Fibre Art Projects - Completed and Works in Progress

Wow!  I haven't blogged since the beginning of August!   I have been busy getting projects completed around the house and took some time out to visit Prince Edward County in southern Ontario.   I still have my annual visit to Cape Breton to look forward to in September.

I realize that I am incapable of posting regularly but always end up doing one long post less often.  I guess I could do several drafts all at once then post them different days but it sounds complicated to me.   So here we are - August projects, finished and works in progress.

I have finished my ghost tree piece and I may show it at an exhibition at our local library in November (based on the first line of a book - The Sacred Tree).    When I created it I also had in mind the SAQA trunk show so I made it in the correct dimensions and may submit it.  It ended up to be completely hand stitched except for the zigzag edge.    I painted fabrics, then cut out the coloured bits and fused them to the background to indicate movement and an indication of the flowering tree, gardens, shrubs,  leaves etc that surround the actual ash tree in my backyard.  I appliqued the tree over top and stitched the bark with pearly white thread.   Then I added batting and backing and hand quilted the areas around the tree.  I finished with a zigzag machine stitched edge.

Close up of hand stitching

I like the way it looks on the back surrounded by hand quilting stitches

I have also finished my second swamp piece.   The first one I did was predominantly green, this one leans more to the blues.  I liked the way it turned out and I really love creating these ones!  It is spontaneous and fun to lay down the strips this way and that, until I like what I have, then I fuse it all down, machine stitch to create more movement and reflections then add hand stitching for a little detail (water lilies,  reeds etc).   It ends up mostly abstract with just a little realism.

I mounted it on a painted canvas.   I was happy with the paint colours after several tries (there are many layers on this canvas).  I wanted it to resemble water and the colours of blue in the piece but didn't want it to take away from the stitched work by being too busy.

Reflections II

Here is a close up that shows the stitching well - the colour is a little off 

This next one is a work in progress with a couple of shows in mind.  It's another prairie piece (I'm working my way across Canada), representing the diversity of growth - both natural and cultivated - that exists on the prairies.   This is the central section of the piece - not sure what will be surrounding it yet but I have some ideas.   All hand stitched with painted satin sky.  I`m trying to decide whether to cover it with pink or mauve tulle because it is supposed to be a prairie dawn. 

Finished???

Not Quite - I added some native plants in foreground - may add more to blend the sections

Last but not least, I am working on a colour challenge piece which needs to be 12 x 12 inches when completed.  It also needs to have at least 20% of a specific shade of Turquoise.  I decided that the central section would be a blue interpretation of Elephant Head and Trout River Pond in Newfoundland.  I have used this theme before and it is one of my favourite vistas with orange tablelands, trout river pond, hills in the background and the majestic rise of elephant head on the right.  I will add THE turquoise shade as part of the quilt surrounding the scene, maybe add some stamped fabric, not sure yet.  It`s still perculating.  This part is hand stitched.  I used some of Elaine Quehl`s hand dyes in this piece.   They are so gorgeous!

Trout River Pond and Elephant Head in Blue

Linking up to the Needle and Thread Network  WIP Wednesdays        Check it out!!