Sunday, August 24, 2014

Ladyslipper

and I'm done!  The minute I received the fabric and embellishments from Lisa, I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I just left it to last weekend to actually get started!

While on vacation in Ontario this spring, I took this picture.

ladyslipper

I enlarged the image so that it was full size, and then using a piece of clear vinyl and a wet erase marker, I traced my design, trying to simplify - I definitely need more work on that!!! You saw a bit of my map - 
and the mess I made in the process 

but what I didn't show was where I was going with it.  To be truthful, I really had my doubts - all those little pieces just didn't seem to be turning into my idea, but I persevered - after all, I had already cut up Lisa's gorgeous fabrics!  I kept placing pieces, not firmly fused yet, until finally, I thought "It's really not working" :(  I pinned it up to my design wall stepped back and took a picture - this picture.  When I saw it in my viewfinder I almost cheered!  It was working!  
I fused it down, layered it up with some stabilizer and started to thread paint.  and thread paint.  and thread paint.  There is a lot of thread on this.  I wanted to try and blend the colours a little better, and add some details.  I ended up with thread and inktense pencils to get the shading I was looking for.

Of course, once all the thread painting was done, I had to quilt to crap out of it!  Lots of dense straight line quilting on this one.
quilted

getting there

There were some embellishments included - so wonderful thread ends and some ribbons. When slipper orchids open, the the bud covering ends up as a twisted leaf like vine - I really don't know what to call it, but it looks cool!  I couched the threads and added the ribbon, and created my own version!
twisty vine

Of the three charms that Lisa included, one of them really spoke to me.  One day we were hiking a trail in Ontario and the path in front of us was just filled with little tiny frogs hopping across the trail to the lake on the other side. So many frogs we had to stop so we wouldn't step on them - the path was covered! The little frog had to be included!
little frog

All said and done, I am very pleased with my little wall hanging - its a perfect reminder of a great vacation, and our little group!

Ladyslipper
Ladyslipper

Thank you Lisa - I had a great time with this challenge - I just need to stop being such a procrastinator!

9 comments:

  1. I never would have guessed you were making a lovely flower. This is another outstanding, well thought out, complex creation. The combination of extensive thread painting and straight stitching along with the embellishments make this a true viewing pleasure.

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  2. Stunning, absolutely stunning! You created such complex shading nuances with Lisa's fabric and your thread sketching. Your use of the fiber in Lisa's packet was ingenious.

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  3. Gorgeous and glorious! so much work and planning, but it was worth it to produce something so wonderful!

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  4. Ditto and ditto on Judy's and Brigitte's comments. This is outstanding. It's hard to believe you procrastinated as it appears you must have have been working non-stop since you received Lisa's packet in order to create all the detail and perfection in this piece!

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  5. Wow, Janet! What a lot of work went into this gorgeous piece! just stunning!

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  6. Wow- this is absolutely gorgeous, Janet. A real show stopper!

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  7. This is really gorgeous. What a help it is to see it through the camera, makes such a difference

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  8. Janet, this is fabulous! Your thread-painting is perfect, and I love that you 'quilted the crap out of it' - that really is becoming the VMQG motto!

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