Pundit, detail, Paula Kovarik
Adding the line around the face (very slowly, stitch by stitch) gives the composition a little more spark. And yes, I did wash and dry this puppy. The puckers are not as puckery in this photo. Some areas show it better. I like the extra texture. I may need to get a new camera to show this type of detail.
Pundit - detail, Paula Kovarik, 2014
Getting closer to the end run on this one. After many an hour pulling out my hair (and stitches) because of machine problems and tension issues with my thread, I can happily announce that Pundit is on the road to finality. Here I am adding hand stitches to further emphasize the spewing nature of this loudmouth. I also want to add another line of stitching at the seam between the face and the background (you may be able to see the line that is there already...I just want it darker) After that I'll need to face the edges. Then it goes into the washer for a little surprise shaking up. I am hoping it puckers up and becomes a little distorted. Working with white fabric is challenging, I may need to find a source for a solid white cotton that is denser than Kona brand. Though I like the clarity it gives to the composition, I don't like the transparency at the seams.
Half-square triangles have an infinite variety of ways to be put together. These color study units I have been working on give me a way to release some creative problem-solving time. Here are some of the ways they can work.
half-square triangle diagramsI think I will do something like this:
roughed-in composition for color study quiltI like how the white breaks up the geometry, forcing the viewer to complete the pattern in their imagination. I think I might add a wide white border too.
Sometimes it takes an incredible amount of patience and faith to get a piece done. This one has taken me to the edge of that plain. Once again the thread is not cooperating, once again I am tearing out. The stitch length was wrong, the tension inconsistent and the patterning lost cadence. I thought that I could live with it yesterday but when I came into the studio today I reached for Mr. Tweezerman.
Hoping that the damage to the fabric and batting can be rescued on the next go around. This one is going into the washer (and maybe the dryer) upon completion. I want it to be puckered.
One of the most challenging parts of free motion quilting is to figure out how and where you will stitch. I use a simple technique that helps me visualize different patterns before I commit to them with thread and sore shoulders.
Using a piece of acetate to experiment with line
Using a large piece of acetate and a dry erase marker I sketch my ideas onto the acetate directly over the quilt. If I don't like the first pattern I can simply wipe it dry and start again. The lines are fairly thick because I have yet to find a dry erase marker with a fine point (note to Sharpie...please develop this for me). Drawing the lines gives my hands and brain a trial run for the real deal.
Once I have decided what I want to do I mark a boundary for the pattern on the quilt with a chalk marker. My favorite of these is the one pictured here, it has a roller at the tip that makes a thin dotted line with chalk. You can get white, blue, yellow and pink chalk. I tend to stay with the white stuff. I'll often hang the acetate near my machine so that I can see it while stitching. I'll do this stitching in the morning when I am fresher.
Outer boundary of stitch pattern marked with chalkOnce I am done with the stitching I am sometimes left with loose ends that need to be buried. I do this after dinner in front of the TV, tweezer and easy-threading needle in hand. This pic shows a different area of the piece where I decided to stop the background pattern where the black circles define a thought bubble.
Loose threads will need to by buried in the quilt sandwich later
