A day late, here is one of many ways to create something
original out of fabric.
I do not usually start with a finished vision. I pick out a fabric or two, or a large
embellishing item, and build a collage from there. While ironing the vintage fabric scraps that
I purchased last weekend, two pieces caught my eye – an odd bird shaped piece
and a little hexagon. These two pieces
are the foundation of this evolving piece.
I selected a purple dyed damask napkin for the base, and started playing
with the layout of other fabric pieces.
I next selected two long, light colored calico pieces
for some contrast of value. Creating a
skewed L shape in an arrangement is a recurring design device that has gotten
stuck in my brain from a workshop that I took a few years ago. I keep using it, as it creates a sort of half
frame that keeps the viewer’s eye moving around the whole piece – something that
you want in a good composition.
Adding more pieces, I deliberately have no focal point here. I’m not trying to recreate a concrete image. These collages are meditative studies of texture,
color, pattern and shape. I want my viewer
to have something to gaze upon that is a delight to the eyes.
When playing with collage arrangements, take a picture of
each one. Seeing a smaller image of a
composition often helps you evaluate it better.
Make one arrangement, snap a photo, take all the pieces off, start over. However, set a time limit, otherwise you
could spend days on one piece. You want
to create a finished work, move along with it!
Give yourself an hour to play, then look at your photos and pick one to
make. Rebuild the one you like, and
start stitching.
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