Garden Path - Introduction - Part IV

Artwork

As most of you know, all of my artwork is original. This means that for every project, I draw all the artwork myself. This is makes my project unique and original to me, and helps avoid copyright issues. Since there will be many types of flowers for this project - 8 different ones, I think - I've been busy drawing flowers and making templates this week.

I usually begin projects with the quilting, but since I'm waiting on threads to arrive, I've decided to get a start on the all the applique by getting the artwork finished and templates made this week.

Here are some samples of the flowers and leaves:



These flowers will be rendered in hand applique in silk and wood burning tool cutouts in synthetics. This is why I needed both silks and synthetics in matching and coordinating colors. Because of this, I need to make two types of templates, both freezer paper and metal. Not all the flowers will be made the same way, some using one technique or the other and some both. Add to that, I need to make leaf templates for each flower, both in freezer paper and metal. Is that confusing enough? Thought so, that's why I made a spread sheet, and then marked off the boxes as I completed each flower's templates so that I made sure I had them all.

You can see in the photo above that I still need to do something about the roses. Not to worry, I save all my artwork, so I've pulled out the rose templates from American Beauty. I'll pick the appropriate size from all the reduced photocopies and trace off new freezer paper templates and make both leaf templates. It also looks like I need another grid for the threads, beads and sequins to keep them organized, too.

The flowers for this project will be quite an undertaking and really the focal point of the whole piece. I usually start my applique too late into the project and then have to really make it point to stay on track (yes, I have a daily goals spreadsheet) to keep the project on course. Maybe that won't happen this time.

Parting Shot: The Back. This is the back to the Mano del Uruguay Sweater. I am really pleased with the sweater so far. The yarn color is beautiful and the pattern so far has worked up nicely. The pattern is in the spring 2009 issue of Interweave Knits magazine, the Millefiori Cardigan. I took this with me on my trip last week and was able to knit the back from start up through the armhole shaping and into the upper back by the time I returned home. I finished this piece last night.