Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Shy DNA


I've gotten this far, and I have a couple of observations:
  1. Next time I do this, I will use dark and light in the twists to create the illusion of depth.
  2.  "      "    "   "    " , I will regulate the width of the strips so there won't be any strings. 
  3. The front does not match the lovely dark floral (below) I had planned for the back. Her DNA is just too shy. I have some peach flannel for the back.
As I stitched I remembered a beautiful fabric I had acquired through a swap. Of course, it was no use looking for it because -- well, you've seen my sewing room -- but when I was tearing through my bins for fabric to use in another project, I happened upon it! About a half a yard:

I love this rich saturated rust color, and I have been inspired multiple times by its combination with periwinkle. I would love to show off its generous-sized print in the quilt, but as you can see, the color is too dark for the soft hues of the center part:

So I decided to create little "vignettes" of the fabric for someone to enjoy.

A row along the side would look like this, sort of Craftsman style.


That "other" project I mentioned? A new use for the bold dark floral. Not sure what I think. (More about the sources of this inspiration in the next post.)


In the meantime, I have been pondering who to give the DNA quilt to. It doesn't have anybody's name on it yet. For me, this raises issues relating to my own shy DNA. I would love for this shy girl to have a home, to be part of something meaningful. But how... ?

Perhaps sewing just gives me too much time for introspection!


6 comments:

  1. Wow, that far already! Andrew and I are contemplating starting a quilt together. Neither one of us has any idea how to make a quilt, but that's what youtube is for, right? :) Any suggestions for online resources for beginners?
    I love reading your posts and being inspired by them! So far we've both learned to use our sewing machine and I've put darts in a couple pairs of pants for Ari and repaired a couple clothing items. Thanks again for the inspiration!

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    1. How about starting with a baby quilt for the expected! To make a quilt, you need to invest in a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, and a ruler. OR... You could come over to my house, choose fabrics from my stash, and cut them here!! I could show you a few basics, like the 1/4-inch seam!!
      I have a few baby quilts on Pinterest, under Patchwork. You can look for others. I'll be able to forecast the difficulty for you.
      So excited!! Thank you for reaching out, Rebecca.

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  2. If you are still pondering who to give the DNA quilt to...I'll take her! I've never been given a quilt and I think they are the best gifts ever! (I wouldn't be upset though, if you choose to give her to someone else) I once asked a quilting friend to make me a quilt and she laughed and said "you make quilts" and I said that doesn't mean I wouldn't accept one given to me! =)

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  3. Wow, Zenia, I am flattered. I have to quilt it yet. It will be my first ever attempt at long-arm quilting ... on an old-fashioned machine that does not have regulated-length stitches... I was going to give it to someone in foster care (our modern quilt guild is doing a collection), but I missed the deadline today. So: good timing on that request, girl! Let's see how it looks when I'm done quilting (yikes)!

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    1. I'm sorry you missed the deadline but there are plenty of other kids/programs you can donate to. Giving a homemade gift to someone in need is an amazing feeling and I know it really touches the heart of the recipient as well. Good providence w/the long-arm quilting. I've done it a couple of times, I don't wish to be a long-armer though. I'm sure it's going to be lovely. =)

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