Hi everyone! I worked on Bramble Berries last night and off and on all this past week. Woke up today so discouraged---I am ready to give up. Late night border musings:
I love love love my fabrics!
And love my inspiration photos:
But try as I might I cannot imagine the naturalistic tulips I have planned being successful with folky borders of applique and traditional [yawn] pinwheel cornerstone.
I drew up some ideas late last night for the first wide border. Big old NOoooo, looking this morning.
I also made the pattern for the pitcher.
My ironstone jugs, inspirations shapes and sizes.
I've struggled since beginning this project. I had my heart set on a toile for the pitcher. Various blog friends offered their beautiful stashed toiles. Mo suggested his most recent apres spa bandana.
But no. I laboriously pieced together the gorgeous chinoiserie blue print from QB, but No. [above, right] I dug deep in an old bin [how Audrey of me!] and found a deep blue from my Lighthouses project.
It emulates the spongeware of my best cobalt jug and creates a good sharp anchor with value contrast for the medallion's center.
But still...then what. Twee prim appliques next to my overly literal tulip bunch?
I do understand "improv"---I should just go ahead and see what happens. But I rely on my ability to visualize a project and this idea just is not gelling. How disappointing of me.
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My knitting is a Fail too. This hat cannot possibly fit a child. Maybe a man with a big head and a lot of hair, [who is willing to wear a beanie knit in pink Unicorn Dream yarn hahaha]. I'll rip it all out later. It was to be a Christmas gift--then a birthday! Now I'm shooting for Valentines Day.
Perhaps using a pattern when I knit would help? Do you knit using a pattern?
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[Gosh, my neighbor just walked by---in shorts! Old guy, no wolf whistles, please.] Today is another ''dense fog advisory'' day. I can barely discern the outline of the dunes a few hundred yards away. But look, sunset is after 5 PM, glory be!
My nature drawing is a little blank square. My windows aren't helping, so encrusted with salt from that storm last weekend.
The trees are dripping sadly. Later I'll get a good photo of the black wet branches and teardrops for my late January drawing in my journal.
It could---should--be a great day for sewing. But household chores loom. Don't you hate that? The dark days have hidden the avalanche of Mo's shedded fur---but I know it's there, along with litle salty footprints.
Have a great weekend. I am making classic beef stew.
love
lizzy
gone to the beach..
Since it's warmer--we don't mind fog---I'm determined to increase the distance for Mo's afternoon walks. Here we did a lot of ''pee mail'' sniffing and some fun fence peeking, as we walked to a further destination. Mo seems to love it, as long as I allow plenty of dillydally time.
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I totally empathize with how you are feeling about Bramble SAL: I've done improv before but this has really stymied me....why???
ReplyDeleteI love all your photos--but to turn them into fabric borders is not an easy task...
My problem is that it feels like a task....
Great jacket...love love love it...
i may look like an elephant in the puffiness, but it is so pretty...
Hugs, Julierose
You found a lovely blue fabric for the pitcher. This SAL has been a struggle for me too. I wanted to make something more dark colored country looking and I've come up with a light feminine European something. It's pretty but it's not really the way I decorate so what will I do with it in he end? Who knows? Your tulips are lovely.
ReplyDeleteYou found the perfect blue for your vase or pitcher! Your fabric pull is so you with the beachy theme. I see so much inspiration in your blog sidebar photos too. I guess many of us are experiencing angst with this first quilt in the series, hoping that will pass as we get further along with the quilts. Snowing like gangbusters here this afternoon, 3-6 inches predicted.
ReplyDeleteLizzy, I think this BB1 is a struggle for so many of us. My opinion is that you should begin with the flowers and the blue pitcher. They will be beautiful together. Then go to the next step after you've finished that. Something happens (may happen) along the way--inspiration for the next border--as you work on the center. It may be in improv that being able to visualize everything before it's made is not an asset?
ReplyDeleteI love your fabrics, too! They are gorgeous. And your pitcher is wonderful. As for the prompts from Audrey, I take them as suggestions. Maybe quarter square triangle blocks in the corners and applique in the borders won't work for your quilt but maybe something else will. Or maybe not. I don't think Audrey is demanding that we follow her prompts exactly, but that we think in a way that's different than how we usually make a quilt I sometimes think there's an "improv look" that has caused me not to want to make those styles of improv quilts, but if I think of it as a process that involves one step at a time as I go along instead of a style of quilt, I can work with that.
Oh my goodness, that yarn and the beginning of the hat are so beautiful. I'm sorry the size is off.
We have had rain and grey skies all week except last Monday when it was a gloriously sunny day. No more sun for us till next Wednesday, I think. Another Ohio winter without much snow.
Dear Mo. I think dillydallying is the point of a walk for dogs.
I wonder? What if you get started with the blue vase and see where it goes? I love your background fabrics. I always use a pattern for my knits although I am now at the point where I could wing it with a simple sock or hat. Even still, I search my patterns for guidance on how many stitches to start those projects. Maybe a bit of home keeping will release some of the struggle and you can restart.
ReplyDeleteSo ditch the cornerstone blocks! Do it!:) I can see a lot of things pulling at you here and I personally love your start, but yes, it can be discouraging not to be able to 'see' it. I think that's what's so fascinating about improv. to me is that through the years I've figured out that I really don't need to 'see' it anymore. It's more of one decision at a time and then.... lets react to that. If that makes sense. It's going out on a limb and trusting that the branch is strong enough to hold us. Which your creativity totally is.:)
ReplyDeleteA really beautiful mixed media piece of work. What gorgeous flowers they are. Barbxx
ReplyDeleteThank you!
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