It takes a long time to get used to local weather patterns. I’ve lived most of my life in Sydney and know how the weather works there; what to expect from a southerly buster, when the humidity is worst, and the direction of storm paths.
The key to learning different weather patterns is observation and learning from long-term locals. I’m slowly getting my head around local conditions but I’m acutely aware there’s so much more to learn.
Last week, after a drizzly morning, a fog rolled in during the mid-afternoon. It wasn’t forecast, so I didn’t expect it. I’m glad I was at home to take this photo and not out driving on the country roads.
It reminded me of a small quilt I made in 2008, Autumn Mist. I wanted to explore the layering of fabrics to represent the different levels of visibility during a mist or fog.
I started with raw-edge strips of chiffon, some stamped with a checkerboard stamp and black paint, strips of machine-embroidered brocade, and a layer of metallic strands and yarn. Once I had these in a rough layout, I encapsulated five leaf-shaped fabric pieces under one of the chiffon strips. Here’s a detail photo:
Simple running stitch with a pale green thread holds the piece together. I wrapped raw-edged strips of chiffon along the edges and hand-stitched them down to seal the edges. My final touch was to stamp the word “autumn” on the quilt with rubber stamps and black paint. The quilt is 30cm square.
I’ve always been happy that this quilt captured my idea of an autumn mist. Now, after last week’s afternoon fog, I’m pleased I revisited it and can share it with you.