Friday, May 1, 2015

DitG Tagore


In addition to the large embroidered blocks that anchor Leanne Beasley's stitchery quilt, Down in the Garden, there are little bits of stitching scattered all around it. I really like these little details that are stitched over printed fabric, so there are two layers of interest. The fabric is from Tamara Kate's 2013 collection, Flight Patterns.

I intended to use these medium dark blue flowers all over the quilt, but it turned out that they didn't work elsewhere, so this is the only place they remain:





The quote is from Indian writer and painter Rabindranath Tagore's Poems on Time. Wikipedia also has this nice piece of synchronicity, written exactly 100 years ago:
Who are you, reader, reading my poems a hundred years hence?
I cannot send you one single flower from this wealth of the spring, one single streak of gold from yonder clouds.
Open your doors and look abroad.
From your blossoming garden gather fragrant memories of the vanished flowers of an hundred years before.
In the joy of your heart may you feel the living joy that sang one spring morning, sending its glad voice across an hundred years.
The Gardener, 1915.[165]

These butterfly sections will be scattered around the quilt, while the contrasting bee quote is featured in the large centre block. You haven't seen it since the end of Ink Week last fall, but it is now almost done. I just have a little of the lettering left. But, I also want to do it justice with some good photos, so it will need some sunshine as well. With luck, next week!

10 comments:

  1. this looks a big project I will enjoy following you on your journey around the garden

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  2. Such lovely stitching on this printed fabric. Delightful!

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  3. Lovely embroidery. This is turning out to be a a lovely quilt.

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  4. What a lovely quote to stitch onto your beautifully embroidered block. The blue lazy daisies on the very cheerful, yellow print do remind me of a sunny warm spring day in a garden. I think your block perfectly reflects the essence of the poem. (I have already copied the poem into my "favourites", and intend to look for the book.)

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    1. Thank you! The poems have quite a nice feel to them, don't they? I think there's something universal about gardens and gardening.

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  5. They do indeed have a good feel. I like the sentiment, the expression - and the stitching. I have trouble getting lettering straight on fabric. I need to use a ruler more than my eye! What pen did you use and did you trace or write the words?

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    1. Thank you, Jillian! I have been using the Pigma micron permanent, archival pen in the narrowest size -- 005. I generated the text using Microsoft Word, and traced it with pencil. Once I knew it was ok I went over the pencil with the permanent ink. No light box needed with the thin, light fabric -- I taped the paper to my table, then taped the fabric in place over top. A bright light from the top shines right through so it is easy to see the dark lettering underneath. I lined it up by eye, but I think the key is to have the paper taped down first so it stays put while you fiddle with the fabric. Hope this helps!

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    2. It surely does, Monica. Thanks. My tendency is always towards winging it freehand with pencil. I am reforming as of now!

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  6. Awesome poems...awesome idea. I like the two layers of interest, love embroidery and those little blue flowers work for me...I'd have them all over!

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  7. Love the stitching! Going to be a gorgeous quilt Monica

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I'm told Blogger has been bouncing some comments, so if it happens to you I'm sorry! But the settings look right so I can't explain it. In any case, thanks for reading!

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