I'm quietly embroidering away on my towel and things are looking good. I'm taking my time and making sure I am happy with each stitch. It's moving very slowly, but this is the path I chose to take.
As I work, I'm visualizing the route ahead. I like to have a plan, but I also like to allow room to change direction, or allow for serendipity. In general, I'm not one of those quilters who can map everything out on the computer or graph paper and then follow that plan to completion. I get bored when the process doesn't need me. This piece is starting to bore me. Right now I'm thinking two things about this piece: one, it is very stitchy, but not quilty; and two, it's neat and tidy and lacks in emotion (partly due to my tidy stitching).
As I work, I think, and I think that I've come up with solutions to both issues. Normally, I wouldn't care too much about how quilty a piece is or isn't, but since this is an art quilt challenge, I'm going to give it some consideration. Quilting this will be the last step (usually is) and will reference other kitchen items beyond the souvenir tea towel. Adding a spark of personality will happen after the embroidery (not TO the embroidery, for anyone thinking that loosening up the tidy stitching was the answer). It won't have much to do with maps or kitchens. Not too much.
3 comments:
Does that mean you are no longer bored or concerned about tediousness? You are, perhaps, being as well as doing as you carry on? If so, then what the spark of personality actually does for you and your personality becomes the most interesting part of your work, for me. And if the result simultaneously speaks to you about the previous challenge piece and helps you map your heart ... way, cool!
Your comment about working on something stitchy vs quilty struck me because one of the ideas I played with for a while presented exactly that sort of dilemma to me. I have taken another route so I never did get to the place of taking the stitch part and making it MORE than that. I have confidence that you can and I am SO looking forward to seeing your full piece! I think it looks wonderful so far, and I have no doubt that it will be infused with your personal story.
That is the great thing about 12 by 12, I don't think it has to be so quilty, quilty!! Whatever pleases you! I like what I see so far.
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