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Sunday, February 19, 2017

Red Robin Panel 3: Wake up, wake up you sleepy head, get up, get up, get out of bed.

I'm working at the moment on a plan to alternate the male and female Scarlet Robins on each panel. This may change as I see how they are fitting together. This one, however, is a female and I worked her in stem stitch again.













To tell the story I began with a series of little hammocks slung from trees across the top of the panel. The hammocks are worked in needle-lace.
Underneath each hammock is the shape of a tiny person. The hammock can be lifted to reveal the sleeper underneath.













The more difficult part was embroidering sleeping people inside buildings. I hesitated between a home and a dormitory - such as a camp or shearers' quarters. In the end I went for a hybrid.I tried for straight and neat - but ended more Grandma Moses! This bit is shapes only - nothing to lift and reveal the sleepers.

The birdsong in this panel is my attempt to capture the song of the Scarlet Robin itself. I am not a musician and do not read music more than knowing one note is higher or lower than another. I found some recordings of Scarlet Robin birdsong  and played them over and over, trying to gain a sense of the way the notes might flow.  This time I worked the notes and sound waves before I added the panel back!
I also stitched over the words on this panel. I'm not happy with the 'take' of the printed words.
Finally I added the back panel and quilted lines around the borders of the panel. It's a bit wonky and crude but I think the story is there.

I'm enjoying this move into what is turning out to be narrative embroidery.









3 comments:

Monica said...

Each panel is more thoughtful and detailed than the last! It's really an amazing project. And the blog will be a helpful adjunct, I think, to document all the details. Are you about half way now?

Jillian said...

Thanks Monica. Yes, it has really developed a life of its own. I'm now working on the 9th, and last panel. I'm planning on turning the blog posts into a book to go with the finished quilt.

Monica said...

That is a great idea! And then show the book on the blog!