Picking up on the idea of the Zebra stripes, I used a pair of black and white striped pants that Lisa Carrino (Owner with her husband Scott of the Round House Cafe) gave me. But before that I laid down the pink fabric with maroon flower print that Fran gave me. Although that color isn’t in the front of the quilt, it seemed to me to work with the overall colors.
That’s how I began working on the back of the quilt this morning.
One of the things I try to do when I’m making a quilt is to put pieces of fabric together that don’t traditionally go together. And to make it work. Of course, “making it work” is subjective and that’s where me, trusting my aesthetics and creative intuition comes in.
When I decided to use the very formal horse and rider fabrics along with the Zebra’s I knew I was going to need something to take them out of the realm they occupy. I did this by juxtaposing them with some orange and yellow flowered fabric that looks like it’s from the 1970’s (I’m not sure if this fabric is vintage or a reproduction).
Today I used the fabric with the pumpkin on the back of the quilt (which is laying on the floor) to push the rest of the design out of its comfort zone and make another connection to the front of the quilt.
So this is how my mind works. I wanted something orange and when I pulled out that piece of fabric from my shelf I liked that it had one image depicted on it (a pumpkin), just like the horse and rider pieces from the front of the quilt each have a single image.
But just because my mind thinks it should work doesn’t mean it does. I didn’t know I like the way it looked till I laid the pumpkin down next to the rest of the quilt.
It’s a bit of a stretch for me and just enough to, maybe, make someone question what it’s doing there.
I don’t have a name for this quilt yet, but I’m tacking it now and thinking about just that, what it name it. I expect to have it done tomorrow and have a name for it by then too.
Maria
For the first time EVER,, I can say that for me, what you are calling the back of the quilt- is actually speaking to me more as the top, rather than the back. LOVE the back. the large piece is almost like a *void* that every other piece is attempting to cling onto…… I can’t explain it well in words, it is just visually different than any of your other quilts in this aspect and I just feel energy coming from the smaller pieces in the back.
LOL!!!!!! for what it’s worth…….. it is beautiful!
Susan M
THanks Susan. I have to say I like the back as much as the front. And it is different. Making the backs is always more freeing. And your description of how is feel about it is a good one.
Thanks for the peak into your thought process. One of the things I enjoy about making quilts is the way they give me a chance to play with colors/patterns I wouldn’t necessarily use elsewhere in my life and to mix and match in unexpected ways.
I like your idea for using vertical space rather than horizontal for tacking. It’s probably a lot easier on your back. Can you post a photo that shows what the quilt is hanging from? Are they clips? Thanks.
It is easier hanging it horizontal Tricia and fits better in the space. This way it’s not resting on the floor and hangs flat. I use Curtain hooks and hang it from nails. My studio just happened to have a beam going through it to hang my quilts from. I’ll post a photo of the hangers I use.
I love the warmth and happiness of this quilt. This is another one that I would love both sides. Great job!
Hi Maria,
Do you have a price/size for this quilt please?
Thanks,
Wendy Pine
Wendy, the quilt is 65″x79″ and is $400. Thanks for asking.