Sunday, June 1, 2014

Flamingos through my window

The quiltart online group of fiber artists issued a challenge titled Through My Window.
I took a photo of my fountain with frog statue on top and plastic pink flamingo beside it. Somehow, and don't ask me what buttons I pushed I distorted the color to look very neon. I chose a font, and size, and printed the words Out my window I see a fountain and flamingo. What if Flamingos flew in every day to drink from my fountain?

I used printed treasures fabric to print the images.
It came out very soft focus and pastel unlike the intense photo on paper.  I tried going over some lines with pencil, and figured I'd fix it with threads.
Here is the real fountain from another view, just so you know what I'm working with here.

This photo came out a little different in color from the top of the page photo... don't ask me, I'm a dinosaur and don't understand what I'm doing.

I used neon silkysheen thread to paint in the fountain details as well as the flamingo and ferns, the embroidery stitch (swirls. That stitch keeps me fixing the motherboard of the Bernina as it's not on any other machine since mine came out)  Borders were a big decision as were cropping of the photo fabric. Then of course binding became a decision. I used my speedy fused binding to do the two different binding fabrics, and stitched over the edge with halogram mylar thread to secure. See my method on my tutorials page.
I fused the first sentence to some peltex, pinked the edge and attached it to the finished quilt with beads by hand. I got it on a bit crooked of course.

The point is, it took about 3 hours to make. It got done by the deadline today. I like how it came out and it will now hang somewhere I can see it for a long time. I tried things I am uncomfortable with and it came out okay. I was able to find a place for rhinestone crystals, which catch the light and make me very smiley.
Did I mention it gone done on time??
The sunshine is calling me, the porch and the fountain are within view, there is a good book involved and I walked away from the studio in total hoarder-looking disarray. I closed the door.  Hope you enjoy my view.
LeeAnna

10 comments:

PugMom said...

My friend, you are so talented! I am green with envy. How can you make something so fabulous in three hours? Love it!
Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

Maria said...

I was lucky enough to be able to see this in person.... Its even more fabulous than the picture show. Fantastic job!

Marcy said...

Just plain great! Wonderful fabrics and colors.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna!
Love the view!
Great work! Three hours! That's wonderful!
And time to enjoy a book and the view!
Great idea, through my window! I'll have to try that!
Take care,
Joanne

Live a Colorful Life said...

Lovely view. What book are you reading?

LA Paylor said...

outside I've been reading and doing the exercises of Creative is a verb, and The Moment. My night time reading is Maeve Binchy's book, published posthumously A Week in Winter. I love her style and have read all her books.
It's about time to start our book we take turns reading aloud but I am all kind of excited to read the latest by Anne Fortier, Sisterhood.
LeeAnna

JoAnn Stancer said...

That is very cool. Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out my color splashes on my peacock photos. Here is a link to how you can do your own color splashes on your photos. http://www.sugarthegoldenretriever.com/2013/06/add-splash-of-colors-tutorial-on-black-n-white-sunday/#comment-34695
Have a great night. JoAnn

Nina Marie said...

in my class this week is a lady whose town had fiberglass flamingos - where artists adopted one and decked it out. She did hers as well as a little quilt on it. You could tell she totally enjoyed the experience!

Cara said...

That is a cool project. I'm seriously impressed.

Cathy Perlmutter said...

I really like the way you used the stitching to define and outline an otherwise indistinct image. It's obvious at a glance what the fountain is. The hot pink enhances the effect! And I had that same flamingo fabric in my stash for decades! It's a very effective quilt, great job! Fun to have on the wall!