Camilla Watson

Camilla Watson

Wellington, NZ

Project My Town - A playmat for the grandchildren, 100cm x 100cm

Background
I was a reluctant artist; I stopped drawing at around 14 years old when I decided I ‘wasn’t good enough’. My mother and family were exhibited artists so there was a bit of a standard to be fulfilled, which my 14-year-old mind couldn’t deal with! My working life took me on a journey as a Business Analyst in the finance industry through a couple of twists and turns, to eventually retraining as a Life Coach and counsellor in my forties. While I had always been busy with craft and textiles (sewing, macrame, woodwork etc), part of this journey included self-development and an exploration into my artistic side. After dabbling in oil painting, I found a niche, and confidence, in quilting and textile art.

My current passion is what I like to call ‘extended realism’; creating realistic portraits and images using 3D techniques. I enjoy adding the extra dimension that fabric and thread can bring to a flat image. However, when Aotearoa Quilters called for interest in the 100 Days Challenge, I decided to try something different.

The end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 saw me extremely busy with both work and family commitments so I wanted a project that would allow a bit of ‘me’ time, and ‘relax’ time. Nothing too onerous or demanding but something that I could continue for the required 100 days. I wasn’t looking for a project to ‘extend’ me particularly, just something to allow me to participate and having something worthwhile at the end of it. (I would love the opportunity to do this again when I have a bit more ‘life-space’!)

Technical aspects
I chose to make my 100 Days Project the design of a playmat for my grandchildren. Design always takes such a lot of time and effort and for me is a major part of any new creation. And this was a big project. I thought if I could break it down into little pieces and keep the production flowing, I would actually have something usable at the end of it and wouldn’t give up!

As with most of my design work, I started with a small A3 drawing as I find it easier to get the right scale if I can see it all in one glance. I then enlarged it to the required size, clarified where the roads and tracks were going, and made it a circle shape so it encouraged moving around the space. 

I split it into ‘design areas’ or ‘blocks’ bordered by the roads and tracks, and I particularly wanted each separate block to reflect the area the children lived in. As one child is a city girl and the other lad lives in the outer suburbs there was a lot of compromise and artistic-licence of course!

I completed the overview of the design before the start of the 100 Days Project so when the day came to begin, I had each block outlined ready to be filled in with detail. I guessed one hundred figures or buildings in total would be enough and allow me to just create one each day. 

As it turned out I did do more on some days and missed a couple of days as life intervened so it evened out and I have actually ended up with more than one hundred items. I did try to do something most days, even if it was a bit of research on how to draw a cartoon cow for instance, and little felt dolls for all the family members have also been included. Unexpectedly I completed the design of all the blocks around Day 50 and then began the construction of the quilt top.

Completion
Prior to beginning work on the blocks I had to find the right background fabrics, particularly for the grass areas, the roads, and the rail tracks. I planned to use the same background fabrics to create a cohesion throughout the different blocks. My original idea didn’t work but I eventually found grass-green I was happy with. I copied a plan of each block from the master design first, and then worked through the blocks one at a time, just trying to make sure I did something on the project every day. 

I used a fused construction method, fusing the small pieces to the backgrounds. I did make several design changes when I discovered some of my pieces as designed were just too fiddly, and I made duplicates of everything as I had two playmats to make. 

When all the blocks were completed, they were stitched together with the roads and tracks and topstitching was done over all the pieces. Surprisingly this stitching only took about five or six hours and the first top is now complete and will
be layered and quilted very soon. 

Then of course, there are all the completed blocks for the second playmat ready and waiting to be pieced and stitched!

Development
I really enjoyed the transition to simplifying through the use of cartoon imagery. Learning to see a bit differently and reducing items to their most basic structure will, I think, enhance my creativity. I think if I had not had the link to the support of others through the 100 Days Project I may have given up. 

I did give up making a saleable pattern. I was spending too much time thinking of ideas to allow others to customise their own Town and it started taking up too much head-space, my heart wasn’t in it, and it just got too hard so I let it go. 

I am very pleased I got so far through the actual block construction within the 100 days. By the time the Project officially ended I was able to see the completion of my project in sight which has spurred me on to finish. (I’ve also promised the playmats to the grand-children for their 2nd birthdays – the first of which is in January.)

I would absolutely participate in a 100 Days Project again! I got a LOT done, it was a great opportunity to stay focussed and was a lot of fun. I’ve also had the opportunity to view the journey and the many fabulous ideas of the other participants. I do think choosing something that didn’t put more time pressure into my life was important for me this time, but I am looking forward to pushing some other boundaries with a 100 Day Project in the future.

Camilla Watson
https://www.facebook.com/camillawatsonquilts