Blue Towers

Blue Towers
36" x 48"

Blue Towers

 You may remember my earlier post here regarding this wonderful quilt and it's acceptance into The Space Between, curated by Jamie Fingal and Leslie Jenison. The exhibit will debut at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach July 28-31, 2011 and is sponsored by Moore's Sewing Centers.
Well....today is my day for an artist interview on their blog Dinner at Eight Artists.  Check it out!

And, I thought it would be the perfect day to reveal my quilt.  Be sure to click on the photos if you would like to see a larger picture!  I always love to share the story behind my work, the inspiration that set my creative juices in motion.  However, I thought it would be interesting to hear your thoughts this time.  What does this image evoke for you?  What story does it tell for you?  Leave your comments!  I will post the story behind this one next week.

close up of the quilting in the sky

detail of the window

And, for inquiring minds, some info about it's construction.  All the fabrics were hand made specifically for this quilt.  I dyed two pieces of dark blue fabric for the background in two different shades.  I always like to do that, then I get a choice of which one looks better with my design, and I have extra fabric for the backing. You have seen this window motif before, here in Building UP, and here in my fabric line, Urban Landscapes.

What you are looking at below:  The blue fabric was stamped with the window block motif: a small wooden block with the center carved out and a separate stamp for the cross in the center.  The blue is then bleach discharged. Without boiling out any wax yet, I dye paint the inside of the windows, some with red, some with green.  Then after the dye has dried, I paint over the green and red windows with wax to protect them from the next round of dyeing.  This set was then dyed turquoise, and eventually the wax is boiled out in a giant pot.

The long panels are fused and cut to their respective shapes, fused to the background, layered with batting and fabric backing, and then intensely machine quilted.  The last step was to add the hand stitching with embroidery floss.  The binding was machine satin stitched first and then whip stitched with black embroidery floss.  The floss adds such a nice texture that once I get started, it is hard to quit!  I absolutely love this quilt, which is a problem when it is time to ship it.  I like finishing work early enough that I get to enjoy it for a while before I have to send it away where it will greet the world with fresh enthusiasm!  Bon Voyage!