Awkward Dimensions

Last week I printed on some fat quarters with my Gelli plate and pine boughs. I thought I would try out some ideas, but I found I was having a really hard time wrapping my head around the required dimensions. It is proportionally narrower than I am used to working. Generally, I start with one shape and let things evolve around it. The dimensions grow as I add to the original piece. I was worrying too much about dimensions as I put pieces next to each other.

I decided I needed to cut a piece of fabric to the dimensions of the final piece. That way the piece can grow with constraints, but without the need of a ruler permanently in my sewing hand. I am going to look at the shape on my design wall to internalize it. Maybe I will end up printing on this fabric or maybe I will just pin my printed fabrics to it.

The shape is awkward to divide. I think same size blocks would look strange, but also boring and predictable. A division into top and bottom with some element diagonally connecting the two halves could work, but maybe too symmetrical. It could become a positive/negative sort of contrast. Decisions, decisions.

Line vs. Pattern

Line vs. Pattern

The most basic elements of a quilt are color, value, shape, pattern and line. In these mini quilts I am exploring the areas where they complement each other and where they compete. These postcard size quilts are made from scraps of the gelatin printed fabrics that I used in my last set of quilts. I often find it useful to create problems in miniature to avoid the necessity of ripping a larger quilt apart.

I chose a background and then collaged shapes on top. Then I wanted to see How the stitching on top would either enhance or obscure the design. In the one in the middle the thread acted mostly as pattern embellishing the shapes. In the one on the right line and pattern fought with neither winning. Too much was going on. The one on the right produced a happy marriage of line and pattern. These are things I will contemplate when I work on my piece. 

New Project for NE Quilt Museum

The Peripatetic Studio

I am Agusta Agustsson, a fiber artist. This fall I will be sharing my process at a show at the New England Quilt Museum called Explorations: A Journey in Creativity.

Many projects begin with cleaning out the detritus of the last project. This can get complicated in shared spaces.

I have this dream of a big open, white studio with a wall that is easy to stick pins into and evaluate my work up on wall as it grows. Instead I have a series of shared spaces.

My primary work area was formerly my son's bedroom and our sometimes guest room. It has my main sewing machine, shelves of art supplies, a small viewing wall and all the stuff my son left behind but is not yet ready to get rid of. My Guan Yin sits next to his Mr. Bill bobblehead. This room is not big enough for attaching quilt top, batting and backing together so I sometimes commandeer the dining room table. I also have a second sewing machine so I don't have to continually switch feet and machine settings. This machine shares a desk with my daughter's computer in the living room. The dog likes it when I sew in the living room because then she can sleep at my feet. But, I also need a spot for printing my fabrics which leads me to the basement.

The basement studio is a rich mixture of past and present usages.It was at one time my puppetry workshop, one son's miniature war game room, the repository of my husband's vinyl collection and another son's wood shop. I have cleared a spot for printmaking. I drape the drying fabrics on old snowboards and other miscellaneous objects. I can run into the laundry area to clean my brayer.

So, I will start my piece for the New England Quilt Museum by sweeping up sawdust, clearing up some space on my table and getting to work printing my finds from the forest, when it stops snowing!