Tuesday, November 5, 2019

A New Face to the World

"We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate."
~Thomas Jefferson

I voted today. Did you? Make time to quilt and to vote.

Quilting


Remember the Faces class with Freddy Moran? This is what I made after lunch. What a hoot!

Clara's face with blue eyes and emoji printed fabric for pigtails glued in place.
Clara with emoji pigtails collage quilt top

I found the emoji fabric by Timeless Treasures in Dallas last year intending to use it in a baby quilt. While the scientific fabric was made up, this just lingered in the stash. I cut two rows of emojis and dropped one on the background. It just looked like pigtails and there was the top. Freddy loved this fabric so I cut two more rows for her. I can't wait to see what she makes with it.

Circles of yellow emojis with a variety of expression including heart eyes, sunglasses, laughing until it cries.
Detail of emoji pigtails

The eyebrows were petals {from that wild black and white fabric that was Jane's eyes.} Adding the line of her cheek defines her face as a heart. At home, I plucked some eyelashes, repositioned her lower lip, and found brighter red confetti.

Then I thought about the quilting. Each fabric on Jane's had a thread change. That seems a bit much for an improvisational piece. On the other hand, I couldn't see anything when quilting the background with clear nylon monofilament. I'd like to quilt over/across the collaged pieces rather than outlining them but the pigtails should be highlighted with circles... which is just outlining.

Collage pieces free-motion quilted in place using matching thread or nylon monofilament.
Clara with emoji pigtails collage quilt

I don't know about you, but after noticing something - good or bad - I often repeat it. It suddenly seems like the sole solution. It's either the dichotomy between my conscious and subconscious or simple hypocrisy. So here I am again, changing threads with each fabric color.

Once it was quilted, she really needed earrings. I kept wondering about ears but finally decided to call it done.

This quilt also called for facing. Here's a photo of it in progress.

The dark grey facing on the Clara collage quilt hides all binding to the back.
Sewing a facing on the Clara collage quilt

Quilt Specifics
Size: 25" x 24"
Designs: Collage
Batting: Hobbs 80/20
Thread: Blue, red, pink and yellow 60-wt cotton and black poly threads
Quilting: FMQ and walking foot
Approximate Yardage: 1.25 yd


Off the Bookshelf
The first one wasn't on the bookshelf but I read Mary Robinette Kowal's Lady Astronaut of Mars {the actual novelette is here}, loved it, and then found her two prequels: The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky {and another to be published next year}.

Book covers - The Fated Sky and The Calculating Stars - have silhouettes of women .

The series follows an accelerated space program after a 1953 meteor wipes out the east coast of the US causing extinction-level climate change. Like Hidden Figures the women are calculators who run the math for the launch and trajectories. Mary is a writer and puppeteer {interesting combination} with an optimistic outlook on life. There are problems to be faced but most people can change for the better. Let me know if you like this series.

Enjoy the day, Ann

22 comments:

Julierose said...

Love your funky face--those piggy tails are the best with the emojis...what a fun work..
I am reading "Dreaming Spies" by Laurie R. King...another Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series book--
Really enjoying it...hugs, Julierose

patty a. said...

Clara turned out fabulous! Such an imaginative way to use those emojis!

LA Paylor said...

It's enchanting! What absolute fun! Great choices and energy in this. I keep looking at her, after painting so many faces, and seeing how your choices created the lines and depth. The emoji's are fun but the background is a big part of it, and I like the quilting a lot too. LeeAnna

Quiltdivajulie said...

I love your faces - I don't know if I could make one, but they surely look like fun. I'm glad you changed threads -- it looks GREAT!

Janie said...

Yes, I voted too!
You are having lots of fun, obviously. I think the emoji faces are perfect for pigtails.
I'm reading Edward Snowden's book 'Permanent Record', bought through Amazon.
That's an eye opener for sure.

Robin said...

The face is so clever. What a fun piece both to work on and to view.

Kaja said...

That's a great quote! I love the emoji pigtails - isn't it fun when you look at a piece of fabric and see something new, like eyebrows or pigtails. Such a satisfying feeling.

audrey said...

Your face block is so fun and spunky looking! I always enjoy the way you use fabric. You definitely have a knack for making the most out of almost any print.:)

Ann said...

I read her first - The Beekeeper's Apprentice - but haven't kept up. Thanks for the reminder.

Ann said...

Thanks, Patty. I'm glad this was hanging out in my stash and am delighted to put it to such good use.

Ann said...

Thanks, LeeAnna. This second one was so much fun. Once I decided to use the emojis it screamed for a dark background. One piece had confetti printed on it so I just added some to the other side. Finding the heart was special.

Ann said...

Thanks, Julie. I bet you could. Working in the class was very freeing.

Ann said...

I'm glad you voted, too. Sometimes I wish we had a law like Australia that we get fined if we don't vote.
Now the emojis seem like they were printed to become pigtails.
I haven't seen that book.

Ann said...

Thanks, Robin. It was lots of fun to create.

Ann said...

It's a great reminder. In any society, voting is what matters most. I wish we fined people who don't like they do in Australia.
I'm looking at lots of my fabric differently. You're right, it's satisfying.

Ann said...

Thanks, Audrey. I love the way it turned out. I've been feeling down about my fabric and this was a wonderful re-energizer.

Cathy said...

She's a cutie. Looks like you are having some fun and making faces could be addictive. Makes you look at fabric a whole new way.

I've been voting in most elections since I was old enough and very excited to do so. And my reading lately has been for escape so has been from the free Kindle Prime list of mystery and thrillers.

Ann said...

You and I are both pushing to use up our stashes. Sometimes that tires me out as I feel the need for speed subsuming the desire for creativity. Freddy's method of working quickly on a small piece sparks laughter as I look at new ways to use my fabric. I think I may continue this exercise.
I'm glad you voted. Lately I've thought Australia has a good rule: vote or receive a fine.

Barb said...

Your quilt made me smile from ear to ear today! I love all the fun details and your use of the fabrics - so clever!
Yes I voted, I also work at the polling place - a 17 hour day!
participation is the key - we flipped our town - change is in the air.....

Ann said...

Thanks for writing, Barb. I think Clara's pretty fun, too, and Freddy's outlook on life and quilting charms us all. You are very patriotic to man a polling place. Participation makes the country better as we build a government that reflects all the people rather than a few extremists.

Mystic Quilter said...

I adore Clara!!! What fun you must have had bringing her to life - and she's a perfect size.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. Creating her was a blast. So much fun and very freeing.