it's curtains for frasier -- in a good way

The search for a background for the fused glass crane piece led me to the Japanese textiles I bought some months ago. As I studied the colors in the obis I posted last week, I spied a Japanese noren -- a cloth used as a door curtain between rooms -- it was perfect!

The simple geometric design was a subdued complement to the curves of the crane ("Frasier Phoenix Crane," to be exact), and I thought it would work well with the green diagonal lines in the glass. The noren's texture is nubby and rough, a nice contrast to the smoothness of the glass. Next decision -- how to quilt it?



As you can see, marking tools come in many forms.

I decided on a combination of freeform-pattern and traditional Japanese sashiko-type stitching. I hesitate to even refer to my work and sashiko in unison -- let's call mine "wannabe sashiko."

Here are some pictures of the project as it evolved. A piece of batting was placed underneath the noren cloth, and I used perle cotton number 8 thread:





I wrapped the finished piece around a 12" square of gallery-wrapped canvas:



The center-diamond motif was designed as a backdrop for the crane, playing off the "V" shape of his wings. I attached Frasier Phoenix Crane to the noren background and...photo tomorrow!