Week in Review 2019 - 02/15

Detail from Finding True North
Clicking on the image should provide
an enlarged image.

The images in this post may look very similar to the images in last week's post. There are some subtle differences. As promised, I further defined the geese (yellow triangles) to enhance the contrast between them and the background. I did this by outlining them in a deep yellow variegated thread using my machine's zig zag stitch with the width and height set to produce a satin stitch. This lead to adding satin stitch around the rays of the sun and a few of the sun's arcs. The sky has been quilted using a cloud like free motion quilting pattern I came up with intuitively as I stitched. It is repetitive, but there is variety within in the clouds. Just one of the reasons why I like free motion quilting, versus using pantographs for all over quilting.

Finding True North
24" H x 18" W

Repetition is a design principle I often use intentionally. Another intentional choice is the rule of odd numbers. When I am planning how many rays of the sun to include or the number of geese skeins I will opt for an odd number. Therefore, there are three rays and three skeins. There could have been five, but that would have been too busy. Four skeins of geese wouldn't have given the central focus where the skeins meet the middle sun ray.

This is a shout out to my brother, who follows my blog.  Nick pointed out I had used the wrong word to describe the trails of geese last week. I was thinking of contrails. However, when writing this piece I opted to see if there was a word for what I was trying to say. Turns out there are three: team, trail, and skein. I love the idea of a skein of geese, as I am also a knitter, so skein of geese it is. Thanks, Nick.

I am linking up with Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays.