Wednesday, September 22, 2010

What's Next?

I may be teaching a class in making free-pieced letters early next year, and since I am a visual learner, I want to have examples to show my prospective students.
I had the idea of making a small quilt showing different ways of making letters - completely crazy, and irregular, free pieced but more regular, letters taking advantage of fabrics (fussy cutting), using "fonts" and so on.

I liked the idea. Since I've just finished a big quilt with fairly precise, planned letters, I knew I wanted the first word to be completely relaxed. You may not believe it, but it's kind of tricky to completely let myself go and make totally silly letters.

I love words. If James Lipton ever asked me, "What is your favorite word," my answer would be "Rutabaga." I just like the way it sounds.

I also love color, and pigment names, Alizarin Crimson, Gamboge, Aureolin, Dioxazine, Quinacridone... From there it wasn't a big leap to do words of color.

Actually, I started with: Turquoise, Bordeaux, Alizarin... I was still stuck on wanting to be able to incorporate each of the letters in the alphabet. There aren't many pigment names that use a "J", or even an "F." "P," "K," and "Z" are pretty tough for non-obvious color names.

Turquoise, Bordeaux, Paprika, Saffron, Viridian.... Bordeaux, Cinnabar, Chrome, Phthalocyanine... the list goes on, but it isn't as big as you think. I wanted to use interesting names for each color, but not the stupid paint chip names that have nothing to do with real things.

And I wanted names that people could connect to... so even though I know what color "Chlorinated Copper Phthalocyanine" is, most wouldn't, so that was out.

And -of course- the words couldn't be -obvious- because that would be -boring- and we all know I -hate- boring!

SO!

Turquoise, a blue stone, in completely crazy blue letters.

Aubergine, Eggplant, a purple vegetable, a bit more precisely pieced.

I got to "Aubergine" from "Asparagus," believe it or not. I was halfway through "Bordeaux" when I decided to make "Aubergine" instead. The big bonus was that it was nine letters long! Too funny!

But then.. VERMILION! Another nine-letter word!

Vermilion, a red pigment, with some fussy-pieced letters.

OKAY! Too much fun! The concept of trying to include all the letters in the alphabet flew dramatically out the window, and the idea of nine-letter words that are the color of some pigment, food, spice, fruit or something that is obviously a color was in!

So the next word in the sequence is...

Persimmon.

10 comments:

Megan said...

Wish I lived closer so I could join the class! Great news that you'll be teaching. Is this something new? or have you done it in the past?

Megan
Sydney, Australia

Lisa said...

pewter? petal pink? those sound too banal for you! what will it be????

Helen said...

I think the person who comes up with those wacky colour names for paint has the BEST job! I am just about to blog my M and A in my first attempt at free peicing letters..... you make it look easy!

Cyndi loves to stitch said...

Love your free form letters, wish more people could break free of only being able to do somsthing with a pattern. I first thought you spelled vermilion wrong, but found it is spelled both ways (vermillion) yea!!!

Cyndi loves to stitch said...

Love your free form letters, wish more people could break free of only being able to do somsthing with a pattern. I first thought you spelled vermilion wrong, but found it is spelled both ways (vermillion) yea!!!

Sara said...

Lynne,

You will have to let me know where you are going to teach this class - you know I'll go - if it is close enough...

Would love to take a fun class like that!

Clare said...

Ok - you've got me stumped. What colour is Chlorinated Copper Phthalocyanine!

Love the Vermilion one.

Tonya Ricucci said...

massively in love with this quilt already!

Tine said...

I love this idea! You are just coming up with one awesome quilt after the other ;)

Quilter Kathy said...

Fabulous! I want to take your class!!!