Big Root Geranium, part 4

Here's the finished quilt top. I'm very pleased with the way the design came together; it has a lot of energy and movement, and it's a very happy piece. This is just a quick snapshot, and the colors are not quite true, but I think the idea still comes across.

Next I will layer it with batting and a backing, and start stitching. The quilting stitches will add a lot of texture and dimension. They will also serve to unify all the small pieces of fabric and let them visually flow together. I am also planning to do bead work on this one, which will add more texture and some flashes of reflection and light.

So you need to use your imagination--this is not the how the finished work will look, but the basic structure is set. An interesting exercise at this point is to take the image to grayscale and see what happens:

Without the colors to distract, the forms become more apparent. There's good sharp contrast in the cyanotype panels. The center of the piece reads lighter, and radiates out to the darker edges. There's enough contrast in the piecing to add interest, but not so much that it's jarring.

I like my work to be interesting and stimulating, but simultaneously be calming and peaceful. It's a fine balance, but I think I'm headed in the right direction with my Big Root Geranium.

Further updates as events warrant......