Comfort is laying in a Hammock 
I had this machine applique piece well under way before the show in Houston, so when I got home I wanted to incorporate many of the ideas that swirled around in my head for this piece. But it was too far along to really do that, so you will have to wait till the next challenge for that to happen. My sweet sixteen purchased at the show came two days ago, so my dream of doing thread painting has become a reality. I did add the shading under the hammock with information gained in my dyeing class, and the use of metallic threads in the shadow area as well from a collage class in Houston.
I lived in Aruba from 2002 to 2007, and while I was there I did a series of paintings of hammocks.
Hammocks were everywhere in Aruba, and before living there I never realized how comfortable and comforting laying in one with the island breezes kissing your skin could be. I loved looking at them, being in one on a lazy day,looking at them in the stores in a myriad of colors and styles and watching the children there use them, as children here use a swing set. So comfort for me is that visual memory of being on Aruba under a palm tree, and just being happy in that glorious brightly colored hammock with the fringe!!!!
I can almost feel your hammock moving in a gentle breeze! Your thread work is wonderful and shadow adds so much depth. Once you actually conquer the appropriate way of getting into a hammock, they are very comforting!
ReplyDeleteThis quilt is simply beautiful! You've captured the concept of a hammock's swinging gently in the breeze. The colors are wonderful, and I am most impressed that already you are using techniques learned in Houston. So much fun meeting you and the other out-of-staters present in Houston!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what a "sweet sixteen" is! Guess I need to Google that to learn. Let me work for it, Lois; you don't need to reply to this!
DeleteI don't either Alice. Guess I'll be looking it up too.
DeleteHow delightful!! It looks like I could just roll right into this and feel the breeze right now. You've captured that feeling perfectly. So bright and well done!!
ReplyDeleteI like the borders as well but am so excited you got a Sweet 16. I can't wait for your reports on it!!! Please report. I will try hammocks again since I never learned to relax in them....Maybe I was too young.Again, keep me posted!
ReplyDeleteLove the quilt, your classes sound wonderful and I love how you are incorporating the techniques you learned. I love this small format for experimentation
ReplyDeleteLois, your narrative combined with the visual beauty of your hammock mentally transported me to Aruba sun, sand and tropical breezes. I've never been on a hammock but if I had one I'd want it to be colorful and inviting like yours. The purple background truly ramped the wow factor in my opinion. With snow and freezing temps in Alaska now - a hammock in the sun would speak volumes of comfort to me.
ReplyDeleteHi Sistah ! You and I never would have had much of a chance to try out a Hammock in Alaska ! I'm getting a visual of two hammocks..side by side... with each of us trying to figure out how to get in it without spinning out of control. Love to you ! Kath
DeleteLois, the colors in the hammock just make me smile. It is so playful. It's so exciting that your are using techniques from your classes. I can't wait to see what you produce from your sweet sixteen.
ReplyDeleteHi Lois ! I love the colors you used for your fabrics, threads, and the binding. Great that you're already using techniques from your Houston classes ! I was imagining warm ocean breezes, children laughing, and relaxing in the sun.
ReplyDeleteI brought my HQ16 down from Alaska, and was glad to chat with some of the Handi-Quilter experts at IQF about using mono-filament in the HQ bobbins. That's next on my list of processes to learn.
Great job !
I grew up with a hammock hanging from silver maple trees in my back yard in central Illinois and have wonderful memories of time spent in one looking at the images in the clouds. I tried to have one in central Texas but the squirrels loved it too and soon learned that I did not want to provide squirrel bedding material. I love your beautiful little quilt. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteGreat colors! It definitely gives the feeling of warm breezes. The way you made the ropes and fringe on the hammock are perfect. I grew up with a hammock once in a while when we would buy one for Dad on Father's Day. The problem was that it was the knotted kind and the dogs would use it for teething and tug of war so it would fall apart in one season. Thanks for sharing your story, it truly created a special picture.
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