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| Using the lightbox VVHH (very versatile handy husband) made from stuff around the house |
Last week another 'ghost quilt' (see the explanation of that term here) was started, and for the first time I had to trace an element instead of drawing it freehand. No way could I have repeated these...grapes? olives?...without tracing.
It turned out to be kind of fun, and very relaxing.
So fun and relaxing, that other elements got traced and repeated in the border, too--like this beautiful leaf.
This part was drawn freehand (more leaves were added later).
After stitching,
All that waviness goes away after steam blocking.
Here's the finished 'ghost quilt'...
Now, totally off-subject is this jar filled with dead pine branches. They came down in our back yard during a storm, and I snatched them up immediately. Do you see why?
The bark was long gone, leaving bare wood with strange markings everywhere. Those are actually channels carved into the wood by a colony of pine borers. (The marks are made more obvious by the black paint my husband rubbed onto the branches and then wiped off, leaving the paint to dry only in the channels.)
It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful the process of decay can be in nature. Some of those markings might even inspire a free-motion stitch design.
Off to link up with some favorite blogs: Confessions of a Fabric Addict's Whoop Whoop Friday, Lizzie Lenard's Free Motion Mavericks, and A Quilting Reader's Garden's WIPs Be Gone. Lots of good weekend inspiration there and in their reader linkups!
Also off to work on a fourth 'ghost quilt.' I can't seem to get enough of these floral/butterfly-type pieces. Maybe I'm pining for spring. And it's so nice to finish a project in one week!
Linda
Wow! That is some gorgeous artwork. You did a beautiful job.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Terri. Tracing makes it easy!
DeleteThis is just gorgeous and looks like it could be so much fun!
ReplyDeleteCarla, thank you, and it is TONS of fun! :)
DeleteYour quilt is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vicki!
DeleteThat quilt is so pretty! I wish the stuff that fell out of our trees looked anywhere near that neat.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Sadly, and I didn't really address this in the post, those pine borers do not bode well for the tree. She is in fairly rough shape and really needs to be cut down. The borers may take her down before the property owner (next door) does.
DeleteBeautiful work! I love it! I also love the added decor of your branches and the every day places you find inspiration! Great post! ~Melanie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Melanie! You know, I think if we all just slowed down some, in this ridiculously fast-paced culture, we would find inspiration in the most unexpected places. Our ancestors probably did, but they were without all the distractions we have today. Where is the perfect balance? I just don't know.
DeleteAs ever - another beautiful quilt. But how did I miss #2? Around what date was it. Love those butterflies.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angie! The second one was in the 'Cloth and Broth' post, Dec. 7. Me too, the butterflies never get old. They'll have some companions in the next ghost quilt, by the way.
DeleteHey, wow! What a success - I really like the colored threads in the ghost quilting.
ReplyDeleteThat beige border definitely needed some color. It was a little scary, as I knew the stitching was going to show up well, flaws and all! LOL
DeleteHello Linda,
ReplyDeleteAnother ghostly triumph - absolutely love it! I have spent ages gazing at all the different leaves and making my own plans for them... The butterflies are really sweet, and you have achieved symmetry. I'm not so sure I could have done.
Please promise me that you will devise a woodworm filler pattern for the background of the next one.
Thank you for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks!
Love, Muv
Thank you, Muv. I will definitely be examining those branches closely to see if I can come up with a filler design. There's bound to be one there, or at least the beginnings of one or two.
DeleteI wonder if using those tissue paper tracings in other quilts would be a copyright infringement. I saved them, but don't know if I should use them in an unrelated quilt for that reason.
Glad to have something to share over at your blog, and thank you for giving me the chance to link up!
Love, Linda
That ghost quilting is gorgeous, and a brilliant idea! And I do love your pine branches as pine is one of my favorite looking wood.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kati! I loved the idea from the moment I saw it in American Quilter magazine. Thank you, those pine branches were the most intensive part of that entire quilt, but it was great fun.
DeleteWhat a stunning project your 'Ghost'... beautifully planned and executed. The quilting makes the piece, and you have shared a lot with each of us is this one post. Really enjoy your blog...thank you!
ReplyDeleteBethany
Thank you, Bethany. I just can't seem to get enough of these. So glad you enjoy the blog!
Delete