Friday, May 29, 2009

Fall Madonna (16"x16")

I've put the last stitches into the Fall Madonna. It's been hard to take photos I'm happy with, but these are the better ones of the bunch.

I like the way the foliage on the vintage napkin I used as a background seems to create movement, as if the whole piece is windblown.


I added a bird button. The Virgin of Guadalupe's appearance in the traditional story is heralded by bird song. I studded the background with small beads in lieu of quilting.

I may take out the cluster of flower buttons below her hands. As you can see, I put a stack of plain buttons underneath because the flower buttons have long shanks, but they still flop over, exposing the white button.

Here you can see the combination of fabric and silk embroidered flowers.

Now that this piece is finished, I've started working on some UFOs. I've surprised myself with some of the things I've found almost finished in my closet. I'm also making a slow transition from work to summer. I've got a few work projects to finish, so I'm not quite on vacation yet. Plus, Alex will be graduating, and my parents will be coming to visit, so I'm catching up on some deferred house keeping. No rest for the wicked, as my mother says. Not yet anyway.

10 comments:

Joyce said...

It's absolutely gorgeous. Crazy quilting brought to a whole new level.

allie aller said...

She is magnificent, truly! If this was for sale, I would want to buy it....Beautiful and inspiring....and the use of beads instead of quilting is genius.

About those buttons under her hands...a reader suggested to me once that a bugle bead through the shank, if it is brought to the back, works nicely. Maybe you could try it on a sample and see....

Have a joyous graduation for your fine son...

Debra Dixon said...

Fabulous, Barbara!

For the buttons, you might consider snipping off the shank and gluing the buttons on plain white buttons like Allie does with her rocks.

Judy S. said...

She is fabulous, Barbara. Your background of beads and leaves is perfect. Maybe you could put one of the leaves on top of the button?

Vicki W said...

Absolutely beautiful!

JoWynn Johns said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely! I agree about the movement.

Magpie Sue said...

Personally, I don't think she needs the buttons under her hands. Love the addition of the bird though :- ) I agree with Allie: I'd buy it if I could!

Susan Elliott said...

Happy Graduation and Happy Fall Madonna! I love her and all the leaves around her -- will you be doing all four seasons?

Granny Fran said...

She is a glorious Madonna. The leafy napkin print and embroidery make a perfect background for the figure. I would love to see a display of your and Debra's Madonnas at a quilt show.

meggie said...

That is really beautiful! What a lot of work, & it is lovely.

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