Monday, August 19, 2013

Essence of Australia

My quilt was inspired by the tree at the front of my house.
 It has gorgeous bark
and it so happened that I had fabric in similar tones.
Because the colours and the tree are so iconic, I wanted something iconic to go with the fabric, so I chose the verse of Dorothea Mackellar's famous poem, "My Country"*. I think just about everyone in Australia knows the words that start "I love a sunburnt country..."  I wrote the words out on a 12 inch by 12 inch sheet of paper, just to make sure they would fit.
*By arrangement with the Licensor, The Dorothea Mackellar Estate, c/- Curtis Brown (Aust) Pty Ltd.
I rewrote them on the quilt sandwich itself, using a Frixion pen.  Then the quilting started.
I knew I wanted to use the leaves in some way.
I happened to have some used (and dried) tea bags.  Ah!  Bush tea is a combination of very strong black tea, swirled with a gum leaf for flavour.  I scattered the leaves over the quilt top, then laid a tea bag on top and stitched around each leaf.
I cut around the leaf shape.
These are real, untreated leaves.  As I stitched, I got the scent of the eucalyptus - and as they dry out and crumble, there will be only the shape left - hence "essence" in both cases.
I did a faced finish rather than a binding, as I wanted a clean edge.  I slightly rounded the corners.
Finished!

Check out the following blogs/posts for more creative inspiration!

15 August             Linda Stokes                   linda-stokes.blogspot.com
17 August             Robyn McGrath               SAQA Oceania blog
21 August             Felicity Clarke                 bearlytherecreations.blogspot.com
24 August             Susan Mathews               susanmathews.info

3 comments:

  1. Always enjoying how the effects are achieved - it's great, Kate.

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  2. Love this Kate - it is beautiful and love the story that goes with it

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  3. The way you put the leaves on the quilt was very moving and poetic. Your work is very soft and delicate. You are creative for being inspired by your tree. A moving and stunning work.

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