPYKSfcEaEoDAYPHS-YlPhsycVCB5jwcWFrvSGUBJqyV6sV2IrtftUWAfuCuzzILkJD4394o-_Mzhyphenhyphen_bMFeSJBNdYpjneB_ZNTPuoruKPMUt-7uOINR0nZWdr3qInIva/s320/Detail+1+-+Signed.jpg) |
Tea, Anyone? - Detail 1 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7ahKYuHJVwOjeB5j8fZnNAU_KJhaUZox5Q_YRzXCjv9G7IG5_X64ZqERConjScJvU3EcFmYx_RNVM2gIvO_yEOOLvIgm0q9TMqXRbdMWQxwsF3UpsGS03sxnwkNb04YOo7TH/s320/Detail+2+-+signed.jpg) |
Tea Anyone? - Detail 2 |
That's all you'll see until the 'reveal' at month-end...but that's a pretty good "hint" as to what I've created, don't you agree? ;-)
I just love it when everything comes together...especially on a Wednesday, generally the "odd day out" in my week. What about you?
Linking up to
WIP Wednesday over at The Needle and Thread Network...
See you later!
5 comments:
Love, love, love what you are doing with the teapots and cups. All those lovely curving shapes. Is that technique fun? I have employed it for years and it makes composition so enjoyable. And no starts & stops in quilting the background. Looking forward to the reveal.
Looking great!I'm looking forward to seeing the whole!
Susan H
It is a red letter day when everything comes together!!! :)
I love every aspect of your tea grouping. Isn't wonderful when something flows! Hope you stop to have a cup of tea and savor it.
Fun! I am looking forward to seeing the whole piece. May the flow continue!
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