Tableau: the background is DONE!
Hoooray! I got the background of the Tableau quilt finished today…well, most of it…think I’ll add some borders once I get the rest of it done. Here’s a picture of the background without any figures:
Then, here’s before I finished the sewing (both “piecing” and mostly invisible applique..I actually turned under the edges!), but placed figures on it. I like the placements here better than in the last photo. In addition to the Mary and baby, Joseph and the kings, there will be a manger to the right of Joseph, three or four shepherds on the left (see the faces pinned up) and an angel in the upper left. I plan on adding a comet in the upper right sky area (kinda pointing down toward Joseph’s head), a cow in the stable, a donkey coming in from the far right with the kinds, a sheep sleeping in the foreground somewhere, maybe a cat, a dog…another sheep?
This last photo is after I finished the background, and pinned up just the completed figures. Think I like the placements, above, better. I am thinking of adding a border on three sides, only…left, top and right, with a bias insert of the green plaid (winter uniform fabric), then the navy “batik” of the sky. I can quilt some larger words into this area……I also need to do something to punch up the contrast between Joseph’s garment and the stable…he may acquire a cloak….
I LOVE the mountains, but at the moment they seem kinda distracting. May need to tone down the white with a wash of green paint. Will wait until I have all the figures done, the halos added, and the comet in place and then decide…..let me know what you think!