Sunset Parament

Yesterday, the latest commissioned church parament was dedicated at First Baptist Church in Amherst, N.S.  This piece was finished several months ago, and I have shown snippets here and there during construction; now I can share the entire piece.

Commissioned by the Lusby family in memory of their parents, this piece is for display during funeral services.  From discussions with both church and family, it was decided that a sunset would be an appropriate background.  My feeling was that the piece needed to be very, very simple, and calming, so I was conscious not to busy-it-up.  To this end, a lone tree silhouette seemed appropriate, and I knew just the tree. This one, on West Victoria Street, has always caught my eye, with its spreading, gnarled, branches. It is doubly appropriate as it overlooks land formerly owned by the Lusbys, and grows very near the family home. You can see the snow on the ground when I took this picture, perhaps around February.

After removing the background in the photo, I was left with quite a simple outline to stitch.  I decided to create an appliqué in free motion embroidery, that I could then easily add to a pieced background.

I used a variety of weights and colours of Aurifil thread, laying down the base in 28 weight and adding layers on top of 40 and 50 weight for finer details.

It turned out looking very like the original tree.

Previously, I had done a bare bones mock-up of the tree trunk to audition on different backgrounds, and sent it to the church and family to approve.  This is a digitally printed Hoffman fabric...

...and this is a background I made with vibrant Island Batik fabrics, sewn using a curved patchwork technique.

All parties agreed on the batik, so I proceeded to fill in the tree branches.

The parament measures 20-1/4" w  24" long, and is backed in a rich red satin.  The label reads as follows:

"The simplicity of the design invokes a feeling of serenity and peace, and features a lone, thread-painted tree silhouetted against a vibrant marsh sunset. The tree is inspired by an actual tree located on W.Victoria Street, Amherst, overlooking property donated by the Lusby family as the future site of the Cumberland County Hospice. Above the tree, two small birds are seen heading heavenward."

The project was finished and photographed in April...you can see we still had snow.

Change of Scenery, Change of Seasons

Last weekend we had a beautiful drive through Nova Scotia's Wentworth Valley.  The colours were spectacular, as they always are at this time of year.

Yesterday we enjoyed more of the same on our dirt road travels over Lynn Mountain.

Known for blueberry production, the red fields on Lynn stretch in every direction as far as the eye can see.  We took a short drive down this side road to the quarry. Although we traditionally associate yellows, golds, and browns with our fall/Thanksgiving palette,  clearly red is part of the mix as well.

I have been sewing red for another seasonal project as well.  I actually began this commissioned piece last January hoping to have it finished well before the deadline, but that hasn't happened.

Fingers crossed, it will all come together by week's end, and delivered to its new home on time.

Trouble Your Troubles

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”  (Dr. Suess)

Oh my...I've been avoiding looking at this antependium all week because I don't like the shape;  the top needs to be trimmed to accentuate that the design forms a cross but I just don't want to take the scissors to it again.  I trimmed the bottom section last week and am reasonably happy with it (although it took three full days before I looked at it again after I did that!)

I had hoped to leave the top section straight up to the hanging rod so that it would be well supported, but it makes the whole piece look top heavy.  Like an engineer designing a building, my plan B now is to double up the beam across the centre to carry the weight (i.e. if needed, I will add a sleeve with a rod across the centre to make sure it does not curl on the pulpit.) I've marked where I need to trim to make it match the curves in the bottom part;  now I just need the courage to pick up my scissors.  I don't have a big bat, Dr. Suess...but I have sharp scissors.

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way.”  

A wee hold up

The quilting has gone ok on the silk antependium - not perfect, but I wasn't shooting for perfect.  The scheme has been revised a bit and I've decided not to add multiple lines of cross hatching in the centre, but rather a single diagonal line.  In reality, there's only  2" of space there so this allows a bit of dimension to the surface.

As much as I was hoping to have this finished up by the end of the week, I have run short of fabric for the binding so will need a trip out of town to find some more white silk. (Imagine: an excuse to buy fabric...and as you will see in the next post, I`ve already added to my stash this week)

Decisions, Decisions...

The wedding antependium has been pieced and ready for quilting for a few days but I have been pondering my options on how to proceed.  Silk is a different animal than cotton and needs special treatment.  Using scraps of the white dupioni, I tested several different markers and left them overnight.  The purple air soluble was as bright the next day as when it was applied which is very odd.   It took a fair bit of soaking in warm water to remove the blue water soluble one, and even a bit of scrubbing for the Crayola washable marker to disappear.  The FriXXion leaves a distinct white mark which in this case is not horrible as it is a white fabric but even so I hesitate to use it...just in case.  I've decided in my typical fools-rush-in fashion that I will free hand the quilting and not mark anything.  I drew out my spaces full sized and doodled a simple design which I think I can do. 

I *think* if I eyeball the curve and make the feathers fit an imaginary boundary it will be ok.  Humility quilting for sure...A piece of masking tape across the centre point will give a temporary line to follow for the first straight line which the edge of the presser foot can then echo for the cross-hatching. Last evening was spent practicing the design on the full sized pattern.  Thankfully, I quilt better than I draw as my fingers no longer hold a pen well.  Polly watched jealously all the attention that paper was commanding.

Naturally, when I laid it on the floor to take a picture she saw her opportunity to claim it as hers.

The actual piece is hanging up out of Polly's reach or I am sure she would have that too...

(Blogger turned the picture sideways so you'll have to tip your head over to see it correctly!)  Some collective finger-crossing would be appreciated for the quilting because it cannot be ripped out successfully if it doesn't work.  I would have to start the piece over from scratch.  Oh, my...

DWR Appliqué

Making it up as you go along means you have to be open to "let's try this and see it if works."  So far so good.  Having never made a Double Wedding Ring (DWR) before I was unsure if it would be tricky to line up the rings for easy matching.  I decided that logically the rings would meet at a 45° angle in the corner.

It was a snap to put them together (sometimes that's not a good sign!)  It took three full days to appliqué the rings onto the squares;  working with silk is very slow...and slippery!

After the rings were appliquéd, I held my breath and began to join the blocks into rows.  Thankfully, the rings matched up easily.

These seams will all be pressed open with a damp press cloth and then the rows will be joined together.  It's exciting when it starts to come together!

Linking Rings

In addition to gold, there are three other shades of silk being used to form the design on the pure white background:  champagne, cream and ivory (no hubby, those words don't all mean the same thing *-). The colours are pale at the edge and intensify towards the centre.   It's slow going but the process is enjoyable.

Wedding Antependium Begun

In the past I didn't show pictures of the paraments as they were being sewn, waiting instead until the congregation had seen them.  As this one is for weddings, I don't think that's really a consideration anymore as it won't be presented as a beginning to a new church season.  I hope I am not breaking any rules!

Because the design is based on a traditional double wedding ring block, there were lots of choices to be made about how best to approach the construction.  Generally the blocks are pieced, but appliquéing the rings is also an option and that's the method I chose.  Within that discipline, I also had to consider if I would appliqué individual blocks or simply do the rings on a wholecloth background.  I decided to do individual blocks;  this way will allow me to combine patchwork and appliqué in the construction...and also help define my space for quilting.  I began by applying a featherweight fusible interfacing to the back of the silk habotai. The antependium needs to hang straight on the pulpit so having the piece a bit stiff is an advantage.

These are new silk pins so they are nice and sharp;  notice the pins only go in the seam allowance.  They can leave holes in the delicate silk.

I also bought new scissors and they are awesomely sharp!  They are identical to my old ones, so a special thank you to Lesley who gave me the cute little scissors fob. It makes it easy to see which pair to pick up.

I cut freezer paper templates with the seam allowance removed, ironed them to the back of the interfaced silk and using a glue stick, folded the edges under.  I clipped the concave curve so it will turn smoothly but not the convex one which turns neatly without encouragement.

The rings fit nicely on the 6" blocks.

I printed out another full sized pattern to make it easy to check the placement of the rings as I go.

 The big trick will be hiding the pattern from Polly...

Antependia Interruptus

It's raining outside, the hubby is home, the cats are restless...and I have an antependium to make.  This is a wedding parament and the design will be very traditional.  I've had my sketches drawn since November and bought the silk in January...and that's as far as I got.

I've been dragging my feet on this project for no good reason;  I just can't seem to get started.  To help nudge me along, I printed out my sketch full-sized thinking that might provide impetus.  It took 16 tabloid sheets which I taped together and then laid on the floor to measure.  The few minutes of attention that the paper got didn't sit well with Polly, who immediately claimed the paper as hers.  Squatter's Rights.  She was guarding her new territory fiercely when her tail started giving her grief.  Oh oh.  We knew what was coming, so I went for the camera...

 

(Don't be alarmed by the sirens, hubby is watching TV)

After a full 10 minutes of this, there isn't much left of my pattern.  Sigh...I hope it stops raining soon so the cats can go outside...

Roll With It

My favourite Steve Winwood song is playing in the background and I am flipping back and forth from one project to the next as the muse directs.  It's been a very creative month and I am letting it flow.
I have a commission for another antependium - a wedding one - so I picked up some silks on a recent trip to Moncton.  

Classed as a "special day" in the church calendar, the parament will be predominantly white. I chose a dupioni silk for the background, and champagne and gold dupioni and habitai silks for the elements.  The basic design is sketched out but I haven't decided yet whether to piece or appliqué it, so while that perks I drew out a couple of small projects which were in my head.  I am using up fabrics left over from the book projects;  this is the Cottage Lane collection from Michael Miller.

It's going together very quickly so unless I get distracted and start something else (!) it should be finished up in a day or two.  

Communion Antependium

With so many families away for the summer, I believe the dedication of the final antependium won't take place until the fall. However, it has been delivered and shown to many so I decided to blog it now just to finish up.  This is the last of the 16 commissioned antependiums.  I chose to go with white and gold to complement an existing table cloth used in this church for Communion.  Previously, I showed you the grapes here and spoke of the quilting in this post.  Here are a few "in between" parts.  First, is laying out the elements of the design on the background.  I just do a few rough sketches with black Sharpie on freezer paper, and place it underneath the silk.

 It is dark enough to show through the white silk.

Embroidery with gold metallic thread is added free motion.  In the beginning this looks like a big mess and you have this awful feeling that it's ruined and you (and by "you" I mean me!) will need to start over from the beginning...but eventually the details start to emerge, and you (I) can breathe again.

It's amazing how the thread builds into something that looks like hand embroidery.

Around and around and around and around and around and around and around the grapes...and then on to the next one.  It's such fun to whip out and add a tendril here and there.

A border of gold is stitched along the outside edges using my Bernina's built in decorative stitches.

The elements are outline and echo quilted free motion.

In addition to echoing the grapes and wheat, a 1" grid is quilted in the background.

The worst part was hand sewing on the satin binding.  I would think twice before using satin again on the outer edge.

I took a quick snap when it was delivered to make sure it fit.  It looks lovely in this beautiful sanctuary.

Happy Father's Day

The commissioned antependium was dedicated this morning,  100% silk dupioni background and figures, Chinese silk for the world.

Machine appliquéd with blind and satin stitching.

The red cord couched with Invisifil thread.

Bottom trimmed with cotton fringe.

Most Dads mean the world to their kids.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears

All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.