Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Slow Going

You know what they say about best laid plans. Especially mine.
Anyway, I had planned to have most of my book projects added to my store, but there must be some big holiday coming up because I've been seeing a lot of a activity in my wee little shop and that's been keeping me busy.
So, rather than a big deluge, I've added a few things everyday.
Yesterday I uploaded images of a some new fabric offerings.



What does this have to do with the projects in my book? Nothing, but I get distracted easily.

I've apparently regained my focus because today's additions do relate to my book.




Both of these quilts are minis made out of hand dyed and patterned stripes.



Really, the biggest difference in patterning the fabrics for these quilts is that I used a small calligraphy brush for one and a wide, house painting brush for the other.



There are a lot of design possibilities though in the humble line. I'm convinced that the simplest shapes offer the most inspiration. Oftentimes the more I try to impress myself and others with complex designs, the more I'm reminded that keeping it simple is really the best way to go. The funny thing about using a simple shape or motif is that it's open to so much manipulation that it can become complex. Maybe those two ideas are actually intertwined to some degree rather than being polar opposites?

9 comments:

Kathy York said...

Pretty!

Kim Hambric said...

Those little quilts are stunning! I agree that the best results often come from the simplest designs.

leigh said...

I LOVE those striped quilts. Both of them. I love your strips by themselves too. In short, great stripes :)

em's scrapbag said...

I love your beautiful bright colors.

Chase said...

Love it! You are amazing

Carolyn said...

Malka: i totally agree! As a matter of fact i was browsing my way around Flickr, noticing that the designs that most frequently catch my eye are the simplistic ones, the ones that don't try to say too many things at once.
that is not to say i don't occasionally love a riot of pattern or complexity, and I'll always be a self-confessed color-junkie. It's simply that less is indeed more, most of the time!

Your work appeals to me because it reminds me that simplicity can be vivid and fun and beautiful all at the same time.

florcita said...

I am delighted to have found your blog and shop! I already marked your book as a MUST to be bought soon... By the way, Congrats on the book.
I'm a felter and I dye my own wool and I have been playing with some shibori techniques... very very simple ones. That's why I love the idea of a book with different techniques and ideas. I wonder if what you do for fabrics can be applied to wool... after all felt is a woolen "fabric". Anyway, I will be sure to come back here often. Im adding you to my blogrol!

Lovely items on those pics!

wkropka von BILDschön said...

i'm really glad i`ve found your blog...beautyful quilts..all of them
greetings :D

prashant said...

I love your strips by themselves too. In short, great stripes :)

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