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I want to do a quilted wall hanging of the sea map from one of my favorite video games (Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker). Unfortunatly, my copy of the game went missing a while back and I have not found it since so I can't give a very detailed description of the map (hopefully my boyfriend will remember to bring his copy next time he's up so I'll get to work out the details). All I can really tell you is that the actual map part is 7x7 squares, the background (or the color of the "paper") is a goldenrod color but just a tad bit lighter, and it has a thick border going along the right side that has a compass in the lower corner.
Even though I don't completely know what the end result should look like, I've already got a few small problems: 1. All of the islands (maybe with the exception of a few) cannot be pieced together. They're going to have to be appliqued on. I don't know a whole lot about the actual process of applique. I'd preferably like info on machine applique since I probably wouldn't be good at hand applique because my hand sewing skills aren't all that great (my boyfriend can hand sew better than me and it looks like it was done by a five year old, but it at least holds the two pieces of fabric together.) 2. I don't want to go with a solid, goldenrod fabric yet I don't want a fabric with a pattern. Maybe something with a "weathered" look to it. I haven't seen a fabric like that, but maybe you guys might know something I don't and recommend a fabric. 3. I'm debating whether or not I should cross-stitch the names of the islands onto each block or just leave it alone. 4. What do you think would be a good size for a quilted wall hanging? Not extremely huge, but not too small. |
Maybe this will help with the applique part. This is how I do my machine applique.. it is fairly simple. Barb C.
http://sewing.about.com/od/applique/ss/applique1.htm |
Hi FVG - as to the background fabric color, how about a mottled solid? Like these: http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/ItemList--b-41--a-20--search-marbles--s-1.html
And you could use something like Steam-a-Seam 2 for the islands. It's a fusible web that you would fuse to your 'island' fabric, then position it where you want it. You can keep moving it around until you iron it. You could then stitch around the edges , even use some sort of decorative stitch. I wouldn't go bigger than 36" X 36". Have fun with it!! :D sue |
For the fabric look at the batiks and handdyes. Below is a link for you to look at. I agree with Sue on the size, no bigger than 36 X 36.
Judy http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html |
I'm not sure if 36x36 would work. Assuming I'm doing my math right, each area on the map (a square each with its own island) would be about 5 inches sqaure. And based on a low-quality picture I did find of the map (that only shows the islands, not the entire map itself), each island would have to fit in an area that's about 1 inch square (if I were to make each island to scale). To me, that'd be next to impossible to applique 1 inch islands (or less with any small islands around it) and I'd loose a lot of detail (a LOT of detail).
Sue, I think you found the perfect fabric. But I'm not sure I want to pay almost 4 dollars a yard for it. Got anything a little bit cheaper? Oh, thanks for the info on the applique, Barb. :) |
Have you thought to use a minimizer to view your fabrics with? In some unusual prints you may be able to discern or infer mtn ranges or lakes. I have found fusible helps to "create" islands, you can blend your several fabrics to mold the islands. Then too.....you could do a series of smaller map portions that show the islands individually... showing off the feature that set each one apart....more maybe but then you could really play with fabric ( the best part)and showcase the islands... just a thought. You could always use fabric pens to write the island names in giving it a little bit of a calligraphic twist like in map designs as well. Would love to see when you finish.
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Cool idea, Sandra. Unfortunatly, the map doesn't show mountain ranges or lakes (not that there is really any to begin with...the story of the game goes that the gods drowned the land of Hyrule so the islands are basically the tops of the mountains. Can't have a mountain range or a good sized lake at the top of the mountain). So there's really no way I could show off mountain ranges or a feature of the island that sets it apart from the other 48 islands.
Here's what the island looks like on the map (close-up) http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...ish_isle_1.jpg |
Wow! I see.....still you have a lot of tone on tone to play with. Are you going to follow the diagram? The crinkled map edges will be a fun edging. A perfect flip and stitch opportunity. It looks like quite the adventure. I can't wait to hear the stories behind this journey....I daresay, like the characters you too will have immeasurable conquests and thrills. Keep in touch.
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instead of trying to "copy" the maps, etc, in the quilt ... have you considered doing something that shows what you imagine the "islands" look like? landscape quilts offer all sorts of opportunity for expressing artistic vision. and you could determine size and scale yourself.
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Patrice, I considered showing my version of the landscapes and such from a sky view, but then I thought "There's 49 islands that are either one big island or a condensed group of several islands". That's putting in a lot of guesswork and that'd be too frustrating based on the fact I've only started quilting. I'm sure I could do it. I just don't want to find myself flinging an appliqued block across the room more times than I'd like to count. Besides, I really don't want a map that you find at the beginning of a Lord of the Rings novel. Something a little more simplified, but still look awesome once its done.
Sandra...at least for the islands, I'm not going to follow the diagram. On the game, they have an outlined shadow look to them and the island is the same color as the paper. For that you could basically embroider the outline of the island in brown thread onto a goldenrod fabric. Instead of that I want to make the islands out of a dark brown fabric and applique them onto the map...basically coloring in the picture I posted. And I'm going to try to get that frayed, slightly torn edge look to the map (like its been handled a lot throughout the years). I'm not sure how to go about it, though. Any suggestions? Hopefully I'll have a design plan in about a week or two (depending if my boyfriend comes up next weekend and remembers to bring his copy of Wind Waker). Then I can give you guys a clearer idea of what I have in mind. |
It will be great if he remembers....but until then....from the sound of it you are familiar with the decoupage methods of burning the edges of paper to get a sort of uneven look and worn one as well... keep that in mind when you get to the edges...remember it is a sashing strip so you won't be having to work the whole quilt to get the edged look. You could practice with scraps and try various ripping or flip and stitch methods to create the edge....Go with your gut as to what may work....you know the map vision you hold in your head.....play till you get it out and down in your fabric...lucky girl! Also you could look to some of the shadow quilt techniques in helping to get the islands....more fabric...more fun. A good place to see an example of fabric picturing is in the current edition of $100,000 Quilting Challenge. between the fabric and stitching you create the picture...and until he gets there....play with your fabric and your vision.
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Of all the quilting magazines that Wal-Mart carries, $100,000 Quilting Challenge isn't one of them. Thinking about subscribing to it after seeing an advertisment for it in The Quilter Magazine and it says I'll get a free Soft Cushion Handle 45mm Rotary Cutter (I could use a decent rotary cutter) with my subscription. Unfortunatly, I blew the $20 I got for Easter on fabric and drawing supplies so I can't get it right now.
What exactly is the flip and stitch method? I probably know what it is (probably the most obvious answer), but the circuits in the brain seem to have shorted out for the moment. |
Check out your other local quilt stores or maybe the library may have a copy. Sometimes grocery stores will carry it as well. Let's see...flip and stitch.....Valorie Wells has several books with the technique...but in a nutshell you begin with two pieces stitched and freewheeling it you continue to add pieces in varying degrees of size and shape....this is often used in a method similar to log cabin, though they can be side by side. It is literally flip and stitch a new piece to the previous fabric.The irregular shapes aid in creating a "look". if doing it in a straight line....the shapes would be uneven in the length thereby creating the ragged edge. Machine stitiching further enhances the look of raggedness. Back issues of Quilters Magazine or Quilt magazine,Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting would have it too. The Quilters Encyclopedia may have an example as well. Will look on this end and try to get you an example.
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The grocery store carries the same magazines as Wal-Mart and last time I checked at the library they didn't have back issues of that magazine. *sigh* Living in a smaller town sucks. If I ever get a chance to go to the library I'll have to check if they have back issues of the other quilting magazines you mentioned.
*sigh* Looks like I'm not going to be able to get that game from my boyfriend for a while. My boyfriend doesn't have any gas money and one of his tires blew out...and he's just too damn stubborn to take help from anybody (now I know why pride is listed as one of the seven deadly sins). Unless I can talk some sense into him, I guess its going to be a while before I can see him and get started on my quilt design. |
That's ok! Gives you plenty of time to mull over the fabric and test draw design ideas. Explore away.
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It'd be easier if I knew what I was designing. And I really don't have any fabric to test out. I just started so I don't have a gigantic scrap bin to try out new stuff. Guess I can always try out designs for my Ninja Turtle quilt :) (but I sooooo want to work on this wall hanging. *scream*)
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I finally got the game! I was lucky enough to call a friend just before he was heading up into town for a visit. So hopefully I'll be able to show you guys a design of some sort for the wall hanging in the next couple of days. :)
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Well, it took a couple of hours of game play and drawing, but I finally got some sort of design. Sorry about it kind of looking bad (and the lack of islands), but my artistic skills only go so far in Paint and it would have been a pain to draw all the islands in. I really need EQ5.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...dWakermap2.jpg Couple things I want to mention: *The ribbon along bottom usually says the name of the island you have highlighted in the game. Instead its going to say "The Great Sea". *The compass is not completed (the outer and inner circle have a yellowish outline and still need to add N, E, S, and W. Paint would have taken what's left of my sanity if I tried to put that in.) *The edges are supposed to have a ragged edge to them...just didn't feel like drawing it in Paint. *This would look better if there were actually islands on the map. I still have a few problems. Mostly sizing issues. I want to make this to scale. The problem with that is the smaller the block size the more impossible it is to put an island on it and the more I make the block bigger to make the island easier to applique the more ridiculously huge the quilt gets. Let me show you what I mean: http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q...anddisplay.jpg Let's say this is a block on the quilt (divided into smaller squares). The red square is where the island goes (or any other square on there). For arguements sake, let's say the map (without the borders) is 36" X 36". That would mean each block would be about 5.14"x5.14". The area the island would have to fit in would be about 1.028"x1.028". That's just the size of the area the island is in. Some islands can take up most of that space...others remind you of that small island with the one palm tree that you see people in cartoons get stranded on. I don't know about you, but I sure don't want to applique something that small. But if I make it any bigger the rest of the quilt will get incredibly huge. When I zoom up on one of the islands the biggest the area can get is 6.25"x6.25"...which would be easy to applique, but that would mean the block would be 31.25"x31.25"...and the map would be almost 219"x219" (that's without the borders!) And besides the sizing issues, the right side of the map is, well, empty. Figured it would be weird looking if the quilt included the picture that tells you "A button to Zoom" and "B button to Exit Map" and how many treasure charts you've collected. But I can't think of anything to fill that empty space with...other than that thing that they have on every map that tells you something like "1 inch = 1000 miles". Any ideas? |
Although I know you are trying to do this to scale....maybe you should consider the maps of old as a partial guideline as well.Most cartographers though trying to do so would highlight the destination a little bit larger than scale...they were trying to define largely unknown properties and distances and they also wanted to inspire travel and marketing potential..the true figures were mostly in the ocean areas of the charts. this would give you a little leeway and let you play with the island a bit. Don't forget there were always sea monsters to beware of as well.....just a thought.
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There are several other sea charts in the game and they tell you where specific things are. Like...one tells you where all the giant squid are lurking. Another shows where all the merchant boats are located. I remember when my friend was showing me his Wind Waker strategy guide there was a sea chart in the back of the book and it showed where everything is...the locations of the giant squid, merchant boats, Triforce maps, Triforce pieces, fairy fountains, etc. all on one map. I thought about doing something like that (not nessicarly putting every single little thing down) and that way I could also use some of that empty space to the right by adding a key to show what those symbols mean. But I'm having my doubts on that idea. The thing I'm worried about is that it might get too cluttered. And that's more stuff I would have to applique...whether its the 12 merchant ships, 8 fairy fountains, 7 enemy submarines, 6 giant squid, etc. I mean, I already have 49 islands (whole islands or several little islands bunched together) to sew on and I'm not looking forward to that (it'll look cool once its done, but I'm sure I'll loose my mind several times) so I'm not sure if my sanity could take appliqueing all those little symbols.
Something about making the islands bigger than what they are doesn't seem right. I played around with the idea of making the island fill up the entire block (like you had zoomed onto the island in the game to see the details). I didn't like it when I roughly drew a few of those enlarged islands together. It ended up kind of looking like Pangea a little after it had started spliting into continents except the pieces really didn't fit like they should. Also, they don't call it the Great Sea for nothing. Its maybe about 90% water and 10% land. So from a geographic stand point and also from a gamer standpoint (knowing the story of how this vast sea came to be) I think it would be better to have to islands to scale. Plus, it would definatly show how much work and sanity I put into it. |
Sounds like a fusible is the way to go....that way you could still do it to scale and cover all the island sizes you are going for. This is really going to be something!
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I was planning on using fusible anyways. Most of the islands have edges that are too detailed to permit me to turn under the raw edges. I want to try a technique that was used for a broderie perse quilt I saw in a magazine...they made fusible appliques from a very detailed large scale print fabric and then they finished the edges with a short zig zag stitch using a microtex sharp needle and clear microfiliment thread.
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Sounds like a plan!
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You are so creative! I've never attempted anything like that ! This discussion is fascinating :!: I have trouble coming up with new ideas, but yet I can picture what you are trying to do. One side of my brain doesn't do original designs. LOL Can't wait to see it. Have you decided on a size yet? Keep us posted!
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I'm thinking somewhere between 52.5" (7.5" blocks) and 70" (10" blocks). If I try to go with the standard 36"x36" some of the islands would be so small that it'd be too hard to applique and a lot of the detail would get lost. I'm also thinking about getting rid of that right border entirely because I don't know what to fill it up with (besides that nice compass) and it adds to the size of the quilt.
On the game, I almost have all the "unexplored" areas of the map filled in so I can start doing island designs soon (parchment paper on TV screen and tracing the island). Problem is...how do I take that 6.25" area and reduce it down to 1.5"--2"? |
A long wasy would be to use diminishing sizes of graph paper to do it. The easier way would be to go to Kinko's or your local copier shop and ask them to re-size it. Is that a possibility for your area?
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We don't have a Kinko's and I'm not sure if we have a copier shop (if we do its probably hidden in some little nook and cranny of town). The only places that I know of that actually have a copier machine are the schools and the appliance store.
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Ask the school..... you never know they may be quite willing to help you...You may have to volunteer to read to some of the young ones one day but hey....and too, they would know where you may find someone else if they can't help...worth a try.
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