Thursday, July 31, 2014

...lie the seeds



Under the Surface has been a great theme to work with, there were many different options and ideas swirling around in my mind and it was only when the Honesty, Lunaria annua began to set it's seed that the complete idea arrived. 
We have been hearing about a decline in birds and insects for the last while, partially due to the loss of habitats and the neatness of gardens in the suburbs. Our council has allowed the grass in the public spaces to grow long before cutting and with it we have seen numerous plant varieties that were not in evidence before. Those seeds must have been there, hidden away in the soil somehow surviving until they could once again grow into mature plants and set new seed. The benefits have been richer more varied habitats for wildlife with a greater choice of food. 
Honesty is the perfect plant for depicting hidden seeds, the seed-heads were full of colour at the time the grasses were turning gold and yellow and the seeds forming were visible only when the sun caught them at the right angle. Now they are beginning to bleach and turn white and those seeds are no lunger hidden under the surface. 
Techniques used: 
Flour paste screen for the grasses with thickened  Procion dye over bucket dyed fabric
Free machine embroidery on snipped layers of Voile through Romeo water-soluble film. Once the seed heads were stitched the Romeo was dissolved and the edges burned away
Machine wrapped braids 
Free motion and hand quilting using a variety of cotton, rayon and polyester threads
And finally textile paint to add colour to the leaves








9 comments:

  1. I love all the techniques that you have used to create this beautiful quilt. The honesty are fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I admire the time you have taken to build up layers of colour and texture. Your stitching and the wrapped cords, give a lot of dimensional interest and the composition works to feature the honesty but at the same time to give it context. Nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This quilt is so full of details. You have used so many techniques to make this quilt, but the result is so united, and the honesty is just beautiful as a finish.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your quilt and all what it represents. The background is wonderfully worked out and the honesty Pops.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is beautiful...love the detail and colours, and the subject matter. So true to the theme.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a lovely quilt! The background is so beautiful with its screen printing and the machine- and hand quilting so skillfully performed.
    The subtle background with the contrasting honesty on top really makes the quilt sing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are one of my favourite plants! I have them in vases around my house gathering dust. Your piece is very attractive, I just love it. The colours work very well. You have put a lot of work into the different techniques you have used. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  8. A truly beautiful piece, Margy. Such detail and so well executed.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like your beautiful piece and all the details, it is a pleasure to look close at the fotos.

    ReplyDelete