Miracle Cat Learning

Continuing in the Patchwork Beasts class, I made this miracle cat yesterday - it has a heart shaped nose and question mark whiskers which it follows to fun and adventure. I am quite thrilled with this because I designed the block piece by piece without drawing a pattern and I still managed to sew it together, albeit in a very hodge podge fashion. (The legs, ears and tail were all one piece found at a garage sale long ago.) I was starting to explore this method of construction in April/May after taking the strip piecing class with Nancy Crow, but I was using strip pieced fabric then, not selecting individual fabrics and putting the pieces together as I went. The majority of my work is improvisationally appliqued or collaged and the pieced quilts have largely been either random bits sewn together, or a beggining exploration of curved piecing. I can't quite grasp yet what the significance is of this for me - perhaps a native way for me to work that I am connecting with - this time with piecing. Perhaps when I create more designs using strip pieced fabric I will get a feel for the difference and understand more. Maybe I just like the cat :) I drew a pattern for a 4 inch horse block that was far too complicated for my skill level - and the pieces were just too tiny to work with. I simplified it and came out with this - same size but about half the pieces. And, it turned into a unicorn.

And here is an experiment with having the lion be at a distance - the head and tail are turned applique and the rest is pieced.

Now on to other beasts...

Beginning Beasts

The first week of 'Patchwork Beasts' is over and here is a sample of initial experimenting that I've done . The last one of the rainbow/horse is something I started in 'Spiritcloth' that is at the quilting stage. I will do another post about what I'm learning and of further work in progress.

Refreshment

With yesterday's very hot weather , I headed for Botany Bay and Botanical beach with their stunning scenery and interesting tidepools. Layers of sky, trees, rock, water and undersea life - and perfect temperatures.
Bliss...

The tide happened to be out and we were able to cross the coastline on the rocks from one bay to the other. I took nearly 300 photos - so much texture, line, shape and colour to sink into!

Some of the holes filled with sea life are very deep and I could imagine that I was walking on ice broken by fishing holes, instead of rock. I met many other creatures enroute, including these ones:

Maybe some of them will show up when I take the Patchwork Beasts stitch class that Jude Hill is offering, beginning next week. And here is a video clip with sentiments I appreciate, of Renate Hiller speaking about the value of handwork...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfoByYLSBY8&feature=player_embedded