I have dabbled from time to time with transparent quilts – using fairly strong colour to show a pattern through nylon or silk organza. Take these two untitled pieces, for example:  each is about 1.25m h x 90 com w.   Because  they haven’t ‘led’ anywhere I have only ever named these works ‘Transparent 1’ and ‘Transparent 2’  🙂    Each was built up of blocks/modules machine sewn together, and that process certainly contributed to the less than even drape of each piece, so that was one problem.   If I were making these works now I would keep the front and back fabrics whole,  fuse shapes onto the back and then lay the front piece over, sandwich, baste and quilt.  These pieces both date from 2003, and back then I had no idea of the bonding materials that are widely available now.

But the further problem, which has prevented me ever feeling happy enough to exhibit these pieces is that really, apart from running a nylon line from each corner to some higher point, there isn’t a way to hang them with any kind of rigid support enclosed in a sleeve on the back side that doesn’t show from the back to the front. Does this matter these days?  … probably not if it is part of the integrity of the piece to drape like a dustsheet or a large curtain, which certainly wasn’t the intention in any of these pieces.  A clear acrylic rod do I hear you suggest?  A friend displayed a lovely work on one, and after a month under gallery lights it had visibly sagged. I don’t think it’s necessarily a long term answer.

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After a trip to Egypt in 2007, I  wanted to use  sheer fabrics again to explore the ancient origins of history that influence the country as it is today.  The effects of layered sheers with free machining were pleasing to me, but I still wasn’t happy with the hanging system of a fine dowel rod in a narrow sleeve approximating to the width of the binding on the sides and lower edge.  It shows through the  fabric – distracting,  imho.

So, these difficulties have in effect put me off – am I being too fainthearted?  I know I could get some of these effects by careful stencilling, perhaps –  but I just want to use the fabric.  I have recently been looking back over some of my very early work, and seeing these images has brought this frustration to the top again!  Any reader with bright ideas or valuable experience to share – I’d love to hear from you!

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linking this post back to ninamarisayre.blogspot.com