Block #5 - a grand piano

 

The concert grand piano is my favorite solo instrument in the symphony.  I ended up making mine brown instead of the more formal black because browns made it easier to highlight the different parts of the piano...there's definitely more of a range with my stash of browns than my blacks.

This is the 5th block in the quilt that I am designing called "Baltimore Symphony" (click to read the back story).  Soon the blocks will be available for purchase, either separately, or in groups.  Each block will finish 15 inches square.  The first 16 blocks feature instruments associated with a symphony.

  

The piano was invented in 1709 by Bartolommeo Cristofori, so that makes it pretty young as compared to other instruments.  It was created because the harpsichord just couldn't match the power, dynamic range, and expression of the violin. 

Several changes were made over time due to the demands of keyboardists.  It has strings, but is in the percussion section, of all things (hammers strike the strings to make sound)!

I made the large corner rose motifs with accompanying leaves "off block"...hand appliqueing all the petals together before placing the finished rose on the background.  

Then I added the stems, buds, and leaves using Roxanne's glue baste ("dot-dot-not-a-lot") to secure the pieces until I finished the hand stitching.

I find the pattern weights indispensable while gluing.  They hold things in place why I apply the tiny glue dots.  I got the hard white ones years ago.  The bean bag type can be found here. 

I do my hand applique with YLI silk thread.  It is like sewing with human hair and I really like the way the stitches...just...disappear!  I use a glue stick to turn the edges under (using a freezer paper pattern adhered to the RIGHT side of the fabric as my guide).  There are detailed tutorials on my top tool bar to explain this method.

I took the easy way out on the keyboard...I appliqued a white fabric piece to be doodled on later (after all the applique was done and the block was hand-washed and ironed dry).  I used a #005 (0.2 mm) black Pigma pen to draw in the keys.  (I will show pictures of how I carefully soak and dry my blocks in my next post.)

There's no shame in taking the easy way out and drawing the keyboard...or other block details.  I looked at every piano fabric in my stash, hoping to find one that was the exact right size and perspective that would work by fussy-cutting...Broderie perse...no such luck (it was a long shot...).  

If you have trouble finding that tiniest size of Pigma pens near you, they can be found here.

I hope you find some sewing time today...I have had so much fun with this project!  I love your comments and hearing about your music experiences!

In stitches,

Teresa  :o)