The Dilemma of Skies

While I totally enjoy creating representational landscape quilts, often the hardest part for me is the sky. I have collected many, many blue fabrics that help capture the texture and tones of a cloud filled sky. Once the fabric is selected, the choice of free motion quilting is often even more problematic. I have tried various approaches. In the three examples below, I actually cut out the entire sky in the second and replaced it!

Very Subtle

Interpreting from the fabric design

Trying a pattern

My latest project is adapted from a beautiful photo of the Boundary Range in Alaska by Mark Adamus. The photo captures an arctic flow through the mountain range with the sun reflecting beautifully off the peaks. I have been having a great time creating the mountain tops. But, of course, there was the issue of the sky. Often I leave it till last, but I decided to tackle the issue early on in my design.

A blue sky simply wasn't going to cut it this time. As I searched through my stash, a piece of hand dyed cotton I acquired from Lisa Walton years ago jumped out at me. I compared the highlights in my photo with the hand-dye - I could see a relationship! I started cutting and playing with arrangement.

Not bad! I am pleased. I knew there was a reason why I was saving that piece all these years! Of course, the dilemmas of quilting still remain, but I'd rather not think about that now! :)