Tuesday, September 08, 2009

evolution of a piece

Monday holidays throw me off, almost as if I had jet lag. It just doesn't seem normal-- whatever that means. Anyway, I started the week with a visit from Aleeda Crawley, who came to the studio today. We had lunch, chatted, laughed, and then Aleeda worked with thickened dyes while I mixed thin ones for Saturday's class in soy wax batik. Here she is, after steaming the piece and opening the package. Don't know what will happen after she washes it; i'm hoping it was soda ash water in the spray bottle she used - LOL.Tonight, it was back to work on the blue piece and after spending the entire evening on it, something was still bothering me. Most of it is sewn together already and while I liked what I had, it just didn't feel right. Then, as I picked up the last units to sew them to the rest, I realized what the problem was. The piece, loaded with horizontal lines, was too square. On impulse, I rearranged the pieces that were still loose and folded under a couple of sections (not ready to cut them yet) with my "what if?" idea. It wants to be a horizontal piece and it wants to be bigger. Stay tuned.

8 comments:

Gerrie said...

Ha!!

Eva said...

Love the bright smile on her face! Makes me curious on the further steps of her work.

Claire said...

I do like this better

Unknown said...

As long as it keeps talking to you and you to it, you'll both work out in the end what it wants to be when it grows up. :D

Aleeda said...

I had a ball during my visit with Rayna. This was a fabric that I just knew I had to have won...I can't see myself having bought it. LOL! I should have taken a picture of it before I touched it. Yuck-o. I did leave a section untouched on the left-hand side. Don't know what will come next, likely some paintstiks, and I do see some metal in this future quilt. I made the brown stamp with one of those heat & press stamps, and it was the first time I had steam set Procion dyes; very cool (or more accurately, hot) process. I'm looking forward to the progress too!

I think you hit it on the head, Rayna...the horizontal layout flows, somehow.

Debra Dixon said...

Yes, by golly, it looks better!

Ann Graham said...

Rayna, I've been working in square pieces and imagery for about two years now (in Jane Dunnewold's Master Class) and I laughed when you realized it was too square. It's interesting how we react to different shapes. Enjoy reading your blog each day.

Unknown said...

When I get back from my vacation, I think I'll take your screen printing class on I Quilt... and I can't wait for the deconstructing screen printing class, that sounds like fun, too. :D

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