The Opposite of Improv – part 1

One of the things that inspired me to sign up for the “Working in Series” online class at Quilt University is the process of working from photo to sketch to design. The art quilts I’ve made up to now have been firmly in the improvisational, make-it-up-as-you-go camp. I thought it would be fun to try something new, and so far I’ve been having a blast (and not getting much of anything else done in the sewing studio… NYB blocks and future pillow covers have been entirely neglected this past week).

I decided not to persue the pergola series for this class (although I’m sure the class will inspire new ideas for it), but to start with a new theme. Last Sunday was a lovely day after a long stretch of overcast and damp, so I took my camera for a stroll down past Honolii beach park,

and under the highway (quilt series potential there in the shapes and shadows of the underpass)…

… and along the stream, where there’s an abundance of tropical foliage…

… and a picturesque bridge or two…

… complete with waterfalls…

I’d been thinking that bridge shapes or monstera leaves would be a fun art-quilt theme…

… but when I came to the breadfruit trees I knew that was it:

“Ulu” is a very popular Hawaiian applique motif, because the breadfruit was an important staple food for Pacific islanders and is a symbol of abundance. Beginning Hawaiian quilters are told that if their first quilt features Ulu they will never lack for life’s essentials. As you can imagine, there are many “Ulu” quilts around, and even more “Ulu” pillow covers (a good size for beginner projects).

You can download a free pattern for this one here.

Ulu has beautiful large leaves with good graphic impact:

This won’t be my first quilt, or even my first art quilt, but it will be my first quilt design that began with a photo:

I’ve started working on the first one, but this post has grown quite long so I’ll leave you with the teaser detail up top for now. This morning the sun is out again and while there are many projects on my desk that await attention, it would be wrong to live in such a beautiful (and often rainy) place and not get out to enjoy it while the sun shines….

Tagged as: art quilt, Quilt University, Ulu quilt, working in series