Honu II Started

I received so many positive comments on "Honu" at the Viewpoints Gallery show in February that I decided to make two more. They would be happy to have them at the gallery and there were two people who inquired about commissions, so maybe they will sell quickly? Even if they don't Bruce and I would be happy to have one hanging in our house again.

I was thankful to find that I had saved my full size pattern. I originally drew this on freezer paper so I could cut it up; now I'm glad I didn't. As you can see from the various freezer paper scraps, I trace (and subsequently place) each piece as I go. Since you can sometimes use freezer paper more than once, I'm saving the pieces this time so the second one will be faster.

Here is an in-progress shot of the "studio." Bruce recently added a light track and more lights so it lights up the back corner MUCH better than before. I've noticed, though, that it's getting warmer in there with summer approaching. I hope we continue to have light trades when I'm working!


As you can see, I'm using a photograph of Honu I for reference with the fabric pieces. I still have many of the same fabrics I used in the first one but, as is the case with Balis and hand-dyes, no two fabrics are alike, and Honu II will be slightly different. I'm also using Hoffman Macaw for the background, which is a brighter, clearer blue than the original Hoffman Delft.

I'm going to try to get the head and neck done tonight. It's the flipper that takes the longest. Then it will be time to paint. I'm using Misty Fuse again...a nice change of pace (I still like it as much as I did before) after all of the intricate piecing I've been doing on the agapanthus. I also got a chance to use the large Transdoodle sheets for transferring my pattern to the background. Both products, designed by Esterita Austin, are wonderful for this type of work.

I'm naming this one Honu II, since I am using the same pattern as before. I am working hard to keep the negative voices at bay while I work on this project. The first one was such a success, I'm feeling the pressure to have this one come out just as good. Or was the first one a fluke? I feel like a novelist writing my sophomore effort after a blockbuster best seller. Only time will tell!