11 of 24 on the slowworm cloth -- slow wormcloth?

I feel at ease with the squares. My techniques to rule the heap of stuff on a very small table are improving; still the diamonds are dancing, not keeping in line. Yet, my impression is that they are balancing each other, looking not quite as wonky as in the beginning.
I run risks with my way of working, finishing each frame completely including the quilting. There is no way back. The central medallion is more subdued in color than the rest; the reds have sneaked in, the gorgeous indonesian fabric from jude is to blame. But why should this naga offering not contain some fiery parts? This element is associated with the mythic idea of dragons. In asia, they are more associated with the element wood: Green color, thunder, spring, electricity. "The New Year in spring is the time when the dragon rises from inside the earth." The green rust and metal -- brass -- connects this piece to the "copper snake", slowworm, Anguis fragilis, an animal that I love very much.

I once picked one up on a cold summer day and put her into a large pocket, together with fresh leaves to make her feel more at home, and she came alive in the warmth and seemed to feel alright and made no attempt to flee. It was a class trip, and I was 14 years old. The other girls almost dropped dead with horror when I held the animal in my hand. One of the girls -- the most frightful one -- asked me if she might take the snake in her hand, she wanted to overcome her fear, she said. Of course, I gave her the chance.
She flung the snake wide into the shrubs. I looked but did not find her. Oh, I was angry! My snake!

I love snakes, but I wouldn't own one if they have to be fed with mice, that's not in harmony with my vow as a Buddhist to abstain from killing.



I made experiments with overpainted fabric, using my Marabu textile paints as water colors; the left one is a Kaffee Fasset.
The second detail is a print with indonesian pattern. I overpainted this one in green and wine red to make it adapt to the whole composition. I did not show it sooner because I wasn't sure; but it fits in well.