A "double six" in dice is often associated with good fortune and it has been my good fortune to be part of the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt project over these past two years. I am supremely grateful for friendship, support and creative encouragement offered by my fellow Twelves.
I had fun researching and making my other Twelve piece -
Dodecaphony - but all the while I was pondering how I could use shibori/resist dyeing techniques in this theme. Even after the dice idea came to me, I faced the technical challenge of how to create the circles in a row formation. At first I tried coins as resists, clamped with clothes pegs. The dye leached in the gaps in the surface creating vaguely moonlight images. These also presented Twelve theme/calendar potential but were not what I was looking for:
Next I tried sunprinting with even less success:
Finally I created freezer paper stencils and applied a commercial resist medium (
Batik- EZ Resist Medium) to create distinctive dice dots. The dice are placed on a hand-dyed orange background (left over from my
Passion dyeing frenzy) with texture created by stitching a XII (roman numeral twelve) motif in a variegated orange thread.
Oh my gosh Brenda, look at all that handstitching! I love the way you showed your process here, and the finished piece is wonderful
ReplyDeleteBrenda! I wondered how you would incorporate your shibori in this challenge, but I knew it would be wonderful. And this does not disappoint! The dice are wonderful -- thanks for explaining how you got those clean circles! And the graphic strength of those dice are complimented perfectly by that stitched background! Wow -- wonderful handwork. I love it, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteLove the simplicity of the design against the wonderfully complex background. This is so striking and the visual textures of the shibori and the stitching on the background are just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing yours and Deborah's pieces, I want to stitch roman numeral 12s on everything!! They make a great pattern, and a perfect foil to the large, graphic dice. Sometimes straight-forward is just right. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou know, now that I read about your dice, I seem to recall having a fleeting thought about them during my "twelve" quilt contemplation period. I love the simple graphic design/color combination in this piece. And the hand quilting adds such glorious texture.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure this was yours. You tricked me a little. Then I saw the fuzzy dice and I got it. The background stitching is stellar. We have a lot of that going on this time around!! A wonderful graphically designed piece.
ReplyDeleteI too really like the diamond pattern the stitching on the background gives. I hope its Ok to say it's the one of all the twelve which shows your style the least ... but I guess its good to be surprised from time to time!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great challenge! I would be at sizes and twelves (rather than sixes and sevens, as they say) but look at what came from your fingers and soul? Its vibrancy of colour and design combined with the delightful stitching makes this achievement really sing Brenda!
ReplyDeleteI have an advantage over the other Twelves here - I have seen this quilt for real! Those wonderful handstitches are even more wonderful when seen up close. There is a lovely texture to this piece. And , of course, that orange...well...
ReplyDeleteit must have soaked into my Psyche, Brenda, because it has just struck me that I've used it in my quilt, too!
The handstitching adds wonderful texture, and this piece is so graphic. I love your coin resist dyed piece, too... it has lots of potential for a future piece.
ReplyDeleteDic. I have to say, it didn't even come across my mind when thinking of 12s. So simple and so perfect. I wonder how the process would work using black fabric and discharge? I love how each of the quilts makes me want to experiment and try new things! And all that hand stitching, I just love it. I love the variation created by the varigated thread.
ReplyDeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteI thought of all combinations, but 6 and 6 didn't speak to me! This is a very good idea.
I didn't know this resist medium. It seems to work very well.
I like your background with all these hand stitches.
Greatl quilt!
clever use of roman numerals for the background and then clear presentation of number 12. Anyone for a game of dominoes?
ReplyDeleteFabulous! I was so excited when I hit upon tne idea of hand stitching the Roman Numeral. It's very graphic, but doesn't scream 12. As they say... great minds think alike.
ReplyDeleteI also love the graphic quality of the quilt.
I can't wait to see what you'll do with those ethereal moons!