Decisions, decisions

Even in its portrait layout, there is something  wrong with Icarus' Dream.  Probably a combination of low contrast, and poor definition of the feathers.  I thought of triming it down to echo the larger "wing" shape, but realized that the added problem of how to hang it would just magnify the existing contrast issue.  I really like this concept, and design. Having booked the space at the upcoming Art Show, I felt that I would still display it.  ( Not a very good decision!), as I really didn't have an option.

Then the most recent issue of Quilting Arts Magazine arrived, and there was an article on using discharging to create contrast.  The article specifically recommended using the technique with hand dyed fabric.  What do I have to loose?  I put Icarus' Dream aside, and pulled out my hand dyes fabric.  The article spoke of several different discharge chemicals, but most of them were bleach based, and required quick application and removal of the chemical, so as to control the amount of discharging.  Knowing I would need time to carefully paint on my chemical, I decided to use Jacquard Discharge Paste.  Checked my supply and found about 1/4 cup in a bottle, that I think I bought about 15 years ago.  I used it to check out how the fabrics I had chosen would discharge, but decided ( there's that word again!) to order more, on line.  This also meant paying a bit more for shipping as there are so many post office holidays in the next week or so, that it might take a month for the stuff to arrive.

The magazine showed using a pieced background for the work, so I pieced three hand dyes and then set out to audition thread.  The fabrics are green and blue, so an obvious choice, for quilting the feathers, would be orange-y. Not being fond of orange, I went toward copper, but that just died out against the fabric.  ( I had also tried all sorts of variegated thread, both Sulkey Blendables and Superior King Tut, but decided not to use a cotton thread for fear of the discharge paste altering the colour of the thread)   I finally found a Trilobal polyester--Superior Magnifico in a deep red.  When the blue fabric discharges there is a pink-ish tone to it, that works well with the red.  The red is very close in value to the fabric, but is still visible because of the hue.  I'm hoping that, once the piece is finished and discharged--which is the very last step--the red will visually blend into the blues and greens a little more.  Once that choice was made, I found a lovely Superior Twist, in olive green, that will be perfect for the background quilting.

I'll let you know how it goes.