Sunday 1 November 2020

The Sea: Gulls Just Want to Have Fun

When "The Sea" theme was announced, I had so many ideas it was hard to narrow it down. I knew right away I wanted to try Karen Eckmeier's "Accidental Landscapes" technique. Her book has been on my shelf for years, but I'd never tried anything from it. Also, I thought it would give me a chance to use some of my grandmother's handmade doilies and dresser scarves in a quilt. 

So, I first settled on this original photograph, taken in Rodanthe, North Carolina, a small town in North Carolina's Outer Banks.


Using a collage technique, I rendered the seagull into fabric to create this quilt. It ended up at 20 x 24 inches.


The background was created using Karen Eckmeier's technique for layering fabrics and giving depth to a landscape. Also, I created some shimmer on the water using Angelina fibers.


As I worked, I remembered a lighthouse fabric I'd picked up during our travels. 


It included the Ocracoke lighthouse, also located in the Outer Banks. We traveled south to see the actual lighthouse.


And so I fussy cut it from the fabric...

 
and included it in the background of the quilt.


The foamy waves were made from my grandmother's hand-crocheted lace. This is something I've wanted to try for a long time.


Then I remembered visiting a fabric shop in Mantea, North Carolina, located in the northern portion of the Outer Banks. We live near the Pacific Coast of the United States, and most of our beaches are rather barren of seashells. The Atlantic Coast is quite different with lots of seashells for the picking. 


When we travel, I visit quilt shops and search for fabrics representative of the area. These regional fabrics are used to make memory quilts. While visiting the quilt shop in Mantea, I purchased a seashell fabric. 


From that, a grouping of shells was fussy cut to add to the lower corner.


Finally, I added in a few friends for the friendly seagull.


There were a few little details to hand-stitch, and my piece was finished.


Digging through my stash for a border and backing fabric, I found this one with waves and fish tails that seemed perfect. 


While I didn't set out for my "sea" themed quilt to represent the Outer Banks of North Carolina, that's where it ended up. It was a very fun project, and hard to walk away from it once I got started. I hope you like my quilt. I'm looking forward to seeing what others came up with for the theme.

16 comments:

  1. Oh my, this is amazing. I love all the added pieces inspired by your travels, and the post title is perfect!

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  2. Really cute. Great representation of the photo. Also good use of printed fabrics and love the lace waves.

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    1. Thanks! I’ve wanted to use my grandmother’s doilies in a quilt for a long time.

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  3. That's wonderful! Your scene is perfectly composed and it's so beautifully created I felt I could be there in the sunshine admiring the splendid gull.

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  4. As an east coast resident I can say you have captured the east coast vibe perfectly! That sassy little flip of the lace to make the breaking wave is inspired.

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    1. Well, I’m so glad you think so. I lived on the east coast when I was a little girl (military family), but it’s been a long time. Glad you like it.

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  5. It's beautiful, and I love how every detail is there for a reason, to capture a particular memory. A lovely response to the theme!

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    1. Thanks. It just grew in memories as I went. So much fun to make it.

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  6. How lovely to be able to incorporate those little details from fabric purchased on your travels Barbara, it gives this piece another dimension!

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    1. Thank you! The ideas came to me as I made it, which made it a lot of fun.

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  7. Wow, I love the detail around the Seagulls eye, really brings him to life. Fabulous quilt and perfect for the theme.

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    1. Thank you, Ruth. The eyes are really important in this kind of a quilt. I make a lot of kitty "pawtraits," and the eyes are always the part that brings them to life.

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  8. I was fascinated to hear about all the techniques you've used. The depth and sense of perspective you have created is incredible. It is a wonderful picture and I love the way you have incorporated fabrics that remind you of your travels and your grandmother's crochet :)

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    1. Thank you, Janine. It was a nice little trip down memory lane, in so many ways.

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