After months of delays and distractions, I’m finally putting fusible to fabric to begin my next pictorial piece. My original goal was to create this piece over the summer, but I still haven’t completed the pattern. In my defense, it is a pretty complicated composition with several characters and lots of small pieces. It is, by far, my most ambitious project to date. The intimidation factor is high. There are lots of voices in my head asking if I can really do this, or suggesting that it will not be as grand as I hope and that I should give up now before wasting a lot of time and resources. 
To counter those voices, I’m going public. I’m putting it out there for all to see with weekly updates on my progress. I’m hoping my readers will cheer me on and encourage me when times get tough. I’m also going to use this as a forum to write about the design decisions that I will make along the way. I’ll share my thought processes and tell how I do what I do. I hope it is interesting and brings you back.
The ultimate goal is to have this piece finished in time to submit it for consideration in the pictorial quilt competition at Houston next year. I’ve been in special exhibits in Houston, but have never entered one of the competitions before. (Scary stuff that prompts more nay-saying voices in my head.) That deadline comes in June. Given that I first conceived of this project over a year ago, I’m going to have to pick up the pace.
Here is a picture of my first character. He stands in the background looking on, so he is a minor character. This piece will be done in neutrals with some pops of red. To that end, I’ve given this guy a red vest. Because he is in the background, I’ve used the coolest, or pinkish reds, that I could find in my stash. When warmer, or orangey reds appear in other parts of the composition, that contrast will help to push this guy to the background.
