Ready to Quilt???

I THINK I may be ready to layer and quilt. I will look again in the clear morning light but by flash tonight in our dimly lit sitting room, I THINK it is ready. I can still touch up after it is quilted.So, here it is...

I will look again in the morning and then maybe replace the picture with a better one and post it to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com. I haven't looked there yet but there is bound to be some interesting stuff posted. There usually is :-)

There, I changed the picture and it is definitely better. Now, wounded though I am , I am going to TRY to layer it! When I was taking the pic this AM, I got my finger pinched in a slidey bit on my tripod and it is VERY sore and bleeding heavily! Poor me! At least it is my left hand but it is the middle finger so I will have to be careful where I put it ;-)

Here is the better shot taken in the sunshine in the dining room this morning. The colour is pretty close though a tad paler than in real life. That MAY be just the angle of the comp screen!

NOW we've got it!!

Ready - at last- to begin the detailed finishing on this piece. It has been an adventure!!

The background was a problem. I made two pieces but never quite got the balance of colours I really wanted. However, with some judicious and clever manipulations, I finally settled on this one and with a bit more fooling about, I BELIEVE I will like it. I have more grapes to do and some little background details and then- the lily gilding!This is always the hardest stage for me. You know how you have been so close to something for so long that you just don't really SEE it any more! THAT is where I am right now so Wire Fence II is pinned on my portable design wall and I am at the "stare at it" stage now. It WILL all fall into place ( she said, confidently!) I expect an epiphany very soon! Perhaps a number of little epiphanies.

Here is where I am just now. Many details to be added. Some highlights and some shadows and just generally making it POP! It should soon be ready to quilt.

Next time you see this, it SHOULD be better- more like what I am aiming for. Right now, I go to make more grapes :-)

This "W" is still " IP"

Still working on Wire Fence II. It IS progressing , but slowly. I keep changing my mind on things. Here is where I am "at" just now. Please bear in mind that I am only estimating leaf placements as much of the info I need is covered by the post.

Remember that the placement is not too accurate

This is coming along but I still have lots to do - not the least is deciding on and making a background in a colour(s) that I like. I am thinking darkish greens but part of me is thinking light and limey greens or chartreuses. However, it IS autumn and the paler background might not work. A bit dicey as I do not want to end up with a bunch of BIG pieces of fabric that I would not use. SOOO much to think about! 

NOW we are rolling.....

OK, progress, though shaky, IS being made. I have 16 leaves to do and have finished 7 and am just starting on the ninth (which is leaf #8!!!- I skipped #6 for the moment !) I cannot believe how STUPID I am ! I have only been away from this for a month and have made soo many silly errors. Got it working smoothly again now though and , to date, I am fairly pleased. I still am not sure what I want for a background colour. I will wait till I see more of this and then decide.

:-) Speaking of "to date" , I had a "date" with DH today for tea and two Tim Bits at Timmy"s. For those non Canadians among us, Timmy's is really Tim Horton's, a doughnut and coffee shop that does nice drinks, hot and cold ( Iced Cappuccino  in the summer is to DIE for!) , sandwiches, soup and treats! Timmy's is all across Canada and there are a few outlets in the US. Very nice little break. Thanks, DH xxoo! BTW, Tim Bits are the doughnut holes! Good for diabetic dieters on a wee spree!

step 1

step 2

the piece to date

Can you spot the little change of heart? Not major, but I like it better!

Back in the saddle again

After what seems like an eternal hiatus, I have started working again. I am out of shape for it :-( Running up and down the stairs to the dye pots and laundry, leaning over by the hour drawing, cutting, fusing!!! Am I NUTS??? You betcha! It will be fine and it feels good to be back at it .My poor old back is very sore though today. I had to take a pill :-(

I am working on a new piece that has been in my head for ages. Every time we drive to Waterdown to shop, we pass a wire fence festooned with wild grape and Virginia creeper. Watching those vines as the season progresses is a favourite pastime of mine.( I don't get out much!)

Look at the profusion of grapes this past fall! I wait all year for the grapes to ripen with that dull slatey blue-black bloom and for the dark green leaves to go chartreuse- a stunning contrast.

SO beautiful this year- the Virginia Creeper was brilliant! I have already done one piece using another photo from this same series taken on the same day. I was fortunate enough to find VC with ripe berries on the twigs- a brilliant royal blue and shinier than the grapes.That piece is already on my blog under the title Wire Fence I.

The photo I am currently working on is this one-

The colours will be somewhat more intense and the busy background will be just a dark mottled piece of fabric- quilted, of course- allowing the fencepost, the wires and the gorgeous fruit and leaves to shine. I have my leaves all drawn, ready to assemble and one is already complete. I have the fencepost all ready to do but am short of the right colours for it so this will not be an instant piece to do. It is actually quite labour intensive, but that's what I love doing. I am working on some new dyed fabrics including fencepost grey! -GREY-S actually. Look at it. There are a zillion colours in that old post. Did I mention that I really like fences??

I have missed blogging and working but I AM enjoying being a far away Granny to a beautiful little boy. He just had his two week birthday and he is thriving. DD is looking and sounding wonderful too . She is one VERY hard working young woman - still trying to finish her doctoral dissertation on TOP of everything else. I KNOW she will do it because that's my girl! She used to really LOVE Wonder Woman when she was wee. Well, now she IS Wonder Woman!

I do hope everyone out there is well and starting to see signs of spring 2014. Thank you to all of the very kind people who sent congratulations to me on the birth of my darling little Grandson, Oliver. I really appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness :-)

Here is the chaos that is the start of a new piece of work in OUR house!

And here is some small bit of progress being made!

And now that I actually have something to show, I decided to add to this post and to send it to the needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com . it feels like AGES since I posted last time but I HAVE paid attention to all of the other posts while I was "otherwise occupied". Anyway, like a bad penny, here I am again. Enjoy the entries this week.

Promise NOT to make a habit, but...

I am in LOVE and women in love are pretty irrational at times! To quote my Darling Daughter, this is "once in a while"! This is Oliver in his coming home from the hospital outfit. Hat, thumbless mitts and snazzy boots all made by his Mummy!

PROMISE that by next week I will be back to some proper work. Be patient with me. I have never been on this path before :-)