Home from work today to give the antibiotics one more day to work ~ so I made one test block using the satin and portions of two ties.
Learned a lot: (1) this satin does not like water (use a dry-not steam-iron; will be a formal, dry clean only piece ~ not my usual style), (2) the stretch in the ties does pose a problem (to be solved using fusible tricot interfacing), (3) the satin and silk ties like to slip and slide (duh!), (4) despite my best efforts to detect before stitching, there is a subtle but definite color difference and light refraction between the right side and the wrong side of the satin, (5) too much heat from the iron causes the satin to shrink and harden; and (6) the resulting block did not even come close to setting me on fire (meaning I've been off on a pondering the rest of the day).
Good news: when the mail arrived, I was SO excited to find a squishy package from Diane at Persnickety... I had sent her the yarns from my studio clean up and she sent me some gorgeous tie silks ~ I LOVE THEM!!!!!
After dinner, I asked DH to come and take a look in my studio ~ he had the same hesitant, generally negative reaction to the test block that I felt (too much white in one place/no sense of movement).
I showed him the three alternate design ideas I had pulled out today ~ and, happily, he chose the same one I liked best (although I had not let him know my preference) ~ the pattern is called Pinwheels, Porcelain & Broken Dishes by Aardvark Quilts (pattern shown on HOP's website).
The satin will replace the "lights" throughout the quilt and the eclectic, scrappy ties (some of which are shown above) will serve as "darks" ~ far less formal (despite the care required) and lots of movement. My version will certainly look quite different than the pattern cover's quilt, but I see far more possibilities now than I did this morning. I'm glad this was a year-long project!
And, so, like our lives, the direction for this quilt has changed ~ yet again.
Quiltdivajulie
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"Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations." (Faith Baldwin)
"Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations." (Faith Baldwin)
3 comments:
Yeah, but, that happens. That always happens. It's creativity at work!
Good luck, get better, yes, I am breathing!
I think you are brave to be working with all of that slippery slidy fabric. When I did dressmaking in my home for 10 years I got my fill of it.
The fabrics do present some challenges but maybe the interfacing will tame them. I like the pattern you selected.
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