Saturday, February 05, 2011

Working on the blue/brown/sage piece

Usually I keep what I am doing for the next 12 x 12 challenge pretty much under wraps until the reveal. I'm not sure why we have done this. I think in the beginning we thought the blog would be a good place to talk about progress and what we were doing. This one seems to me that it might be somewhat interesting to talk about as I go and show my thought process.

I think I've mentioned that the color scheme doesn't do a lot for me, but, hey, that's why they call it a challenge!

I got to thinking maybe it would be interesting to redo an older piece of mine, using the new color scheme. That could be fun, right? I chose a little piece that was in the traveling show called "Fine Focus" several years ago.


So I went to work, starting with the bowl and the bird. It seemed a lot like this one, but somehow it didn't make me happy. This is beginning to be a pattern, I think! Remember the chokecherry piece? I made it first, using the techniques and way of working that I am accustomed to and it seemed tight and dead. Same with this piece. So then I made it again, using, I hoped, a freer, looser approach. Here are the two .
It is probably obvious that the one on the left was the first and the one on the right my second effort. These are just laying on that background fabric and are far from finished. This is just my start and I think that the stitching that will eventually happen will change whichever one I decide to use rather substantially. Already, though, I am feeling more life in the second one.

11 comments:

  1. Yes! Yes! Keep going on the second one. Especially like the light blue birdie with the orange eye.

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  2. I love the one on the right! Just wanted you to know...QuiltWorks is gonna give you a call, very soon!

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  3. Anonymous3:01 PM

    first bird w/dash of red, second bowl

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  4. Anonymous3:37 PM

    I recognize that background fabric :-)
    Beth

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  5. Anonymous6:53 PM

    What would happen if you roughed up bird one and he took his perch on bowl two? I like bird one's attitude, he looks like he is warning other birds to stay away from his bowl! It would be fun to see how you would 'ruffle his feathers'.

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  6. I had to smile when I noticed that you used the cream strip vertically in the first bowl and then got crazy and put it on a diagonal in the second! You are out of control! ;-)

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  7. Oops, clicked to soon. I also wanted to say that I like your second bird and the direction it's taking you.

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  8. I really like your more abstract renditions, no matter what they are. I remember the chokecherry piece -- the second was a big improvement. Transitions take time -- and work! Nice, Terry.

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  9. I'm with SuSaw, I love bird one and bowl two.

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  10. Anonymous9:45 AM

    I'm with Heather P and SuSaw. I love bird one, love bowl two. Why don't you swap them and see what that looks like?

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  11. Sandy in CA12:20 PM

    Both birds are ok for me, but I LOVE the faceted look of bowl #2.
    Can't wait to see how the piece evolves.

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