New Quilt: Lantern 3

 

Last year I started a new smocked art quilt, and spoiler alert, I hated it so much that after I finished it I didn't even want to blog about it.  But recently I made some changes to it to bring it back into my good graces, so I figured it was time to share.

I started, as usual, with painting fabric.  To be honest, I have no idea what prompted me to initially pick the yellow/pink/brown color scheme (with pops of turquoise?) but I did.  

Unfortunately, the paint didn't set well (my fault for washing it out before ironing) and then for some strange reason I painted on more brown and some purple?  I was in a time crunch for a show entry, so I just proceeded.  I quilted it, and then in an effort to make it more earthy, I couched a bunch of brown an orange yarn down in the quilting.  I smocked it using a tighter smocking pattern than usual and then mounted it on a piece of sono-tube to give it the semicylindrical lantern shape.

I love the shape and the smocking pattern, and I even love the extra oomph that comes from the couched yarn, but the colors were just gross.  Washed out, and pale, but also feeling like Easter candy barf?

I really struggled with what to do with this piece, come back Tuesday to see what I landed on.