WIP Wednesday - May 30

Today I took out a project that was started at Quilt Canada in Calgary in 2010. One of the classes I signed up for was the Yellow Lady Slipper taught (and designed by) Renske Helmuth. I thought I would enjoy the leisurely pace of needle turned applique and the subject matter was something I also loved, having a lady slipper growing in my garden. The class also included a sashiko border - something I knew nothing about at the time.
Needle Turn Applique
 Renske's technique involved using the shadings of the fabric to give depth to the applique shapes and you can see that here on the flower - the shade from light to dark emphasizes the roundness of the flower itself. My leaf shapes are not as defined as the sample photo, but you can see how different shades of color give depth to what is there.
Yellow Lady Slipper with Sashiko Border
 The second part of the project was a sashiko border. Truthfully, I wasn't looking forward to this part of the workshop - after all, how interesting could it be to do a running stitch? Well, it turns out that I enjoyed doing the sashiko more than I enjoyed the needle turned applique! Renske had a number of samples of sashiko with her and when I got home, I went online and reserved all the sashiko books out of the public library and now have a few of my own.
Close up of sashiko border
Needless to say, this was a large project for a one-day class and it comes out every so often and I complete another leaf, or another flower, and today I finished the 2nd flower! All the other shapes are traced and on freezer paper. I'll cut them out, iron them onto fabric and will be all set to finish the applique through the summer.

Have you taken a class and not finished the project? Tell me about it!

--Ann

Joining WIP Wednesday at Quiltsy: WIP Wednesday #12
And at the Needle and Thread Network: WIP Wednesday #41
And for the first time joining WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced

Comments

  1. Marjorie's Busy Corner30 May 2012 at 18:02

    This is a very nice piece...love the border

    ReplyDelete
  2. monika@mysweetprairie.ca30 May 2012 at 19:27

    Oh that is so very pretty! Thank you for linking to The Needle & Thread Network!
    : )
    ~Monika in Saskatoon

    ReplyDelete
  3. elle30 May 2012 at 20:27

    Beautiful job of handwork. I'm trying to remember a class that I actually finished the project. oh boy?

    ReplyDelete
  4. barbara woods30 May 2012 at 20:35

    love your work

    ReplyDelete
  5. Regina3 June 2012 at 15:57

    Lovely work! What discourages me from these kind of quilts is the necessity of finding just the right fabrics.....as for unfinished class projects: no classes in my reach, I have to create UFO's without help. ;-)

    ReplyDelete

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