Monday, May 28, 2012

Plaids at Play

On Friday, I did a quick post, mostly just photos.........today I will explain. What I was showing is some of the steps on the way to my entry for this year's "Wee"Quilt Challenge held annually at McDougall Cottage in Cambridge, Ontario.
The theme was "Plaids at Play"and participants were given a 4" swatch of this Olympic tartan....what would you do with that?

For this theme, I had the desire to make a quilt that could be played with. So I began with the steps you saw in the last posting, I inked and painted some heavy stabilizer, did lots of quilting, made a few cut outs, and added beading to that top layer. For the under layer I drafted a sort of Dresden plate type block.....put it together with some piecing along with both machine and hand applique. The plaid tartan was carefully cut and used in such a way that they would become the focal point of the piece. Once I had finished quilting and binding that bottom layer, I attached the "wheel".........(figuring out how to make it secure but still rotate freely was the trickiest part)

I titled it Kaleidoscope........Pattern, shape and colour appear to change with a simple turn of the wheel.

Yes! That upper layer (yellow wheel) can be turned and in doing so, the plaids play Hide and Seek!

here are some close ups so you can get an idea of the way the piece appears to change as the upper layer is rotated.


Yesterday, a friend emailed me these photos.....(Thanks Julia!!!)  uhmmm,  I was unable to attend the awards presentation last week and was not aware the piece had won a ribbon....what a terrific surprise :-) or perhaps Julia has a wicked sense of humour and is having me on LOL

I made a stand for the piece so that viewers could actually turn the wheel. Thought it might be a little difficult to play with, if it was hanging on the wall




     


 Julia also set me this wonderful shot of the old stone cottage where the show is on display until Labour Day


8 comments:

Terri Stegmiller said...

Very intriguing! It really helped to see the photo of it laying on the table (with the ribbon)...gave me better perspective of the piece.

Kim said...

My goodness how your mind sees art! Lovely! lovely! lovely! I bet it is even more impressive in person.
Congratulations on another innovative piece of beautiful craftsmanship.
You deserve every ribbon you win!

Happy sewing

Robbie said...

Well, you certainly deserved Best of Show! What an amazing piece!!! Your talents just keep us so inspired and in awe!!! WONDERFUL!!!

Createology said...

Oh Dear this is not only gorgeous...it is very unique. Your talents amaze me and thrill my senses! Seeing this displayed flat really allows the proper perspective of the piece. Congratulations on your "Best Of Show" ribbon. Stunning quilt!

Diane J. Evans said...

Okay, so now I'm convinced that you have an engineering degree -- what an amazing feat to have accomplished! What an imagination you have, my friend -- I wish you could sprinkle some of it my way.

Diane

Anonymous said...

You know how I call you an artist? I have to agree with the comment above in that engineering one! I mean, you've got serious skills girl! WOW!!!!!

Quilter Kathy said...

Congratulations! Great news! What a creative and unique piece you crafted! Hope to see it in person some time this summer.

upnitestx said...

WOW!!! WOW!!!! WOW!!! If you don't have an engineering degree some school should give you one.

Copyright Jill Buckley