As promised here is the finished challenge quilt. 
I know I really have to stop calling it that, but inspiration hasn't struck. I've put Zen Garden on the form for the Quilt Show because I had to come up with something on the spot when the forms were due in, a few weeks ago ,but I feel like that's a little too predictable. The devil in me says to call it Carp[e] Diem but since the literal translation of that is "Seize The Day", that won't work. This piece is all about the serenity. There will be no seizing of anything in this garden.
I know I really have to stop calling it that, but inspiration hasn't struck. I've put Zen Garden on the form for the Quilt Show because I had to come up with something on the spot when the forms were due in, a few weeks ago ,but I feel like that's a little too predictable. The devil in me says to call it Carp[e] Diem but since the literal translation of that is "Seize The Day", that won't work. This piece is all about the serenity. There will be no seizing of anything in this garden.If anyone has a clever suggestion that they don't mind me purloining, feel free to make it.
Anyway the previous posts relating to the set fabrics, etc are here and here and here if you can be bothered, but in case you can't:
Basically we were given a small piece of two spotted fabrics. Both had to be used and the maximum size was not to exceed 1 metre [ 40"]. Any techniques or themes were allowed.
SO what else can I tell you?
well the spotty fabrics reminded me of fish scales so that was the starting point. The carp block was one I'd played with before but never really made into anything so I pulled the pattern out again [ by June Colvin and purchased from her in Kentucky in '96 ] and made three new blocks. Colour decisions were pretty easy... the blues in the geisha fabric and the carp one at the bottom worked in really well with my favourite MX4GD hand dyes and one of my shibori pieces matched the jade in the geisha's obi. Orange seemed a natural choice for the fish, and speaking of that:
this carp was originally plainish hand dyed orange but he was too bright and toooooooooo plain so I gave him some spots to match the theme fabrics. First were the drawn-on scales with a copper pentel pen, then I dotted on antique gold Shiva paintstik, and then purple fabric paint.
these fused flowers were added to soften the area between the geisha print and the shibori dyed water.
The quilting is a mix of machine and hand quilting with just a little done sashiko style in this heavy white thread. This is a traditional japanese stitching technique and it's SUPPOSED to be ab-so-lutely perfectly even.
the whole shebang was pieced together on my 1951 Singer Featherweight 221K1 but was quilted on the new Pfaff [ gotta love that Pfaff dual feed!]
and here we have Ms Sophie giving a repeat demonstration as to the reason why mummy got twice as many photocopies of her Shibori notes as she wanted :]
"Let's just see how many times I can step on the on button, huh? Don't I fit in here beautifully? "
6 comments:
Susan, why not do something with the mythology of Quan Yin, who is Goddess of Mercy, and patron saint of fishermen. There is a story here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyin about Guan Yin saving the life of the Dragon King's son when he takes the form of a carp and is captured and sold at a fishmarket...
Quilt is lovely by the way, as is cat!
Just breath-taking, Susan! Me, I like Carp(e) Diem too but I get that there is no siezing going on here.
Garden of serenity?
Peace Work? (piece work)
Kannon's Carp?
Okay, I'll stop now :)
I liked Ms Vicki Frou Frou's idea about the story of the Quan Yin and the Dragon King's son, but it would have to be Kannon [ the japanese version of the name ]
AT this point I'm tossing up between calling it The Dragon King's Son ... maybe too obscure... or Rob's suggestion of Kannon and the carp
Wow. Oh, wowee-wow! That quilt is just beyond words. Well done!!!!!
And how lucky you are to have a cat who will do the secretarial work around the house. That must save you so much time! Will she also make the tea?
Once I couyld see it on the monitor, I realised that the flowers near the water needed to extend further to the right [ which is where I had them at on point ] to cover the junction where the seams come together. The transition is too definite. I'll post properly later but for now must run :]
Now you have me aching to get out my quilting and actually finish something one of these days! I seem to have amassed a collection of unfinished tops--except for the Hope Quilts which have been sent off as soon as they've been finished. I think my next title will be Slacker of the Year.
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