Week in Review 2014 - 08/08

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

These are the reference papers I am using
for Night Vision. They helped when it comes
time to work out my light source and
shadow placement as well as determining the
order of the leaves.

I have noticed that the importance of play has been in the news recently. It is just as important for well being and skill building in pets, children and adults. A quick google search produced an article that underscores this conjecture. I know I need to get cranking on Night Vision if I have any hope of making the deadline. I also know that I want to include some new techniques and even technology in this quilt. So what do I do? I spend the week playing. 

I have this idea to edge the leaves in Night Vision with piping. I haven't made piping in several decades. Thank goodness for the internet where I quickly located a how to make piping guide. What can I say? I was so delighted with how well my test piece worked out, I continued to play, by experimenting with a new free motion quilting design and then couldn't resist seeing if I could create a second motif with a very different texture for a possible small quilt. And so the week went. Lots of fun research. Lots of experimentation. No real visible progress on Night Vision. However, I am optimistic that all this play means that when I do get down to work most of the kinks and problem solving will have already been resolved.

Last week all the fabric I pulled was stacked in one
big pile. This week I arranged it by blue greens vs
yellow greens and an array of browned greens. The
narrow perpendicular fabrics are the ones I will be
using for the leaves's stems and veins. I also started pulling
out my thread choices. Now I have a good sense of
any gaps I need to fill. 

Of course the week wasn't 100% play. It just felt like it. Here is how the week went:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Start the piecing - Not yet. However, I did make good progress on analyzing the image for where I want a light source and where I want shadow. I've marked the master plan accordingly. I also marked the plan for the order of layering of the leaves. In other words which leaves are on above or below others. 

The Electric Paisley motif is on the left. The piping
is the olive serpentine line running between the two fabrics.
I played with different sized circles on the right for fun
and contrast.

2) Free motion quilting practice. Done!

I returned to Leah Day for a possible motif to use on some of my leaves. Her Electric Paisley seemed perfect. I gave that a whirl on one of the fabrics I will be using in Night Vision with a thread I wanted to audition. I'm pleased with the result.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!

My girl looks more pensive than happy.
I had so much fun working with these bright,
cheerful colors that it has me questioning
why I don't turn to this palette more often.

The mood for the week was set when I started this week's Life Book assignment. Each assignment arrives first thing Monday morning. This week it was titled "Turning a Negative into a Positive with Micki Wilde." The lesson began with the dictate to select "your happiest colors" for the background. I was surprised by how the statement and then putting it into practice just lightened the mood. 

My plan for the next week I spend in the studio is the same as last week's. However, the same plan will, I am sure, result in very different results. The plan is:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Start the piecing

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments.


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