Fabric Speak
Every fabric choice I make leads me down a road. Fabrics have something to say. Each has unique qualities that contribute to an idea. It is my job to marry my own concepts with what the fabrics want to say. We travel the road together, sometimes taking a detour along the way, and sometimes dropping off an old friend that is no longer working so well with others! The discarded fabric may get my attention later and be introduced to a new group of friends. Yes, that will likely happen!
The first fabrics I choose for an art quilt set the tone for all the rest. Will the road be smooth or rough, the view quiet or busy? Will the fabric be elegant, or more like the artist herself, casual and worn!
For Shade Tree Meditation my first decision was size (48 X 35) and shape. My first fabric choice was grass green, followed by dark emerald green and olive(brownish) green.
In this last close-up, you may be able to see that the fabrics are wrinkled. I liked the texture this provided. With my fabric selections, I wanted to show the lush green of a shade tree with bits of sky and clouds winking through. These whimsical, evenly spaced forms allude to the steady rhythm of breathing, both mine and that of the tree. I used two curved blue lines to suggest the graceful form of the tree trunk and branch, selecting an electric blue to hold the attention of the viewer. My fabric choices went a long way in communicating my concepts. Fabrics have something to say.
The first fabric choice I made for You're Invited for Tea was the blue and white jungle fabric that you see above and in the detail below. It is interesting and a little exotic. My next choice was to use a color combination emphasizing blue, brown, and cream. The concept of having tea was in my head. I imagined tea being served in china cups to new friends by a foreign exchange student.
I had wanted to use a block of cozy brown sweater fabric in this quilt but had to discard it because I couldn't make it look right with the other blocks. The sweater fabric is being used in another piece of art.
I don't often piece a quilt - more often my technique is applique, but this time I did.
I used pieces from a linen table cloth to represent refinement, blooming flowers for the exotic aroma of brewing tea, the blue and white fabric for china cups, and pink plaid to represent laughter and gossip! The border fabric contains the art, the way having tea is contained in a room. Fabrics have something to say.
And now I share my end-of-blog recipe. If you have been reading my recipes for a while, you have probably noticed some things. I like few ingredients and making things easy and tasty. Everything is gluten-free. This recipe ticks those boxes.
Chili Reino Fritatta (two large servings): In a large saucepan, saute 1/2 chopped green pepper and 1/2 chopped red pepper in olive oil for a few minutes. Add a 4-oz. can of diced mild green chilis to the pan. Heat briefly. Add two eggs beaten to the pan. Cover and cook until egg is solid. Add slices of Monterey jack cheese or pepper jack and cook until melted. Set aside and let cool for 6 minutes. Slice and serve.