Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Progress Report ... and thoughts on Abstraction in Quilt Design

Johnny rarely ends up in my quilt photos–his baby sister is the one who is fascinated by fiber–but when I was trying to take a photo of this finished top on my bed, he refused to budge. So here it is, Johnny Be Good and all.

Johnny inspects the completed top

(I'm not sure, but I think that light circle means there's a spot on the lens of my camera . . .  grumble, grumble)

As I was sewing the blocks together, I was thinking about the Lazy Gal Liberated Amish 2010 challenge that I recently joined and about the process of abstracting a traditional Amish quilt into a new quilt design.  I couldn't help but think about how the quilt I was putting together,  based on Gwen Marston's Liberated Wedding Ring quilt (from her book, Liberated String Quilts) was itself a liberated abstraction of a traditional quilt pattern and how it shares the essence of a wedding ring quilt, interpreted in a freer way.  Gwen's quilt has beautiful, traditional quilting . . . and I plan to attempt the same.

While I initially was eager to start working on my Liberated Amish challenge quilt, I actually think that the time spent thinking about it while I finished putting together the string quilt has been good for my thought/design process.

This is the quilt from the Faith and Stephen Brown collection that I have chosen as a starting point for the Liberated Amish challenge.

005:Nine Patch-Midwest c.1920 74"x62" 

To me, it's a 9-patch quilt that doesn't scream 9-patch and it features a wide range of values.  So, those are the two characteristics I hope to create in my quilt.

I feel like I'm ready to go, but I may pull out a UFO and finish it while I think about it a little more ;-)

7 comments:

Rainbows in Wool said...

that is soooo neat

Goblinf said...

That's beautiful, and coming together so fast!

I thought I saw somewhere on this Sophie or the Block Lotto site a reference to a Quilting website that had forums where you could ask questions if you're new to quilting - which Block Lotto grew from - but now I can't find the right page. Can you help with an URL? (I've realised I don't know how to do what I want to with the blocks I won)

Goblinf said...

I think I've found it by following a link on the Block Lotto blog - is it About.com:Quilting?

lj_cox said...

Boy I really love that quilt! I like the sashing setting the blocks apart a bit. It will be perfect for fancy quilting!

And quilts are always improved by cats; just ask my two.

Debra Dixon said...

Your quilt has an entirely new look to it from the traditional wedding ring. WTG!

Barbara C said...

Your quilt is very striking. The red and the piecing really make it sing.

Mama Spark said...

I really like how this one came out. I am liking the whole liberated/modern revolution.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...