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Saturday, March 18, 2017

Red Robin Panel 7: I'm just a kid again, doin' what I did again

Panel 7 is a a female robin and I worked it once again in stem stitch. The orange is true to the colour rather than the pink! This is also one of the smallest of the robin panels.
When I first conceived these panels, this was one of the first that I knew how I'd approach. I wanted it to reflect the activities that occupied my time as a child.



















  playing quoits, swimming, reading

















skipping, playing ball and Jacks (knucklebones in some cultures)














riding my tricycle and going to high school in my brown uniform carrying a briefcase.


The bird is completely our of proportion to the little figures - but I think that's part of the metaphor of this story.


















I have continued backing the squares with the batik stripe and quilting the edges in a bold running stitch, now using six strands of variegated thread.




I'm very happy with this panel.

9 comments:

margaret said...

you have brought back so many childhood memories seeing this piece you must be thrilled with it

Monica said...

That thick quilting looks fantastic! The variegated thread on the hand dyed fabric is just beautiful.

How are you starting all your little figures? Do you freehand draw them on the fabric? It all looks wonderful. What a great piece this is. :D

Jillian said...

Thanks Monica. I don't draw anything on to the fabric, nor, for this one, did I draw on paper. I worked out in my head where the main activities were to go, then I stitched straight on to the fabric, aiming for the basic shape of the action. I worked the biggest spaces then filled in the others. I love working like this!

Jillian said...

Thanks Monica. I don't draw anything on to the fabric, nor, for this one, did I draw on paper. I worked out in my head where the main activities were to go, then I stitched straight on to the fabric, aiming for the basic shape of the action. I worked the biggest spaces then filled in the others. I love working like this!

Monica said...

I'm impressed! I guess the practice on all the previous pieces is paying off. :D

Jillian said...

😋

Sue K. said...

Jillian,

I was interested to see your Australian Robin it is so different from the North American Robin and the English Robin, which is much smaller. Though I am Canadian, I had an English Mother - She was a Yorkshire Warbride - and she always missed the English Robins. We have a collection of them at home and I love them too.

You're panels are lovely - very different,

Sue K. said...

Jillian,

I am very interested to see your Australian Robin, it is so different from our North American Robin and so much bigger than the English Robin. Though I am Canadian, I had an English Mother - she was a Yorkshire Warbride and always missed the lovely little English Robins. In fact we have quite a collection at home.

Your panels are very impressive - lovely stitching - very inspiring.

Sue K.

Jillian said...

Thank you so much, Sue. I did not know a lot about Australian robins myself until I began this project. They are not common where I have lived. It's been fun learning about them through embroidery!