Reveal #5 Close ups

René presented this challenge.  

We were given a beautiful piece of fabric

and asked to make purple an important of our piece.

FANTASY!

In the order of reveal:

"Lupine dreams in bluebonnets fields”

Lois

"The challenge “fantasy” was given and the fabric made me think of flowers back home.  As we’re in the process of moving back to Texas it seemed appropriate to depict my fantasy, the unreal thought of taking all of New Hampshire back with me!  This was an original design, first sketched, then the background fabric was created, appliqués where fused, some highlighted with fabric paint, some shaded with water based oil pastels or fabric pencils.  Stitched down with a bit of thread play and then the outer border was piece to flow with the background fabric depicting light falling across the piece." Lois

"Shangri-La: Near and Far?"

Ellen

"I was introduced to the techniques of creating a three-dimensional landscape scene in a workshop given by Jo Diggs.  It seemed particularly fitting for our theme of “fantasy” for our purple challenge.  The landscape is presented in a circular border to suggest that it is a dream.  Finally, what is the fantasy of the figure in the foreground?  Is it distant places or close at hand?" Ellen

"Melpomene & Thalia"

René

"For this challenge we were given a piece of blue/green/purple batik and instructed to use it as an important part of the piece.  The theme for the piece was “Fantasy”.  I decided that what could be more fantasy than “theatre” where everything is make believe.   I used the main fabric as my base and then wove two different colors together to form the background for the masks.  I appliquéd the masks on and then stuffed them.  I then embellished with ribbons and Swarovski Crystals to bring the piece to life.  My piece is titled “Melpomene & Thalia”." René

"Asie Mystérieuse"

Annick

"New technique: 3D twisted strips of fabric. How to depict "Fantasy" in Asia?  I was planning on depicting China with a dragon, Russia with a unicorn, India with Buddha but this proved too complicated.  Therefore, I combined strips of fabric with names of "Things That Never Were" (Encyclopedia written by Michael Page and Robert Ingpen, Parkgate Books).  Each strip represents Arabia (Scheherazade, etc), China (Ching-Wa Shen, etc.), India/Pakistan (Rakshashas, etc.), Japan (Shina-Tsu-Hiko, etc.), Russia (Ilya Muromyets, etc.) and various other Asian/Arabian countries (Draconis appadociae, Yeti, etc.) - a total compilation of 72 names.

My piece looks like a fan." Annick

"Octopus’ Garden"

Lisa

"Challenge #5 was one of those challenges where I knew what I was going to name the quilt before I knew what I was going to make! I struggled with not making it cutesy but I think there's still a little cutesy in it. I used paints, glitter glue and glass tile to embellish the piece. I used a fusible to attach the fish which I then used colored pencils to shade the fish. The seaweed is a few strips of fabric layered and then I sewed down the middle. I then cut the strips and frayed them. The majority of the piece consists of free motion machine quilting. The final touch was using a glitter cord on the binding to add a little pizazz." Lisa

"FANTASY ORBS"

 Patty

"Fantasy was the theme for this challenge using the purple background fabric as a significant part of the piece. Soon after the challenge was given, I went to a workshop at Snow Farm in Williamsburg, Ma led by Leisa Rich. We learned several fabric painting techniques and I wanted to use something I created there for my quilt, as it was a "Fantasy Weekend"! The orbs were cut from my favorite piece. It then felt celestial, and I added stitching and beading to enhance that theme." Patty

"Frolicking Fairies at the camp!"

Marie

"In our camp yard you will find the most ‘magical’ cooper solar lights which resemble flowers and are covered with vining leaves.  As dusk falls the ‘flowers’ come to life with light flowing down to the most perfect circle on the ground.  My mind immediately goes to visions of fairies dancing in the night while we sleep.   My challenge piece tried to capture that moment with the lights flowing and the ‘fairies’ dancing.  

An ‘earthy’ batik became the background.  I wove ‘lattice work’ from gold shear ribbon.  I used many different cords and yarn to create cording which become the vine for the two-toned leaves and the outer edge of the quilt.  The required batik became the ‘bulbs’ for the lights, flowing gold was added to represent the light beams and tiny beads with wing-like threads became ‘fairies’ playing in the moonlight." Marie