Sunday/Rainday

I have decided not to complain about the #$@% rain anymore, but that doesn't prevent me from posting a few pictures from just a few minutes ago.

Meanwhile inside the house, I plug away at the Baños house quilt. I had such a hard time actually getting started with this piece. I'm not sure why. I kept fiddling with the fabrics, refining the drawing, knowing I was procrastinating. Finally, I decided the best approach was to break it into sections, actually layers of depth into the scene, starting with the front-most layer, then the middle ground, then the far background. Here is what I am working on now—the street and wall.

I am using my watercolor crayons to add color and texture to solid color fabrics. I have been experimenting with making rubbing plates that I use under the fabric, then rub over with the crayons to create pattern and texture. See that pebbly texture on the street? I got that using the plate below that I made by gluing lentils on a scrap of mat board.

 Here is another rubbing plate I made by gluing hemp cord on a piece of mat board. I drew the pattern on the board first, then glued the cord on it. I was not particularly precise about the design as I wanted it to be obviously handmade. I liked the hemp cord for this because it is pretty firm. The resulting fabric is at the right. By carefully moving the plate under the fabric it was possible to get a repeating pattern.

I'm not sure I will be using this particular texture in this piece, but I think it will have it's uses down the line sometime. I rubbed this one with a regular crayola crayon—one of Sofia's. I will probably experiment with adding some of the watercolor crayon for additional color.