Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tiny Sunset quilt

Last summer my daughter sent me this picture of a sunset on Martha's Vineyard:
I've been thinking of ways to use some of my shibori fabric (and tons of other fabric that I have dyed) and came up with this little picture (about 10" x 15").  It doesn't quite look like the photograph, however...
I got a thread-painting lesson over the weekend (thanks, Jenny!) and added a bit of it to this picture.  She showed me how to use 2 layers of a water-soluble solvy material, with tulle in the middle, and build up lots of layers.   
So, while it really doesn't look anything like the original picture, it was fun, fast, and easy (except for the thread sketching, which took a while to do).   Lots of people make smaller sample pieces before committing to a larger piece, and I think I'll start doing that, too. 

Another topic--totally different.  Jane Sassaman has a new book out, Patchwork Sassman Style, and there have been about 100 giveaways this month on blogs, but I gave up trying to win and actually bought the book last week.  For the past 2 years or so, I've been buying her fabric on clearance on-line and in stores, wherever I saw it.  
Her fabric is kind of unusual, and I think it doesn't appeal to everyone.  Large prints are kind of hard to work with sometimes, so her book is full of patterns and suggestions for using these prints--one is by finding other patterns using the two-mirror technique, as shown in the next two pictures.

Another with the fabric alone:
 And with the mirrors:
I'm not sure I'm up to this, as it looks pretty complicated.  According to Jane, it really isn't, so maybe I'll give it a shot.  I'll just have to decide on one of the patterns in the book and try it out.

2 comments:

  1. Your sunset quilt is so cute!
    My friend and I love J Sassman fabric but can never find it anywhere!

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  2. Hi, Laura. Making samples never works for me. When I start out with a small piece, it always grows on me--quite uncontrollable! Also liked your hot pink quilt in the previous post--quite striking. I have to say, the Sassaman fabrics are beautiful and full of possibilities. Get out the mirrors!
    best, nadia

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