A few months ago I signed up for this year's EGA Challenge with a Twist. This year's challenge is "Layering as a Design Tool" and is led by Judy Jeroy. Until now, I've mostly been thinking. About layers: sheers, applique, layers of meaning, dimensional design...
After discussing it with a friend (thanks, Joyce), I decided to start where I did last year, with my photographs, hoping that would spark an idea. I ended up with two that I liked.
I could quickly envision the design--with a raw-edge applique background of dark green print fabrics and the lily applied on top. I could do the lily padded or dimensional or applique...maybe stitched fabric petals. Silk shading. But it just seemed to me like it came too easily--where was the challenge?
This was my second picture. A wheel from a huge steam tractor from the turn of last century. So I began to play with that image in Photoshop, simplifying it a bit.
And I came up with this and I was pretty excited. I like the design a lot and had no idea how I would stitch it. I decided that I was comfortable with the size of last year's challenge (about 8" x 11"), so I began working on a design outline in that size. I wrote to Judy Jeroy and she had some great suggestions.
I was thinking to start with solid fabrics from dark to light grey and then stitch on them for each layer. I gathered a bunch of FlowerThread that I'd collected over the years--it's dull finish would be great for the dull metal.
And then I got stuck. For a couple of months.
Finally, I decided first I needed to get a handle on the design elements. I used this version, with clearer outlines, to begin to draw the shape
of each of the layers and cut out a pattern for each layer.
I think I'm on my way.
