This is what I have been doing, in between Christmas Shopping and the usual fun. It is for a new challenge of Rachel Clark's, based on fashion designers. Title
"THEY ARE CALLED A CLASSIC FOR A REASON". After doing a quick search I found Elsa Schiaparelli and fell in love with her amazing designs. One of my favorite was a dinner jacket that turned writer Jean Cocteau's 1937 drawing into a dinner jacket. You can see it on wikipedia. At first I wanted to make a jacket, but realized I do better making flat things....no bumpy bust lines to contend with! As you can see I used some very nice silk in beautiful colors. The pattern portion is also inspired from one of Elsa's coats. After seeing the layering at the Houston Festival, I wanted to see what I could come up with, and that is where I am currently stumped. The face is hand stitched on to a double layer of tule and the hair is appliqued on to the tule. A double layer of subtly colored chiffon goes behind the tule. The original plan was to let these pieced hang free but that seems to "dull" down the silk piecing. I could sew it behind the silk but I had my heart set on free flowing fabric.... like some of Elsa's formal dress designs. So here I am... tune in later for the final decision. You won't have to wait long as the piece is due the first week of January!
Also, in January, I will have three pieces in the
Main Street Gallery in Weaverville, CA The three pieces are
Birch Tree Sunlight, Nuggets, and Hope Out of Despair. Address is 490 Main Street and phone - 530 623 9259. Show title "Quilt as Art". Maybe you would enjoy a ride during the January show.
