My February master class project awaits just a few touches to be done. The skater needs to be sewn down and a facing added to the edges. It’s to illustrate the month’s theme of movement.
Heading Home will finish at 23.5 by 25 inches. I made it by adding Wonder Under to batting and fusing scraps of fabric over that. About half the scraps are hand painted fabric. For the trees at the top I tinted the base fabric with Setacolor transparent paint, and layered bits of colored organza between the base and white silk organza. The skater is an enlarged version of my original drawing from a photo, with highlights added in oil pastels. The shadow is black netting. So glad I’m using all those techniques I’ve picked up over the years.
None of the scrap edges are finished as I wanted them rough to simulate ice on a lake. It was hard for me to leave those edges jagged; I’ve spent too much time learning to finish edges.
The instructor commented that the shadow on my blocked out piece was off. (We send in photos of sketches, the blocked out piece, and the final.) I adjusted the angle and puddled it more and she seemed to like the new arrangement. She suggested I don’t crop the piece as the extra space opened it up. Her overall comment was, “very nice…great colors great mood to it…..a beaut of a little piece!” Couldn’t resist some self-aggrandizement.
If you had told me I would make a quilt that featured a hockey player I would have laughed in your face. Yet here it is.
The Snarky Quilter 
I think it turned out great!
Thanks.
Really enjoyed reading some of your process (even the mishap from comments; been there!). It is a great piece with so much movement. Timely too, my adult son is going (as a spectator) to his first hockey game tonight!
Glad to hear I got across movement in this piece. Other class themes for this assignment have ranged from forest fires to a lady on a bike.
I must say, this was the option I was least excited about when you showed them a week or so ago. But oh my the transformation! It really does convey movement and with such lovely subtle coloring. Thanks as always for giving us some understanding of your methods. While I couldn’t do it myself (at this point in my life at least) I can nod in understanding of what you did and how it worked.
I write this blog in part to have a record of how I did pieces, but I’m happy when others find it helpful. I like the end result of this one, but I disliked the process as I kept messing up my iron with the fusible. It has made me a believer in hand painted fabric. Ooh, you used the word subtle for the coloring. That is not often a word used about my stuff.
That turned out beautifully! I love the effect of the color changes!
Maybe I should go back to the pond and thank the kid practicing his hockey moves. He inspired me to choose a skater.
Beautiful piece! You really did capture the skater’s movement. Hope I can see it in person someday.
Thanks. If I remember, I’ll bring it to CoCA.
This turned out amazingly well! It was fun to see the progress from idea to finished piece–the multiple colors in the treatment of the ice work so well. I really like it!
You weren’t the only one surprised at how this turned out. And the ice was a pain to do as I had a mishap on the way to the ironing board – 52 piece pickup.