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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Frog fun....thank you, Carol

Carol's comment yesterday on the design wall  project set off my creative process.   A frog by the falls--just like the one that serenades us to sleep each night.  So I sketched one from a photo  and then again a bit larger.  Out came the threads and a piece of the sun painted turquoise fabric.  A few hours later, I have  a singing frog sitting on a pile of rocks watching a dragonfly!  Everything is simply pinned down right now--I need to play a bit with the balance. 




The Process:
Thread painted frog is done on 5 layers in a hoop.
The turquoise fabric is sandwiched between silver tulle and solvy.  The pattern is traced onto the top layer of solvy.  The base colors of green are stitched over him in sections following the body lines and shape.  Then a few lighter threads of silver, pale violet, and pale green.  Then the medium values are stitched--mainly I used teal and turquoise shades.  Then back to the highlights and finished with dark green along the edges and the teal for outlining the legs, eye, and along the back ridge.  Here's a closer look at him. 
The rocks in this photo show that I just cut hunks of fabric and actually on the top rock just pinned a square that I will cut to fit as a shadow. 
The green stems are one inch bias strips that I will shape and curve when I am satisfied with the overall balance. 
Look back to the top photo and you can see I cut a few leaf shapes that I will add at the base of the rocks and on the reeds.   My husband came in an suggested I do a dragonfly....so from my baggie of practice thread painted pieces I retrieved one with perfect--for this--purple wings. 

This was a most  magical  experience in the sewing room.  I was literally taken over by this today and loved seeing it take shape.  A giant, huge, wonderful Thank You to Carol for giving me inspiration
Now I am one day behind in preparing for the family cookout Saturday. I will have to work overtime tomorrow to get things done.
InsightWhen I am inspired...sew now!  Then play catch up tomorrow.
 Happy stitching!

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