Connecting Design to Stitch- Landscape

This year the Waverley Art Quilters have decided to study the book Connecting Design to Stitch by Sandra Meech.

Every month this year we are researching the various topics that can be used as inspiration for an art quilt.
This month we have been studying Landscape.

Landscape is a very popular subject especially for pictorial quilts. Sandra Meech suggests that we can explore colour and light like the Impressionists, or the flow and curves of rivers, forests, lakes and aerial views, Man's organisation such as crops and farming or the wild and untouched landscapes.
Another very popular subject matter is Seascapes.

I love landscape quilts and of course it is a very popular subject for painters as well.

I have only done a few small landscape quilts, mainly because the large ones are so time consuming and my crazy quilts and applique quilts are also very time consuming and there is only a limited amount of time for sewing.

We studied David Hockney last year and I did this A3 sized landscape.

Hockey Inspired by Linda Steele

Earlier this year I made a little quilt of a heron and I was remembering how the wetlands need a balance of sun and rain to survive.

Balance in the Wetlands

When we studied Monet I made a waterlily quilt and even though it's subject is water it comes under the landscape quilt category.

Monet's Waterlily by Linda Steele

Way back in 2006 I made a small landscape quilt called Hide and Seek.

Hide and Seek

The largest landscape quilt I have made is called Lakeside Reflections.

Lakeside Reflection by Linda Steele

 There have been so many beautiful landscape quilts made by quilters over the years, some very realistic and others much more abstract.

I wrote down some ideas for subjects that I could use in the future:
Wetlands, Seasons, Trees, Sunsets and Seascapes.

Lots of ideas but not much time, just like everyone else I suppose but it is fun to imagine and dream.

Bye for now,
Linda

My Different Life

My life changed last November when my first Grandchild was born; changed for the better of course. Little Savannah took over our lives and our hearts and I spent a lot of time at my daughter's place helping her cope with all the new demands on her time.

Now there has been another change because my daughter has gone back to work as a primary school teacher and I have Savannah at my place during the week. It is only for this year and next year we will have a new routine.

It's been a month now and I feel very lucky to be able spend so much time with Savannah and feel lucky that she is getting to know and trust me so well too.

Savannah 5 months

She looks happy enough in the above photo but the first couple of days that she was here was a different story. She wanted her Mum and she didn't know me or my house very well and she was very demanding.

First day

Look at that scared little face! If someone had taken a photo of me you would have seen a similar expression on my face. One of the only things that kept her happy was walking around outside. I was completely exhausted and my hands and arms ached from carrying her. I didn't know if I would be able to cope with her for a year.

Everyone I spoke to said that it will get easier and by the next week things had settled down and we got into a routine with me feeding, singing and dancing to amuse her.

She started eating solids and at first she sat on the kitchen bench to eat.

First foods

Then I got wise and realised I would have to go shopping for some baby items to make things easier.

One of the first things I bought was a highchair.

She loves her food.

We have a routine where I hang out the washing every morning and I put her into some warm clothes and a pusher and she watches me.

Putting out the washing

As well as starting food she has learnt to roll over.

Rolling over

I realised that she got bored easily and so I have bought a few toys to help us get through the day.

Driving

Bouncing

Yesterday we had another first because she sat by herself without falling over for at least 15 minutes.

Sitting for the first time- 6 months old

I am hoping that things will get easier now because she never liked laying down much.

So my life has changed dramatically but don't worry my blog will not be filled with baby photos. I am actually still getting some sewing done.

Savannah sleeps for at least two hours everyday and I always have some hand sewing waiting on the couch for sleep time. My weekends are free and I get as much sewing done as I can then.

I am still working on my seasons quilt.

Autumn Leaves

Fuchsia's for summer

I know why women have babies when they are young, everything is so much harder and slower when you are older!

Bye for now,
Linda

Connecting Design to Stitch- Nature Inspired

We are trying something new in the Waverley Art Quilters Group this year. Usually we study an artist or topic and make a small art quilt based on what we have learnt. We have doing this for a few years now and thought a change would be a good idea.

We have chosen to study a book by Sandra Meech, called Connecting Design to Stitch. If you click on her name it will take you to her website and you will find images of her wonderfully creative quilts.

The idea of studying the book is to explore personal themes and styles through composition exercises and design classes.

The first theme we have to explore is Nature. Nature is an inspiration for many artists including myself. I have already done many quilts with a nature inspired theme.

I love using birds in quilts.

Sydney's Flamingo ©2014 Linda Steele

Reflections ©2013 Linda Steele

I've done quite a few quilts with a flower theme.

Art Nouveau ©2011 Linda Steele

Viola ©2012 Linda Steele

Rose © Linda Steele

Of course my Crazy Quilts often use nature as its theme.

New Zealand Block from Naturally Crazy ©Linda Steele

Crazy about Spring © Linda Steele

Even though I have done many nature inspired quilts I hope to do many more.

Bye for now,
Linda