Friday 1 November 2019

The Endeavourers #8, Dreams, "Moonlit"

When I found out that our theme for this quarter was 'Dreams' I knew I wanted to make a quilt about the moments between twilight and dawn when your senses become really acute but at the same time the natural world takes on a magical and rather dream-like quality. 

One of the best things about being involved in a quilt group like ours is being inspired by all the other members.   In this quilt I borrowed a technique from Fiona who is always very adventurous in trying out something different.  In her last piece for the group she used cyanotype (solar-printing fabric) and the colour and effect of this technique fit perfectly with what I envisaged.

My initial plan was to use a bit of cyanotype along with overprinting and painting but once I got started I fell so in love with the result that I did not want to add any further colour or techniques, so my quilt owes a far bigger debt to Fiona than I first intended!


I laid out a series of images, and once I'd put them together into a composition (which took ages of faffing) I wanted the stitching to add texture and interest without dominating in any way, so the only thing I did was to add some barely-there embroidery (seed stitch and french knots) to the moths and fennel flowers, in off-white Aurifil wool because I love the matt and organic look and feel of it.   I also took advantage of the pattern showing through the 'moon' from underneath and highlighted it with some machine quilting.


I preferred the more blurry and ethereal prints to the ones that had printed very sharply, and I also liked the variations in colour according to how long the prints were exposed for and how sunny it was at the time, and exploited this for the section with the abstract 'moon'.



I've posted a little more about the process, along with more pictures, on my blog

22 comments:

  1. Needless to say I love this Catherine :) It is such a fun technique isn't it, you certainly took it up and ran it out of the park! Your quilt has a lovely ethereal quality to it that fits this quarter's theme perfectly.

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  2. Gorgeous. I really like how this came out and am enjoying the different ways people are using the moon. I like the ethereal effect you got too. So effective.

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  3. This is beautiful, Catherine. I love how luminous the white is - almost glowing - and your little touches of embroidery are just perfect. You really have created a wonderful moonlit dreamscape :)

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  4. You've captured that time between twilight and dawn well. What a beautiful quilt. I'm smiling about the "ages of faffing" -- I can relate!

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    1. Thanks Wendy - Faffing is my worst habit :-)

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  5. I love the moths and how it looks like they are fluttering from plant to plant -- like a snapshot of what goes on outside while we are all unaware, inside, dreaming.

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    1. Yes, I hadn't thought of it that way but you're right!

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  6. This piece is lovely. The techniques are foreign to me so I'm interested in reading more about your technique. Subtle stitches that you added are perfect.
    xx, Carol

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    1. It's definitely worth having a go! A lot of fun.

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  7. I’ve seen the technique before but wasn’t over impressed then (oh, and before Fiona’s wonderful book too!), but having seen your results (and Fiona’s too!) I’d like to have a go sometime.
    Your subtle stitches are indeed perfect for this piece!
    A beautiful quilt! Well done, Catherine!
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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  8. Oh Catherine, this quilt is amazing! Cyanotype blue is so pleasing to me, and, as I have always considered myself a child of the night, I felt immediately at home in your quilt, and my friend the moon is my favorite thing in the natural world. Josephine especially liked the moths as they are her favorite thing to eat! Thank you for this delight.

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  9. Stunning. I can imagine myself out at night seeing this.

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  10. What a lovely way to capture your take on the dream theme. Well done!

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  12. Beautiful. I love the blue. The cyanotype is interesting. Hand stitching really adds a bit more interest.

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