Week in Review 2013 - 07/19

I know I was in the studio for the full three days I commit to each week, but it sure doesn't look like it if you were to judge that statement against my plan for the week and what I had available to photograph for my blog. It is so easy to become defensive or to rationalize. Sometimes weeks just go like that. 

1) Companion Oysters (Deadline 9/01/2013)

a) Finish cutting and placing the pieces - Done!

b) Stitch the pieces to the background muslin - All the pieces have been prepared (edges requiring turning and glue basted) but I haven't started the sewing them in place.

c) Add a layer of batting behind the oysters for a trapunto effect - No...

Background for Express Your Love II on my design wall.

2) Do whatever assignment Leah comes up with next. - Worked on.

This is where most of my efforts went this week. Leah has started a second incarnation of Express Your Love called, Express Your Love II. This time the background is pieced. I have twenty-eight of the thirty 6.5" background pieces finished as well as the 8 mini blocks. I discovered when I laid out the quilt on my design wall, that another 4 mini blocks would be required. I also need to add the solid muslin on the left hand side to which the pieced goddess will eventually be added.

Detail from the background of Express Your Love II.
I will be making four more mini log cabins in the gray
fabric to fill in the gaps.

I  started the free motion motif, Little Tongues. It wasn't calling to me, so I didn't do enough to photograph. 

3) Pictorial Painting - Face "Canyon." - Not Yet

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

When presented with Leah's latest project to piece Express Your Love II it was easy for me to select a palette. I chose black and white with shades of gray to contrast against jewel toned fabrics. Why? Because this is my signature palette that I have gained confidence with since my very first black and white piece, First Snow, made in January 2000. This lead to my Shifting Value series. One of the advantages of working in a series is by repeating much of what you have done before, the kinks have been worked out, so that problem solving is kept to a minimum. By changing only one, two or a few aspects it is easy to tell how that change influences a piece. Working in a series is much like how a scientific experiment is conducted. It is important to keep the constants, constant and only alter one variable at a time.

First Snow
January 2000
27" x 27"
The piece that launched the Shifting Value Series.

1) Companion Oysters (Deadline 9/01/2013)

a) Stitch the pieces to the background muslin

b) Add a layer of batting behind the oysters for a trapunto effect

2) Do whatever assignment Leah comes up with next.

a) Finish making the blocks for Express Your Love II

b) Retry the FMQ motif, Little Tongues, but not as a random pattern, but in rows instead.

3) Pictorial Painting - Face "Canyon."

I am now linking up to two blogs on Friday's. The first is Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project and the second is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.