Thursday, November 23, 2006

Jabberwock - finally


Well I thought I would at least get this posted before the next challenge, it was my last target, and I missed it. On the other hand I would have made it if the challenge hadn't come out early. This was a really difficult quilt to photograph and show the texture in it. It is really very scaly. It is also extremely three dimensional. Hopefully by taking pictures from many angles you can sort of see that. I thought the shadows in the first picture were really cool, and they do show how much the tail curves out from the wall.

You may remember I wanted to have the tail at an angle, as it now is. The solution was to put wooden slats in pockets at the top and bottom of the quilt. This holds the quilt firmly so it can support the wings and the tail at an angle. This is also a quilt the really needs a hanging sleeve to hang. The weight on it is very unbalanced so it needs to be supported along it's whole width.

The idea behind this is the view you have as the Jabberwock attacks. When it is up close all you can really see is scales, claws and teeth, but the human brain is very good filling in details you can't actually see, hence the wings and tail. I don;t normally do abstract at all so for me this was quite a stretch. I really enjoyed making it and I do love the finished quilt. It did bring up a lot of new problems for me to solve, cocktails sticks, balsa wood and invisible thread all played their part in making this work. I would love to hear what you think of it now it is done. I feel I missed the boat for the official challenge blog, so it will just be here.

It did occur to me I could enter this as the third challenge. After all it is an unusual shape, so it would fit. On the other hand that it cheating really and I do have something else I would like to have a go at. I do also have a lot of other work on right now, so no promises but I will see what I can do.

You can click on the photos to get a bigger image.

10 comments:

Nellie's Needles said...

You are truly amazing! It took so many skills as well as creative thinking to pull this one off.

Ferret said...

Thanks Nellie, I do love it and I just want to show the world :) It was worth overrunning the deadline.

Beverly said...

Wow, I am impressed! I scrolled back to see the first photos you posted of this, just to compare- it was definitely worth overrunning the deadline! The texture is well done, I want to know how you did those wings- in short, I think you did a wonderful job bringing to life a piece of one of my favorite poems.

Delta said...

OH MY GOSH! This one is GREAT! And you absolutely can post it to the challenge blog. There's no time limit on the blog for posting, and we've had several people overshoot the deadline. I think this one definitely needs to be posted though since it showcases exactly what I had in mind when I came up with the challenge.
Rhonda

Sonja Threadgill Nelson said...

THIS IS GREAT! I was waiting to see the finished piece...I'm with Delta on this, you need to post it to the challenge blog! Can't wait to see what you do with #3.

Roberta Ranney said...

You have managed to do last month's challenge and this month's all at once. This is such a striking work. I find it very abstract while still being able to identify teeth, claws, wings and that outstanding tail. The way you have managed to convey the Jabberwock without showing the whole thing is just too good.

I do hope you will post this on the challenge blog so no one will miss it.

Dormouse said...

He (it??) is fabulous. The finished wings really make it.

Ferret said...

Thanks folks, I will try and get it up on the challenge blog today.

Anonymous said...

Great work. Love the tail...pulls everything together.

Ferret said...

I love the tail too. I think I may have to reinforce it some more, it is determined to find a way to hang straight down, and that isn't allowed :)