A design element - A line or two

"Design Elements", now there's a phrase that could strike fear in the hearts of a few quilt artists.  That is what our little art subgroup from the Guild decided would be the focus of our studies this year.  No, no we are not talking about the elements listed on a science periodic table.  We're talking about those little building blocks used to create some spectacular quilts.

The first "element" we discussed was "line".  Rather than define it here, you can read about it in Design Explorations for The Creative Quilter by Katie Pasquini Masopust, and The Visual Dance by Joen Wolfrom, to name a few.

Instead, below is what I found to complete our Guild art group's exercise representing "line";  show examples of vertical, diagonal, horizontal and curved lines.

I found examples in previous photos I had taken and armed with my trusty camera, I searched the neighbourhood for more examples, and came up with these:

These aspen tree trunks were a good example of vertical lines.

On close inspection of a mushroom picked out of the lawn, check out the lines of the cap.

These leafless branches, could be reproduced in stitching also representing line. 

Then of course there were these curved examples. 

And lastly here is the diagonal line I found. See the fencing along the driveway?

 

So where does all this fit into quilting?  Hmmm...I wondered that too.  I thought that "line" as a design element could be a thin doodle, a thick strong curve, or a jagged line.  It is when you consider the numerous lines used in free motion quilting.

 

However line can also be a visual orientation.  For example, if you want to portray the height of a tree, a tall rectangular orientation emphasizes the linear aspect of the tree rather than a square

 

What other examples of LINE can you come up with?



Borders and more borders

If you are stopping by during the Canadian Quilt Blogathon, welcome.  Take a breather, put your feet up and sit a spell.  Have a look around and when you are done, stop and visit some of the other Canadian quilt blogs here in British Columbia.  You've got the whole week.

It took a while, but I finally managed to cut up some fabric that I bought a number of years ago and made a start on a quilt that utilizes pieced borders to dress up the focus fabric.  Here is a picture was I mean.

 

The picture is not that great, but you get the idea don't you?  There are three blocks there.  From left to right, there is a Seminole border, a checkerboard border and a star border.  These will eventually join 7 other blocks and are set randomly into a quilt. 

Now I'm off to finish up some "Paper and Stitch" project for our "Group of Seven Stitchers".

Remembering our Veterans

On this special day of remembrance,

 

I wear a little poppy,

As red as red can be

To show that I remember

Those who fought for me.