Chessman & Starlight Girl

"CHESSMAN & STARLIGHT GIRL"

27" X 22"

Raw-edged fused applique

Machine Quilted

Original Design by 

Barbara Strobel Lardon

The journey I took with this quilt was a fun one and the inspiration came to me in an odd way.  I was cleaning up my studio after making a quilt titled "Heart to Heart" exactly one year ago.  It had these two horses in a field of sunflowers.  When I finished folding it to put it away I was left with this and I immediately thought that this would stand alone as another art quilt.  Now, one year later it seems appropriate that I create it.

It is all raw-edged fused applique, and machine quilted by me.  The design is my original one.
My work is always one-if-a-kind.

I have listed it in my Etsy Shoppe and you can go there to purchase it if you are moved to do so.
Here is the journey I took.

NOTE:  Since posting this, "Chessman & Starlight Girl" has sold.

THE JOURNEY

 

WINTER'S SUNFLOWER

Winter's Sunflower

32 1/2" X 16 1/2"

Available here

Winter's Sunflower was a lot of fun to work on.  I loved using this color palette of subtle yet striking color against the white background.  I took the photo myself of this sunflower and then added a Marsh Grass bird to sit on top because his coloring was perfect for this piece.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. 

THE JOURNEY

 

SAND HILL CRANES

I have finished all the quilting on this piece for all the additions.  Whew!  That took me a long time.   So now....you will see that I have added a pair of Sand Hill Cranes.  We have many of them here and I hear them every day and see them fly over the house.  I just need to go down our road a bit and I can see them out in the fields.  So I had to interpret them in a piece.

I am using my tissue paper drawing to place them in the scene moving them around in different locations until I like the placement.  Right now this is looking pretty good to me.

BUBBLES, PROJECTS & PEEWEE

 I must apologize for not posting for a while but you will see below that I ahve been busy with my lower level project as well as the newest member of the family. 

I have found time to work in between and am in the process of quilting  the right side of this piece.
Still the furthest back parts of the art quilt.  Then I will work on the left side before adding the foreground items.  This is being done sort of intuitively rather then by a sketch of the total seascape.  I sketch out the individual items and select the fabric and place them.  A little risky but makes me fun too.  Some will get rejected I am sure but that is okay....they can be saved for a later project.

 In the meantime work continues on my "lower level".  Used to call it the basement because that is what is was basically but now it is turning into a great office and tv watching space for my husband and family when they are all over.  We did all the framing and the insulation with help from kids.  Then drywallers came in and electricians to do the rest and to texture and prime the walls.  Then I painted with some help from my daughter Molly.  Now come a new patio door and then carpeting and a return visit from the electrician to put in ceiling lights and finish all the outlets.   It will be a great space.

Then there is PeeWee.   Still small but very very active!   Loves being with me in the studio and is still learning the "Rules".  That means many interruptions when I am trying to work...but he is a sweety and getting along well with his sister and brothers. 

THE BLUE JAY

 THE BLUE JAY

23 3/4" X 19 3/4"

An original design

Rawedged fused applique

Machine Quilted

Details Below

 

THE JOURNEY

 My own inspirational photograph

Thank you all for taking this journey with me.  The Blue Jay was a pleasure to work on and brought me joy as I did not encounter any difficulties throughout the process.   I love this bird even though some may think him bold and somewhat of a bad guy.  He is only doing what comes natural to him and keeps nature in balance.  I love his presence when he comes into the yard with his loud cry and majestic color, markings and size.  He is one of my favorites .

This piece is available for sale in my Etsy Shoppe:

"Deer Trace"

"Deer Trace"

25 1/2" X 18"

Raw edged fused applique

Inktense pencil

Tulle Fog

I must admit that this piece had its challenges and I almost gave up on it.  However, I persevered and am fairly happy with the results.  I always remember looking down into the field by our house growing up, and seeing the deer in the early morning.  They would be nervous as the daylight crept in but could not resist a few more bites of the fresh spring grass before heading back into the woods.

Not sure I would use the tulle as extensively the next time.  I hate working with invisible thread even though it moved through the machine well.  It is just hard to handle and not my favorite but for the fog it does disappear well.   I chose to try using a new product I have been hearing about which is the inktense pencil.  It is like a colored pencil but if you take a wet brush to it afterwards it blends right in.  I used it to shade the edges of the tree and its branches and I thought it worked nicely.  I also used it on the deer's bodies for shading    Hope you enjoyed the rocky road journey with me.   On to another adventure.

This piece will be available in my Etsy Shoppe:                  Etsy Shoppe