Thursday 23 February 2012

Things are happening

 Our orchids are looking spectacular at the minute. Here's one against the stained glass window in the kitchen.


And another in the conservatory. 


Not to be outdone by the houseplants, the garden flowers are putting on quite a show in the warm weather as well. We have an unseasonal 15C today - crazy temperatures for February! These beauties are making the most of the sunshine.


And so are the glorious Winter Aconites.


As I was taking the pictures I spotted this fellow out sunbathing on the lawn.


He'll have to be wary of the herons who fly over here every day! Speaking of big birds - regular visitors to this blog might remember seeing pictures of tiny chicks early last year. They're not so tiny now!


And always very curious to see what I'm doing. This one follows me like a pet dog!


Just in case you think I'm frittering the day away wandering around the garden, there is some new work on the horizon! I've taken this pencil drawing of a moth in flight.......


And a page of stencilled moth shapes.........


And combined them with the moth photographs I took recently. I found out some pencil portraits I did a couple of years ago and clever Laura has layered them all in Photoshop and printed them, much enlarged, onto cotton fabric. I love the way the precise quality of the photographs contrasts so well with the graphic effect of the drawings. Sorry about the shafts of bright light across the printed fabrics below - shows just how sunny it is here today!


This is the pencil drawing tweaked slightly to adjust the colour before printing. I expect some people will consider all this to be cheating. Me, I'm an enthusiastic convert to the technology that allows us total control over the fabrics we use to make our quilts! Long live digital printing!!


I can't show the whole design just yet. A girl's gotta have some secrets hasn't she? I'm very nervous to begin the quilting as it's make or break. If things go to plan you may see this again soon. If not............

Cross your fingers for me please!

Linda

3 comments:

  1. The moth fabric is just gorgeous. People thought that using a sewing machine to make a quilt was cheating at one time, just another use of the technology of the time.

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  2. I don't need to cross my fingers for you, I know you'll do brilliant work. As for your frog sunbathing in the garden, all our frogs had a busy night in the pond....the frog spawn is everywhere. Looks like Spring has Spung!

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  3. Hi Elaine - I had email notification that you commented on this page but mysteriously the message hasn't appeared! Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to get in touch. Wow, sewing, yoga and pancakes - must have been quite a satisfying day!

    Maggi - you sound like a girl after my own heart. Glad you approve of the moths.

    Susietex - thanks for the vote of confidence. I wish I had your conviction. People might be surprised to know how nervously I approach the start of a new quilt. I really ought to know better by now because the silly thing is I'm always fine once I get started.

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