Quilter in Distress: Nancy Schlegel
Rescuer: Karen Menzies
"Primordial Soup"
• 20" x 13"
Nancy: "The enclosed UFO was started for a Fast
Friday Fabric Challenge using the design principle of chiaroscuro--having a
contrast between light and dark. The inspiration for the piece was looking
across a lake at a group of dark pine trees with one branch of yellow maple
leaves. I feel the design lacks interest and variety. I added a
tree trunk but it hardly shows up against the dark background. It does have
some quilting on it but could probably benefit from more."
Karen: "I deconstructed the piece, removing the
background and foreground leaves, as well as one layer of tulle on the
background fabric. Beneath the leaves were pieces of dark brown fabric,
suggesting a trunk or branches. Rearranging a few of the leaves along a dark brown strip
presented a composition that was less static and more colorful. I then set out
to add movement and color. To achieve this, I flipped the yellow leaves upside
down and, by using the original leaves as templates, created a new set of
leaves in an autumnal color palette. The leaves I added are faced, raw-edged, and
stitched down using a variety of colored threads. The original leaves have been
repositioned and stitched down. Connecting some of the leaves with brown yarn
suggests a living vine. Wavy side edges and varied leaf orientations reinforce
a sense of movement."