Monday, December 7, 2009

Bridge to Terabithia block

This is the block I'm currently working on in the fantasy landscape RR. I'd never read the book nor seen the movie, so I got the movie and watched it, hoping something weird and wonderful would present itself and ask to be stitched. I saw several wonderful things throughout the movie that would have been fun to do, but at the very end, when Jess is introducing his little sister to the land of Terabithia, I found my weird.

She's not an actual character in the book (I don't think) but she made for some interesting challenges in putting her down in fabric and thread. The woman in the movie has an elf-like face, sitting atop a gold wire birdcage that makes up her chest down to her waist. Her skirt flows down from there, and in one hand she has a bird perched on her finger, while in the other she holds a T-shaped staff with two birds on it. Her wings look like tattered cloth, and you can see through the cage to the background.
My version has the birdcage done in thin gold braid, couched down with gold thread. The face is made of polymer clay (Lauri made it for me!). Her hair is mohair, and she has a beaded crown. Her skirt is satin, and partially lifts up off the block. The wings are done in feather stitch, her arms are two rows of chain stitch. The tiny birds are bullion stitches, with French knot heads and straight stitch accents.

I really like the symbolism here: letting your imagination fly freely. Keeping it close, but not caged up inside you.

4 comments:

Judy S. said...

Fabulous work, Janet! This is a wonderful book, but kind of heavy....

Anonymous said...

Great stitching! it is difficult when combining fabric then thread like that..great job!
Lori Kinney

Wendy said...

Hi Janet, I love your birdcage lady! You did an awesome job of stitching her.

Cathy said...

Janet, your fairy is just amazing! You are just a fount of creativity! WOW. We MUST get into an RR together sometime!!! Merry Christmas and big hugs, Cathy