I Can Dance!

A while back I made a small art quilt and sent it in for the Quilting Arts Rock On challenge.  The winners have been chosen and published in the magazine - issues #38 and #39 - (nope, not me!), my quilt has been returned, and I can now show off my entry.

The challenge was to illustrate how Rock and Roll music has affected your life - or how it inspires you - or something in that general way.

I based my piece on the song, "Do You Love Me Now That I Can Dance?"  I grew up in the 60's and for one brief, shining moment (wait, that was Camelot!) I could actually dance!  Perhaps not well or often, but I danced with abandon!

My first step making this quilt was to remember all the names of dances from the "good old days."  Then I played with some Word Art.  The hardest part was thinning the list down to a few for an 8" x 10" quilt!

 

Then I took a photo of my feet - in dancing shoes of course!  I cut  out shoe appliqués and auditioned them onto a piece of hand dyed cotton.  My very first attempt at tie dyeing!  I can't believe I survived the 60's without trying this before!   

I printed out my Word Art and used it as a template and free-motion stitched the letters.  I also free motion stitched the background quilting, adding some notes and musical clefs here and there. 

I really like this piece, although after it has "aged" awhile, I wish I had added beads or some kind of bling.   Ah well.  This is a journey and I learned quite a bit on this trip.  And had some fun, too! 

Now, if I could just dance!