This quilt was started in a class I took back in 2002. The design is from the Marge Edie book, Bargello Quilts, and is called "Fractured Rhapsody." I finished the quilt top pretty quickly, but then was feeling really uninspired by it. Later that year, I took a beading class from Nancy Eha at the Houston International Quilt Festival. That's when I decided the quilt needed BEADS!
The Asian fabrics prompted me to check out a Dover clip art book titled, Chinese Designs, from which I adapted the dragon design.
Then, thinking the quilt seemed a little unbalanced, I decided that the dragon needed something on which to focus his rapt attention...
And so the moon appeared. It's an appliqued organza circle surrounded with beads.
I completed all of the beadwork and quilting in 2005. (I have no idea how many beads are in that dragon... but there are a LOT and it took a LONG time to do.) I even got most of the binding sewn down. But then I stalled, and the quilt sat in my UFO pile until I decided to enter it into the show. Last month, I finally finished the binding, got the sleeve sewn, and made the label.
It only took me 7 years!
It's funny... looking at this quilt now, there are a lot of things I would have done differently. The moon would be bigger and have a lot more beading (it's just way to subtle compared to the dragon). I would have added a weight to the bottom right corner to balance the weight of all the beading. I would have done a lot more quilting (the quilting is pretty minimal on this... just following the wave pattern of the bargello design, and pretty sparsely at that. The weight of the beading really called for more quilting, I think). But one thing I wouldn't change is the dragon. I just think he's pretty darn cool. And that's why I want to show off this quilt at the quilt show.
That is art.
ReplyDeleteAMAZING! Be very proud.
Wow, I am really impressed by that dragon! Also I love the star quilt.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I've added the show to my planner so I can come see your quilts in person.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and amazing-- I can't get over the bead work.
ReplyDeleteVery clever! A show stopper for sure.
ReplyDeleteRobin, I am just more and more amazed by your quilts! I hope you will periodically show some of your earlier quilts even if they aren't in a show because they are really beautiful. This one is so original and detailed.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful! Great job getting it completed. Thank goodness for deadlines. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWell, that is so great. That dragon is so awesome. Wow! that is a lot of beads but it sure is a great quilt.
ReplyDeleteWow, what an amazing quilt! Your dragon is incredible - it must have taken forever, but just looks so incredible. I like the way you've designed the label too.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this will get a lot of praise at the show.