Reindeer Portrait

 

Today's pin is a snowflake that started the blizzard that is my pin collection. It really is apropos because it is snowing here, LOL!

Several days ago I mentioned that I had hung up my Reindeer wall hanging. Here it is. This little wall hanging is probably one of the first machine quilted pieces I made. Can you guess what year? 1989!! Finn, the binding is that same holly fabric that I used in the table topper. See Rudolf, the eager 'kid' staring straight out of the portrait? That is the original fabric. I gradation dyed all the other reindeer so each is a slightly different color. The inner ear is painted on each reindeer as are the eyes. But the eyes are different on each one. I painted them on a different fabric, cut it out, appliquéd it on and added a bit of batting in the eye. Like children, these reindeer all have different expressions. I machine echo quilted around each one. Their names are machine quilted in the green border between the holly leaves and the white background.

I entered this in a contest by Creative Quilting in 1990. This magazine is now defunct. But still, I've been published. As for the contest, I was one of 25 semi-finalists. I know why, too. I was so concerned with the value of the color of the reindeer, that I did not pay attention to the value of the antlers and the border. The antlers of the top row of reindeer that break into the border are the same value. Oh well.

As a result of that contest, this was my first quilt that went to IQF in Houston. That was in October 1990. In December of 1990, it was displayed in a bookstore on 5th Avenue in New York City. It safely resides with me now and I hang it on the wall during the Yule Season.