FFFC #57 Process

I love Art Deco, so my biggest challenge with this challenge was narrowing down and focusing on one thing.  I spent some more time browsing books and pictures on Pinterst and sketching some designs... 
 

I really like the basket-weave texture I see in a lot of the ornamental designs,
but I'm not sure it would translate to "Deco" in fabric. 

 One photo that kept catching my attention was this one of the Chrysler Building elevator doors.  

So I played with some ideas of the contrasting
background with curvy swirls over it...
Trying to remember to keep it simple...

Some sketches just didn't gel at all!  

I finally settled on this simple (ha) idea.

My first plan was to piece the background out of strips of fabric.  Oh yeah, that curved piecing thing -  not working.  gave up on that and started fusing today.   Here's where I am at the moment, finally done with the background, and ready to add the fan.

City Hall again

I saw that someone else had posted an older piece that they thought met the challenge.  I really wanted to post "City Hall" because (a) it totally meets the challenge, and (b) I'd like some feedback on it.  But after getting it out, ironing it and rephotographing it, I read the comments and saw that the other person was gently reminded that it would be good to see something new.   Of course City Hall is new to the FFFC audience.   But my tender feelings will be easily hurt if I'm criticized, and I know we are really not supposed to post older stuff.  So maybe I'll link to it with my new (if I make one) entry, but here's how it's looking after added quilting to the sky and the stonework.

I sure wish I could take better photographs.  Natural light would help, but of course it's too wet out for that.  We've had over 4" of rain this month, double the usual for May.

I'm going to work on sketching out an abstract geometric Art Deco design I think.  I spent a lot of time looking at books last night, and pinning interesting photos on Pinterest.  I LOVE that site!  I created a "Deco Challenge study board" and anything I see that interests me, I can stick it up there for later reference.

Art Deco!

I'm excited - the May FFFC challenge is Art Deco, my all-time favorite architectural style.  I could just submit "City Hall" but I'm eager to do another deco style quilt.  Instead of an actual building I think I'll just do a graphic piece based on some of the ornamental elements like terracotta designs and metalwork.

This, from Chicago (CityofChicago.org)

This one is from Hueamour.com:  Miami, I think.

Completed Placemats

Finally some time to post these.  I finished quilting the last two yesterday.   As always I learned things.  You should quilt first, square up later.   Well, that makes perfect sense on an ordinary quilt, but if you need to pillowcase the fronts and backs together before quilting, then you are stuck with whatever distortion your quilting causes.  I also learned simple is better (for the 1,000th time!!)  I like the simple ones much better than the overdone complicated ones.   Here they are - both sides of each.  I'm sorry, but I just can't get them to line up nicely.  I've wasted way too much time trying!!

    

 

 


 Then I worked on adding more quilting to the Brown Bag.... it really needs it.  I want to outline each inner square with ditch stitching, then do some hand quilted hearts and flowers in some of the white squares. 


I've also been spending time - and money - in tracking down supplies for the workshop next month.  Of COURSE I bought more fabric - she mentions "hand dyes" in various values.  I think everything I bought is dark.  Then there were paints, which paints to buy?  Brushes, an extra pressing sheet, fuse,  more fuse... etc.  I still need to order some silk organza I guess, then I'll be done.  (Me, done early??  WTF?).


I got rid of that wild blog template.  It was way too distracting.  This one seemed simple, and appropro to the rain that Just. Won't. Stop.

Some Assembly Required....

That should be a warning to "run away."  But I didn't.  I'd been looking around for another storage piece that would fit in the last remaining open floor space of the dining room, and when this item appeared in the JoAnn sale flyer, it seemed perfect, dimension-wise, anyway.   I got home from the store with it about 2 o'clock, and expected to be happily organizing staff overflow by 3ish and sewing at 4.   Let's just say, I still haven't organized everything, since I only started an 8 pm.  :P  But it's done.  Thankfully the other was able to help with the drawers, but I did manage the rest of it by myself.