Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Janet's Canyon- Threading the Needle


 Websters defines canyon as “a deep narrow valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it”. You could think nature, I thought New York City right down to the streams of people flowing through the narrow streets. My son, Justin, took this picture years ago and when he sent it to me he commented that it looked like the jet stream was threading a needle. On the side of the quilt is the skyline of my favorite urban canyon and home, Oklahoma City. The buildings in the picture were all glass so I used colors from pictures we had taken on a trip to the Grand Canyon.  



11 comments:

  1. Janet - Love your quilt. I especially like the way you turned the city on it's side. The negative space works really well and is unexpected and quite fabulous. The buildings in canyon colors are so perfect and the jet stream for me just the perfect touch. Everyone has just outdone themselves! So fun to be part of this creativity!!!!

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  2. I love the melding of the cityscape with the needlework task of threading. So cool!! The Oklahoma skyline adds a wonderful contrast and the perspective your piece portrays is great!

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  3. My first thought also was city canyons, but Palo Duro loomed too big. I think perhaps because you are in OK and I was in TX...the plains...that it is not odd that the tall buildings on the landscape, ironically seemed to create canyons that are usually thought to belong to nature. I love the angle and the threading the needle...so fitting to tie in with what we do.

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  4. I was wondering how you transferred your sons photo to adapt to fabric? Did you ink print or hand transfer? What did you use to color the buildings and was that a hand dyed orange/yellow fabric for the background overall? I can't really tell from the photos.

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  5. I blew the picture up to 8 x 10, copied the lines with tracing paper, copied the tracing paper onto fabric, redrew the lines with gel pen, colored it with watercolor pencils and then had to glue the piece together since I still have not figured out how to sew on the machine from bed!

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  6. Oh my gosh - what an incredible piece ! I love the perspective of the 2 cities, and I can imagine being in New York and looking up to the sky from the bottom of the city's canyon. Thank you for your explanation of the products and techniques you used...I was wondering how you accomplished this beautiful quilt. And to think you did all this from your bed - Amazing ! ! !

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  7. Dear friend, this is amazing!!!! I especially like the unexpected of the Oklahoma City skyline in the negative space and the background you used. Is the background (fading from yellow to red) a commercial fabric or is it painted? And I love the con-trail threading the 'needle'. Love,Love,Love it!!!!!!!!!

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  8. Had to smile when I saw your quilt...the third cityscape, and how different all three are. I love how your son captured the of thread and needle analogy in his photo.
    I also think it quit brilliant that you have so creatively added the Oklahoma City skyline.

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    Replies
    1. Only a child whose mother sews all the time would think of the needle and thread. Sad thing is that he said everyone stopped and looked up and waited as the plane seemed too low, he was in NYC. Maybe someday the fear will subside.

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  9. We are all devastated by what happened in Moore Oklahoma today, the town where two of my sisters live was hit yesterday and Moore, only five miles from my sisters office happened today. She had to go to her car and ask Onstar to call and tell me she was ok since the lines are so jammed up. So keep them all in your thoughts and prayers please.

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