10/21/15

Metamorphosis

This morning I finished Teagan's block for the Live, Love, Teach quilt. Here is Teagan's original submission:


And here is Teagan's block rendered in fabric, floss, and thread.


The butterfly is a stained-glass applique technique in which the black "leading" part of the butterfly has been cut from whole cloth, and then fused to the colorful background. You can see more detail of that process in yesterday's post.

This one was hard, but I've been studying the next one for weeks trying to figure out how best to do it.


Of course, the black words are simple enough. Those are hand embroidered. The larger "Rainbow Words" at the top, done in so many different colors, can also be hand-embroidered, but I'll need a larger needle and several different colors of floss. Another block was completed that way, and it worked out pretty well. 

Where I've been stuck is the rainbow and how best to recreate it. I've considered printing it on fabric and then appliqueing it, but that seems a little like cheating. Even more like cheating would be to recreate it in crayon. I've tried limiting crayon usage only to enhance a design, not to create it from scratch. Using different colors of fabric for applique didn't seem to be a good option for the outer portion of the rainbow. I considered yarn, but I'm not a knitter, and so my yarn stash is limited to only a few colors. Finally, this morning, I think I hit on the solution. I'll just let you stew about that until I get to work on it. Besides, I want to see if it will work first. What ideas do you have about it? I'm open to changing my mind.

Since I have some new followers (Welcome!), I'll explain that the "Live, Love, Teach" quilt is a retirement quilt I'm making for a friend who retired from 25+ years of teaching elementary school this past May. Her former students, friends, and colleagues created quilt blocks, and there are 56 blocks altogether. I've been recreating them one by one to be sewn into a quilt when they are complete. Teagan's block is Block #31. There is an entire album of all the blocks posted on Facebook. The album is public, and if you click on that link, I think you can see it even if you don't have a Facebook account.

It was a pretty sunrise this morning. Add the sound of a rooster's cock-a-doodle-doo and the scene will be completed for you.


Aside from one little housekeeping chore, it's going to be a sewing day. The buttons are all sewn onto the Dream Machines quilt now. I'll just be adding the label today, and then it will be off to Florida to its new home.


Next up will be quilting the veggie patch quilt. I was thinking of getting started on the Blushing Aspens table runner, but you can see that it's in use right now. Maybe another time.


14 comments:

Kristine said...

I'm thinking thread painting to create the rainbow. I can't think of another way to get it anywhere close to the same effect.

Kristine said...

I'm thinking thread painting to create the rainbow. I can't think of another way to get it anywhere close to the same effect.

Zabawa said...

Wow! Butterfly tremendous!

gayle said...

The only way you're going to be able to reclaim the aspens is if you snatch it up while he's having supper...
Good luck.
The butterfly block came out spectacularly!

works4me said...

That butterfly is a masterpiece. Well done.

For rainbow words I was thinking of the DMC variations floss. But, if you are shopping in your stash that probably isn't an option. Just so you know, 4250 looks like a pretty good match.

For the rainbow I was thinking multiple fabrics. I can't wait to see what idea you came up with.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I'm not second guessing you on this one - will wait and see. We went from 20 degree/snowy weather back into the 60's and it feels like Spring - Mother Nature teasing us.

Kaelyn Angelfoot said...

Raw edge applique for the rainbow in a variety of fabrics! :)

Janet said...

The rainbow is a bit of a stumper, although I can see several pieces of sparkly yarn for the bottom part of it. Lovely idea for a quilt!

Dana Gaffney said...

The butterfly is so beautiful, I can see a quilt made of a bunch of them. No ideas for the rainbow, it's too early for my brain to be working.

Kate said...

You really nailed it on the butterfly block, it's so pretty. I'd have to agree with Kristine that thread painting may be the way to go on that block. Looking forward to seeing what you came up with.

SJSM said...

Love the butterfly. For the rainbow, a combination of fabric and embroidery? Black embroidery separating the inner layers and purple embroidery separating the outer layers. That is a tough one.

Amity has the right idea for the day. The only way you might be able to move him is with the catnip.

Jackie said...

The butterfly block turned out gorgeous!

Claire said...

I might do the rainbow in reverse applique using solids where it seems mostly a single color and prints otherwise.

quiltzyx said...

I could send you a bunch of different color yarn scraps that you could couch onto the Rainbow block. Or on to a separate piece of fabric that gets appliqued onto the block maybe. Let me know if you want some. I think I even have some sparkly ones.