Monday, June 25, 2007

drawing

I've been drawing some quilt/embroidery idea sketches inspired by Jivya Soma Mashe. Each time I do one I realize I need to make it simpler. Critters and a dandelion tree. I know this doesn't show up very well. I draw in pencil and then go back over in pen. Sometimes. Too many little dots to redo this one.

How about a 6" square? And rather than a critter, make it a cat. And a simpler dandelion tree.

I've started my little piece. Black wool suiting. I made a traditional sandwich with a thin batting. I'm intruigued by Jude (see yesterday's post) using gauze for her "batting" but I don't have any lying around. Decided it's better to get started rather than make excuses about why I can't.
I've done dark blue quilting dots throughout the base. I'll applique my pieces on top of that. The cat is going to be made out of pink linen fabric and I'll embroider the legs and tail so that I can make them thinner. The tree will be couched yarn and the pods will either be French Knots or beads. Not sure since I'm not there yet.
I'm allergic to wool, but I'm determined to use it anyway. I'm going to (try to) be smart and only work on this for short amounts of time.
I sliced into one of my Egyptian scarves this morning - my least favorite. Tried washing it in hot water with mild detergent. woah, teal color all over the sink and me. Tried cold water and the same thing happened again. The blue is just now coming off my fingers. The washed ravelly bits lost an amazing amount of color and sheen. What remains is kind of interesting, but I wouldn't trust it in the least. So at least for now the scarves will be pretty to look at, but not for use. I can't believe I believed the person (a fellow American -not the merchant) who told me the color wouldn't bleed. I must be an idiot. Cheap scarves for tourists - practically made to disintegrate.
French tv showed the movie Quigley Down Under. Dubbed. Tom Selleck with the wrong, rather high-pitched voice? ugh. A Western movie in French? All wrong on so many levels. And on another channel, Pitch Black without Vin Diesel's rumbly voice? Aiyee.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simply love the dandelion tree concept. Next piece could be a dandy lion. Cat could be in tree blowing away the puffs. Does washing the wool in orvus help at all? Are you allergic to the lanolin or the fiber?

Donna said...

I really like the original drawing -- doesn't feel too detailed to me, more a sense of lots to see and visuall explore detail.:-)

Too bad re the scarf. Enjoying them just as a visual feast, while not what you set out to do, may be rewarding in itself. Is there some way of displayin them as a fiber art collection that would be satisfying?

atet said...

Love the new designs. Be careful working with the wool -- let this one take a while (rather than make you miserable). We can be patient to see results (ok, not really, but in this case you get an exception!)

sophie said...

I love your sketches, too, and know they are destined to become beautiful fiber pieces.

Your description of French dubbed TV reminded me of why I never bought a television when I lived there ... in my day, it was Dallas and Dynasty and the French actor's voice used for "Gee Err" (J.R) also sounded wrong, wrong, all wrong to my American ears.

Dianne said...

Love those designs, Tonya. Can't wait to see what you do with them.

The whole concept of the dandelion trees is just wonderful...

Unknown said...

I like your sketchbook work, and it reminds me that doing more drawing and doodling was one of my New Year's resolutions. I think sketching can lead you to all sorts of interesting places.

Holly said...

Love it, love it :)

Anonymous said...

I love that design and can't wait to see how it looks in fabric.

Diane said...

I love folk art (in its truest sense). Your design is charming and your plans for it are just full of interesting potential.

jmb_craftypickle said...

I really like the trees...and thanks for the heads up on that blog...it is too wonderful. Be careful with the wool...allergies suck!

Sassenach said...

Could be worse....you could have worn that scarf in the rain. That would have given you the blues. Bwah.

I like the sketchbook.

YankeeQuilter said...

I really like the tree...reminds me a bit of the Clarice Cliff trees on her pottery (only her's are bigger "poofs")

I bought a beach wrap in the Bahamas that made my legs turn red, blue, green, and various shades in between when it got wet. Not attractive but it made up for not having a tan!

Laura said...

Wow, awesome stuff you are designing and working on Tonya! Love the dandelion tree idea. I am also enjoying your travels around Paris!

Anonymous said...

i like the fact you just draw and go. i used to do some illustration and it is only occurring to me lately that drawing can so easily be interpreted into stitch. must be terrible being allergic to wool, it is so easy to work with....

Anonymous said...

TONYA, Don't mess with the lines of the cat and the dandelion. It is perfect. The balance and the way it pulls your eye around is some of the best intuitive design work around. t

Magpie Sue said...

Do you have access to Shout Color Catcher sheets? I throw them in with everything I prewash (including the silk ties I recycle) and they seem to do a good job of catching the excess dye. Of course your scarves may still come out a paler version of their original selves... You may want to just sew them together as is to make a pretty wall hanging (with a large label on the back that says Do Not Wash!) or pillow covers. At least that way you could enjoy them more easily/on a daily basis.