ATCs 73-87

Another batch of ATCs. Some more pansy ones, followed by a few inspired by a visit to the Jenolan Caves (look for stalagmite type ones), then a series of composition ones (high horizon, parallel lines, strata, basic shapes etc).

Some absolute stinkers but I learn something from everyone. Also a great warm up exercise - a bit like stretching.

Maps#2

And then I made it bigger using what I had done as a repeat block. I just love that turquoise colour. When you look at the larger quilt the curved piecing and narrow inserts add interest. (Darn it! Will have to get faster at it!)

Maps

I've always loved maps. Here's a quilt I made inspired by the grids of city maps. This actually started out trying to be an 'inspired by Lisa Call' quilt but then the map thing started to happen. I started using curvey freeform piecing but that was taking ages so I made the last 2 block with straight lines - at the moment I don't think the curvey lines add anything. I'm going to made another one with more blocks and try and get the streets to line up. I like the way the eye follows the streets but gets a surprise when the colours change.

Eleanor McCain continues

Here are some variations I've made on the first 'inspired by Eleanor McCain' quilt I made.

ATCs 61-75 - pansies rule!

After trying to be arty and abstract my beloved pansies have reasserted themselves. Have been enjoying trying to stop them being so 'sweet' by painting and stamping backgrounds. It is true that when your subject is something you love you have no problems thinking of something to do. I love these but not sure how they translate to a larger quilt. They are lovely small because small is about detail and suits the small form of the pansy.

The Jeans ATC is made from a label on a pair of pants I've just bought. I'd love to do more with clothing labels. Aren't the 'features' that you now find on labels hilarious. I know intellectually that these new pants aren't going to make me look 5'6'' and willowly - but I still have that 5% hope.....

ATCs 46-60

Starting to get more abstract - I like them. And I like the cruciform ones. The blue blob is meant to be the Water Cube in Beijing - it is truly awful. The last 2 ATCs are an interesting experiment. For the first one just grabbed 2 fabrics and did some freeform curved piecing - I like it! The second one I wondered if I could achieve the same effect with less work by just putting the fabric on top and stitching it down - but you end up with quite different texture - so (sigh) curved piecing is worth the hassle.

Following Twyla Tharp's advice

Thanks to Philippa this is a quote from Twyla Tharp re copying - "It's no different from a young person sitting with a drawing pad in a museum copying a great artist. Skill gets imprinted through the action.

If there's a lesson here it's: get busy copying. That's not a popular notion today, not when we are all instructed to find our own way, admonished to be original and find our own voice at all costs! But it's sound advice. Travelling the paths of greatness, even in someone else's footprints, is a vital means to acquiring skill.

When I started out as a dancer in New York, I became obsessed with studying every great dancer who was working at the time and patterning myself after him or her. I would literally stand behind them in class, in copying mode, and fall right into their footsteps. Their technique, style and timing imprinted themselves on my muscles. That's one of the ways I learnt to dance."

So here I am busy copying - today I am pretending to be Eleanor McCain. Such a simple quilt - playing with colour and the cruciform symbol. Easy and effective and enjoyable to make but I'm not sure its me.... The first photo is the original - the second is my copy. I thought that with more positive negative cruciform blocks the quilt would be more effective. I've made another ATC version using patterned fabric that is interesting. Will post that one soon.