Saturday, February 9, 2013

Year of the Snake


Happy Chinese New Year.  Whether you celebrate it or not, it's always fun to depict it in art. 


I started with good intentions.  In fact, I even gave myself a choice of how I would color my very bland bed sheet.  In the end, I chose to use my Staz-on reinkers and 91% rubbing alcohol over paint and water.  Unfortunately, it was so cold in my craft room, I forgot to provide step out photos.


It took several days and many false starts to finish this.  This is the largest quiltlet I have ever made.  It's really an art quilt wall hanging.  I didn't measure it, but it's definitely about 24 inches tall.

I realize my camera takes really, really lousy photos, but one detail you can see in this photo that is hard to see in the scans is the second layer I used.  I got the not-so-bright idea to add it under the very thin bed sheet I used for the top layer.  However, the second layer was made from stretchy fabric, an old tank top, that wanted its own way and, like a spoiled, unruly child, gave me a very hard time.  In the end, I simply allowed it to have its way.



In this detail shot, you see the collar and robe detail I made from ribbon, as well as the head and neck I cut from an old wet wipe. 


I surrounded the head with buttons.  Originally I intended to back all the buttons with red fabric, then changed my mind after I backed three.  The tree is supposed to symbolize the decoration Geishas wear in their hair.   The white face represents the white make-up they wear.


For the right sleeve (shown on the left side of the photo above), I wrapped four strands of fancy fibers and regular yarn together and sewed them in what I think is called a roving.  I know there's a name for what I did, but I am not that sewing savvy, so that's all I could think to call it.  You can also see the second layer in the above scan, too.


For the left sleeve, I used ribbon and rick rack, then used the last of the ribbon I thought looked a bit like the ribbon I used to delineate the center of the robe.


At the bottom, I show the year.

Since I'm unable to see my own blog (according to a phone conversation with my friend Scott, it might be either a blogger problem, or more likely, a memory or cache problem, or a result of something I might have downloaded that infected my computer), I'm spending the day with my friend Sally.  We are headed to a book fair out of town, but I'll be home tomorrow to celebrate Chinese New Year in style.  Have a great Chinese New Year tomorrow (February 10, 2013).


10 thoughtful remarks:

voodoo vixen said...

Oh yes, that is just beautiful E!!!
Love the colours and the back piece of material that gave you problems actually gives it some interesting definition!! Sorry your pc is still playing up, hopefully Scott will be able to sort it for you soon!!
Happy New Year of the Ssssssnake!!

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Yippee! Wonderful to see some beautiful art! This quiltlet is amazing! I rather like the wrinkled background which was caused by that unruly fabric! Have a great time at the book fair!

Halle said...

Love the art quilt. You put a lot of thought and time into it.

Darla said...

What a great quilt. I love all the detail on the kimono. The colors used for Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) always delight me.

Darla

Monica said...

nice art quilt. thanks for reminder so tonight it will be stir fry!

Anonymous said...

Fun art quilt. Enjoy yourself for the Chinese New Year and hopefully the snake will fix your computer! xox

Dianne said...

what a fun way to celebrate Chinese New Year...with the red & yellow robe! traditional colors with a twist...may you have the best of luck and good fortune this year!

Olga Siedlecka said...

Wonderful piece, so unique!

Caterina Giglio said...

gosh, I hope you get your computer problem worked out ... must be really frustrating for you, E...

~*~Patty S said...

Happy Chinese New Year ... Mr M was telling me how lots of Chinese people are wearing monkey pendants and such to counteract the negative side of snakes and their symbolism for the year ... guess monkeys know how to handle snakes LOL
oxo
p.s. you put alot into that lovely creation as you always do