Revisiting Embrace

I’ve decided it is time for me to quit being lazy and quit making excuses. It’s time for me to get back to experimenting. Experimenting is great because, from the start, it gives you permission to fail. Some experiments will work out and some won’t. Either way, it’s okay because you’re learning something. Unlike starting out with the heavy burden of needing to create “Art.” Talk about fear inducing!

I’ve decided to revisit this image.

These are woodblock relief prints that I made during my last year of college. At the time, I had every intention of using the image to create one or more quilts. If you look closely, you can see reference to the beautiful reproduction indigo fabrics that I absolutely love! I have some made by companies that have whimsical names like “Three Fish,” “Three Leopards,” and “Three Cats.” They reproduce a new set of prints each year. Here are some from the 2010 collection. If money were no object, I would collect them all just to drool over!

I’m also drawn to blackwork embroidery, especially when the stitched designs are used as fill patterns. I think I probably learned about blackwork embroidery through my interest in historical clothing and all kinds of needlework. I think much of my interest in printed textiles is connected to these earlier interests.

Anyway, I spent time last night drawing my pattern up full size. I hope to do several of these, so I’ll be making the quilts only 24″ square. Oh, but the possibilities are endless! Now it’s time to pull potential fabrics from my stash. Don’t we all live for that day?