Off to a Good Start

Last week I asked for help in choosing my next project.  I was trying to decide whether to start a mineral quilt depicting a microscopic view of the mineral chloritoid, or a tuning fork quilt based on a photo of Helsinki Harbor that I took last June.  After reading all of the suggestions, and staring at both inspiration pictures, I decided to start Tuning Fork #31: Helsinki Harbor.

Here's the inspiration photo.  B and I were standing on the north shore of the Katajanokka peninsula near the Helsinki Market Square.  We had just walked around the Uspenski Cathedral.  A storm was rolling in from the North, and we took shelter in a coffee shop.

I decided to use tuning forks to construct this piece.  I've thought a lot about this recently.  Why do I keep making these little units? Frankly, their construction is pretty tedious.  Originally, each tuning fork was pieced using only two fabrics.  The "tuning fork" shape was obvious. 

Recently, however, I've been using multiple fabrics to construct them.  And the result is much more blendy.  

So why do I keep using them?  Like I said, I've been pondering this recently.  And I guess it is because they are my basic building blocks.  The thought of throwing chunks of fabric on the wall to construct my "picture" and then piecing them together just does not appeal to me.  But having a building block to place on the wall and move around does.  Just the way my brain works, I guess.

So, to get back to my Harbor piece, the first thing I did was make pieces for the trees on the shoreline:

I then added the boats in the foreground:

 And some buildings along the wharf.  I decided to add the turquoise buildings.  Artistic license.

 Then I added water.  The water was dark and murky.

I haven't started on the sky yet, but I decided to piece together the bit I'd laid out so far.  So as of 5 pm Wednesday this is where I am:

With the right end pieced together:

So far so good.  I'm enjoying this piece.

I'm linking this post to Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday, Friday Fabric Frenzy, Confessions of a Fiber Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday.  Go see all the wonderful work there!