Me!

I finished the self-portrait from the Sue Benner workshop last weekend. In fact, I took the workshop on Saturday and had the quilt finished to share at the DAFA meeting on Monday. As I was debating how to do the background, Sue said, "Sometimes you just have to commit." So I did.
I brought this photo with me to the workshop. (It was taken at my birthday lunch.)
It was a little difficult to get started. I wasn't thinking too clearly when I gathered fabrics to bring to the workshop, so I had to make due. Thus the leafy face. (Which I actually like.) Sue also said during the workshop, "No one is allowed to say that they didn't bring the right fabric."

I began by sketching right on to the batting and then free cutting shapes that fit. I had the hair, face and shoulders done by early afternoon and then I had to address the facial features. I really didn't want to do them at all. What's wrong with a blank face? Sue encouraged me to press on, though she would have preferred that I used a much brighter fabric for the eyes, nose and mouth. I just couldn't. She may have been right.

There are other problems with the final result I think. But, I considered it an excellent exercise and once I went through the process, it seemed best not to over-work it and "just commit" to finishing it.

Rather than add any additional surface design or hand embroidery -- my signature techniques -- I just added one random sheer element, quilted it and zigged the edges.

Here is the random sheer element -- a chair. I like to remember that it is important to be still and patient and yet not inactive.I did not want to add contour lines to my clothes or face with free motion quilting. I know that is not one of my strengths, so I did an overlay motif of leaves and plants. I think it works just fine.

Yesterday I got a hair cut and lost about 4 inches, so it's not so long and flippy anymore. That may have been a mistake.