Adding just a touch...

I don't know why I've been putting off adding these beads to Reverberations. I found them almost effortlessly towards the end of last week, something that seldom happens when I start rooting around in my stashes for just the right thing. You know how it goes - not quite the right color, or perhaps not quite the right size, or worse, not enough. I was the most worried about the single bead I envisioned for the center. Would you believe it was the only bead that color in my stash? How lucky that it was also the perfect size.

But a lone bead in the middle was not going to be enough. A few strategically placed sparkles at the v's in the design was just the thing in my mind. And then one at the tip of each flip of the kaleidoscope arms, lined up so the radiating stitching looks to flow out the end of them. Perhaps you can also see how I added color to the tips that run off the edge of the printed piece. I rubbed on several layers of various colored pencils followed by heat setting which I hope has driven the pigment into the fabric.

Not sure if I will add any more beads. It's tempting to scatter more sparkles down the quilted rays, but I don't want it to end up looking just sparkly overall. Another thought is to add beads along the binding - perhaps just a single bead where quilted ray meets it. We shall see once the binding is on. I am encouraged to use restraint, having run across this in a product review of Yupo in the July/August 2013 issue of The Artist's Magazine:

With everything that Yupo has going for it, there is, nevertheless, one big danger: you may become too caught up with technique. Textural and subtractive effects can never take the place of a good concept, a well-thought-out message, and a sound design. Technique should support your painting - not take charge of it. - Mark E Mehaffey

I do think this is a weakness in many quilts, that misunderstanding that more is always more, a temptation to use all you know how to do. I want the beading on this to support the design, not take charge of it, although as pleasant as it was to sit and stitch, there could have been the danger of adding more and more. It's always nice to find support for one's world views!