Overlook bench

My last bench quilt was ok but it didn't have enough contrast between the bench and background for my taste. With the owl you at least have a focal point but the bench was meant to be "the star"

So this time I made the bench first, fusing it together on parchment paper. Did you know parchment paper works just as well as the appliqué pressing sheets they sell? Save your money and buy fabric with it.

 

Sorry this is sideways but you get the drift.

 

Then found in my stash something for the background. I tried to keep it simple and believe me simple is hard for me but I like how this came out..

 

Speaking of sailboats, I saw the first one of the season today on my walk at red rocks park on Lake Champlain - dare I say it? Summer is here!

And yes, this may be a quilt soon

 

And this

Aaaah, so many quilts, so little time :-)

 

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Stone bench in the woods

I finished the stone bench today and will continue from my last post on the process.

This is where we left off, hoping that some quilting would help define the bench.

And it did! I think it stands out pretty good although next time I would make sure I do more contrast between the bench and the background. I used tan Invisafil thread to quilt the whole thing and it worked great. A small meander in all the foliage and leaves background. The Invisafil hardly showed but left that quilting texture. This is the first time I've used it and highly recommend. It seems to play better than the monofilament thread I normally would use and doesn't give you that "plastic shine" and doesn't show the needle holes like the the mono does. Yes! It looks much better quilted :-)

And much better trimmed.

And faced (I used Susan Brubacker Knapps method)

But it still needs a little something, hmmm.........

Let me look in my novelty fabrics for a bird or something to fuse down.

Yes! Victory! This owl is looking at me like "this is my bench and how dare you enter my woods"

I am linking this post up to the bloggers festival at Amy's creative side.

Check it out - lots of quilt blogs to read and explore.

I am entering this into the art quilt category .  There are some really wonderful quilts there.

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Bench in the woods

Ok, so this is the original inspiration photo for the quilt I'm working on - thank you Nina, yes I lifted it from your blog. It's the one your daughter took I think . I love it.

And yes, what I've ended up with is not that close but it's just the inspiration - ;-D

The bench was easy, just reverse, trace and fuse

 

But the background - a different story - I tried this - eh

 

 

Reversed it - nah

 

 

And this, to dark and busy

 

Let's try something other than batiks - what!!! Blasphemy!

(But it just might work)

Maybe if I add some trees - hmmmmm, yes

So I've added and moved and built. It is now fused down so like it or leave it at this point. I think the bench blends in to much but we will see what quilting does. If I use a dark green thread to outline the bench and do the rest in a lighter blend in tone?

Stay tuned :-)

 

 

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