The Top Is Done

I finished the top of my latest art quilt.   I almost wonder if I could say it is modern?   It does have hand stitching on it and I some say that modern is all machine work.   I also just read on a publishing blog that there may be a new trend of modern work with applique.   We will have to see what transpires in the quilting world next year.

My design wall is not quite big enough to host this quilt.   I put a small border around the whole quilt using the same fabric that borders each of my hand stitched felted work.   Now onto the pinning and finally the quilting!

If you want to be see two great quilt shows on your computer check out this fabulous blog to get the links=)

Making Progress and Coffee Stains

 I just have to show you my almost finished art quilt top.   I know I showed you the blocks, and should be showing you a finished top, but I am not quite done.   I just can't wait to post a pic of it, I have one more row to go.   I haven't even thought about additional borders yet.   I have an idea in my mind of how to quilt it, but not sure it is going to work.

I am also going to participate in 'Quilting Arts' latest challenge to make an 8 1/2" x 11" little art quilt with the theme 'Coffee or Tea?'   I spent some time on the weekend making coffee stains.  Here is what I have so far:

Now somehow I have to turn this into an adorable little art quilt, and finish my new big art quilt.

Stay tuned, there is exciting news this week!

Making Progress

I am making good progress in my latest art quilt.  All the blocks are done.   I have to spend quite a bit of time doing borders as they are not the traditional strip border, rather, strip, block, strip, block and so on.  

I also had a brainwave for my other art quilt over the weekend while sorting out some toys and came across some plastic kids jewellery.   You know they are going to end up on that quilt!

Mental Block and A New Start

I am working on three art quilts right now.  I would love to just work on one at a time, but am having a little trouble with the design process.   One is ready to be quilted, but I don't know how to quilt it yet, so am still thinking on that.   The next one is making me look at what step comes next, and I am not 100% sure how to proceed.

I thought it best to move onto another art quilt if I am having all these stumbling blocks with the other two!   I have a design drawn up and steps to make this one come to fruition.

Here is my colour palette.   I have used my hand dyed fabric with a commercial print from Robert Kaufman.

I am starting the blocks for it and have two completed.

What do you think?

A Walk Through Earth

Here is my latest art quilt.  It did not get accepted into Quilt National, but I am really not upset at all, they took 85 quilts out of 851.

This quilt is titled 'A Walk Through Earth' and is all my hand dyed fabric and of course my 3D embellishments.   Remember a while back I told you I was hammering and poking holes through my latest 3D embellishment?   None of you guessed what it was.  Bottle caps!

Each bottle cap was flattened with a hammer and then 2 holes were put into each one so a button could be sewn on top.   The buttons spiral from the centre out in a rainbow of colours.

The quilt is all free motion quilted using many different patterns and colours.   Yarn was couched down to symbolize all the different paths we can take.

Another 3D art quilt

Let's face  it, I am completely obsessively hooked on 3D quilting.  In any way, shape or form.  I just love it.   This one is similar to the one I teach, but I created a different template for the petals and tried a  varied shape for them.   Instead of curving up to the end, I did that for the middle, but then turned them under at the point.

I also combined a few different techniques in one piece of art.  The centre of my flower is my scrap 'n' slash flower with 4 layers of colour.   There are two pink twirlies heading out of the centre that give it that little extra pop.  You know you can never have enough dimension!

For me quilting is all about exploring the unknown, making your quilt that little bit unique or different than anyone else's.   In my case I do it with 3D embellishing, sometimes in a big way, sometimes in a small way.  Okay, most always in a gigantic way=)

What is quilting to you?

A Good Border

Remember my last post, where the zigzag border just didn't give the clarity that I was looking for?

Back to the drawing board, or in this case, fabric stash.   Here is my second try and I think it is a go.

I used my hand dyed blue fabric for the outer edges.

I have to put this aside for 2 weeks as I am working on a super exciting project that I will share with you then.   Some of you have asked me about this throughout my time blogging, so I know you are going to love it!

A Failed Attempt

There is one drawback when designing a quilt.   What you have in your mind and on paper, does not always work out when you actually take the fabric and spin out the design.   I have the perfect example to show you.  Remember how I was trying to figure out this outer border.

You guys really got me thinking and gave me some excellent suggestions.   I went and looked through this book 'The Border Workbook' by Janet Kime, and found what I wanted.   This book is a thumbs up, but you have to do math to get around some of those corners, so I am a little nervous.  Hope the fabric has a lot of stretch, because guaranteed, I will need it=)

I picked out my fabric, one was a new piece I just received by Caryl Bryer Fallert (one of my all time favourite quilters) and got to work.   I choose the zigzag border due to all the ricrac in this piece.  Thought it was a good fit.  

These are all my little sections ready to be sewn together.

Here is where things took a downward spin, or as I like to say, sunk like the Titanic.   When I put it on my design wall, this is what unfolded:

Do you see the problem?   The lovely zigzag fabric is too fragmented due to all the colours in it to actually look like the pattern it should.   A very good lesson learned.   I have now picked out different fabric, one with a small repeat pattern and will see how that goes.  I will use my discarded border somehow, there is no way Ms. Fallert's fabric won't end up in one of my quilts.      

Stay tuned for the outcome of the border!

Using My Scraps

One quilt done and one quilt top completed.   The first is one I have shown you progress pics on.   I got it quilted and bound late last week.   Very easy to do using 1 1/2" strips and some larger scraps.   To make it a little bit three dimensional, I used jumbo ric rac in the centre of the flower.  

This next one also uses 1 1/2' strips and HST's.   I never knew how much fun HST's were.  

Both of these quilts will go to the hospital to be given to kids with cancer.   I hope they like them.

2 WIP's

I am working on 2 new art quilts.   That makes me sound really ambitious and organized doesn't it?  Truth is I have a mental block on this one.

See that bright pink outer border?  Do I leave it blank and fill it with quilting or do I put something in it?   I have pinned some leaves up to try and help me decide.

In the meantime I decided this would be a good opportunity to sew up the background for another art quilt.

If that looks like a map to you, then you are right.   I have printed a map onto fabric and have a very wild 3D embellishment to put on.   I usually quilt my art quilts first before adding the embellishments as they are often too bulky to try and quilt around.   I enjoy that process, as when the embellishments are added, the quilt is already bound and quilted!   Makes me feel like I have skipped a step.   

Opinions?