First of all, many thanks to those readers who wrote in with ideas for future freebies. For the moment, birds of various types seem to head the popularity stakes, which is fine with me! But I will take all the interesting ideas into account. And if you have any further thoughts on the subject, please let me know. But for now, it’s on with things that I did for the Danish exhibition.
I felt that I need a very large, colourful centrepiece for the show, and when blog reader Karen suggested making a big panel from the twelve zentangle zodiac designs, I immediately knew that she was onto a winning idea. Karen did her own version, which I’ve seen and it’s beautiful, but I thought the world might be able to cope with two versions of the same idea, so here’s what I came up with
A zodiac of many colours
First I had a look in the shops for different colours of blue fabric to serve as the background, but there was nothing that was really right. So I just bought a couple of pots of fabric dye and produced my own background squares in several shades of blue. The designs are just the same old zentangle zodiac patterns that you’ve probably seen before, but they worked out well when stitched on the blue backgrounds. The squares were stitched directly onto a canvas backing fabric, leaving the edges free, and when it was all done (and it took me a couple of weeks to stitch it all) I sat for days fraying the edges of the squares, to give a three-dimensional effect to the panel. The whole thing is about 25 inches across so it should make a nice colourful splash
As usual with these big projects, there’s always something or other I’d change, given the chance, but I’m not going to! It will just have to go to Denmark as it is, and at least you can’t say it’s not colourful!
Hi Mia, You have created an outstandingly Fabulous work of art. The various hues of blue that you used throughout your background squares seem to just flow from one square to the next. Love the 3D look that you achieved through the fraying of the sides of each of the individual squares. Your zentangle designs make a very unique and colorful piece of art with all of the varying stitches that you incorporated into each of the animals and figures used. I am sure this is going to be one piece that will receive lots of praise at the Denmark show.
Wow! The combination of all colours is wonderful! Masterpiece! Thank you for your sharing.
I love it
I agree with Gail above, this is just such a showy piece of art on several dimensions. The blue background squares really blend the whole collection very well. You have a showcase! Way to go girl!!!
Mia, absolutely gorgeous. I really like the 3D “ragging” the edges of each square. The shades of blues you used allows each design to pop. Thank you so much for sharing.
I don’t think I’ve seen your zodiac pieces all together before. Stunning.
How hard is it to dye your own fabric? Do you do big pieces or cut smaller squares then cut to size?
The combination of your own dyed fabric and the embroidery really works.