Here is the promised challenge. This is a variation on something from a project that I am working on for submission for Quilting Arts. I have been reading messages from forum members who have been reading Quilting Arts but have not dipped their feet into art quilting quite yet. I want new art quilters to just have the chance to dip their big toe in without any fear and to have some fun while they are doing it. At the same time, experienced quilters and art quilters can adapt this challenge to what they do and to go wild! Since it is summer and we are all doing things like going on vacation and watching our kids (like me), this challenge will be for June and July so everyone has plenty of time to do one (or more, if you have the inclination).
Challenge Rules:
1. Quiltie Shape can be any size that you want as long as it is a quilt sandwich with seams/edges closed. You can close it any way you want - stitching is fine. I just closed mine with a zigzag stitch. Quilt sandwich is fabric, batting or something like interfacing, and then fabric on top.
2. Quiltie shape can be organic or geometric. Organic - occurs in nature. Geometric - think back to your days in school.
3. You can enter as many times as you like with as separate shape is in a separate reply. That means you have to put each shape in its own reply message. You cannot have more than one shape per reply message. You have to include the scan or pict of the shape in the reply post itself. You cannot refer to a separate link to a website or blog. A brief description of what you did would be nice. Just click "Reply" to this post and put your entry in this thread of messages. Don't hesitate to ask if you need help doing that. If you have never uploaded a pict/scan to a post before, I have brief instructions on how to do so here: http://quiltingdaily.com/forums/t/1434.aspx
4. Shape can be freestanding or sewn to a fabric background.
5. Comments are welcome. Please keep comments positive and constructive. Since replies are are put at the end of the thread, it would be nice if you would put the name or username that your replying to when commenting. I am guilty of forgetting that and have to remember to do that as well.
6. Deadline for challenge entries is Friday, July 31, 2009. I will pick a winner on Saturday, August 1, 2009, using the random number generator. The winner will a prize from me. Prize to be determined.
Have fun and don't forget to be colorful and creative!
This is my first quiltie shape. I finished it off with a felt circle and swirl.
This is my star shape. My kids keep saying it is a sad Patrick in disguise (from Spongebob Squarepants).
Shape sewn to a background. If you are just beginning to do art quilting, I would suggest starting out with a larger rather than a smaller shape. It is actually easier to maneuver the sewing machine around the edges of the larger shapes than the smaller shapes. At least , it is easier for me. Here, there is a layer of interfacing between the fabric and burlap. You could substitute batting here but I used interfacing because it keeps its shape better than batting.I didn't need to trim or worry about the batting shifting while I was sewing. Interfacing pretty much keeps its shape due to its stiffness. Batting is much softer and spreads out a bit when you sew on it.
above - batting shown against background so you can see it better. I buy this by the roll.
above is a strip of craft interfacing - it is rather thick. I use that for fabric books and when I want something to be able to stand up by itself. Fabric does not flop around when I use interfacing instead of batting. You usually do not use this when you make a quilt but would use it when you create fabric books, fabric ATCs, fabric postcards, stand-alone fabric artwork, and some surface design applications.
You can make your shapes any way you like, I am just sharing how I did mine (for those who want to know).
How I did my shapes:
1. Templates - I love templates! I drew shapes on a piece of paper or on manilla folders and then cut them out. Even though I am working on fabric, I don't just draw shapes on them freehand. I like to know ahead of time what my shapes will look like. I don't like to waste my fabric.
2. Quilt sandwiches - my equivalents to paper technique backgrounds. I have quite a few of them laying around for waiting for the right project. What I do is make them and then cut them up when I need them. To make a quilt sandwich, just pick out the fabric that you want and stick a layer of batting or interfacing in the middle. Remember to have the right side of the fabric facing out. I have had to rip out stitches more than once because I wasn't paying attention and the backside was facing the wrong way. If you are new to sewing, you can use some of the Heat 'n Bond stuff to keep your layers from sliding or use some pins. I don't bother. It does not matter if it is off a bit because you can trim the edges later on. When you are sewing the layers together, you can use the same color thread or contrasting color thread. I like multi-color or contrasting color thread. Do not go from all 4 edges and work in. Work from the middle and go out. If you work from the outside in, you will have wad of puff in the middle that can't be smoothed out. Smooth out the fabric and stretch it out a bit as you are sewing. It does not matter here if it bunches up a bit, it will be part of its charm here. You can see from my shapes that I have sewn all over my quilt sandwiches.
3. Once you are done with your quilt sandwich, use your template with a sharp pair of scissors and cut out the shape. If you are adhering the shape on top of something else, you can trace the shape with a Sharpie and cut it from that. If you have chalk
4. If your shape is going to be freestanding, sew the edges closed with a close zigzag stitch. If you are going to sew it onto something else, sew it directly onto that surface using the same zigzag stitch.
5. If desired, embellish or use inks, stamps, paints, markers, etc...to create your surface design.
6. Have fun and remember...it's okay to play!
Belinda aka crazyartgirl
Blog: http://alteredbelly.blogspot.com/
Oh what fun! Jody and I have been talking about organic shapes in an ongoing conversation. This fits in perfectly.
Kathleen
gallery
S'wonderful! S'marvelous! I leaped into the first challenge without too much thought which was good cause now I'm started. I did go back after I sent in the first challenge and reread your directions. First - the focal point. OH! So this time I was gonna do that. But it sorta seems to me that this is the focal point. So do we put a focal point on the focal point??? 8^)
QE2
Elle
My daughter is getting married in September and I keep telling myself NO MORE PROJECTS! I need to focus on getting ready for the wedding. But...how can I resist? It's much more fun to play than to work on my boring household chores! However...this is it...this is the last one...and I mean it this time! :-)
Melissa
Ooooo Belinda, thanks for another challenge! <3 I'll start thinking about my quiltie shape and maybe have something next week to post on it. :D
- Judi
My Blog My Art
Depending on what your quilt is about - this probably would be your focal point. if you had several shapes, then they would be your focal points. You would probably want to position then so you would have some flow or line so the eye would have something to follow. There is someone in this forum who is doing collage design. So, I don't want to repeat it. You don't need to put a focal point on the focal point. You can put a design on the shape or leave it the way it is. You can put a pattern on it, if you like. I put patterns on it with silkscreening - which is part of my next article. You can perhaps do some stamping on it using some of Melly's techniques or some other surface design. It is up to you. I am just interested in having people create the quilted shape more than anything else. The rest is gravy.
cazmx5 - congrats to your daughter. We always have time to play. I feel like I am the most busy person on the planet - besides Pokey - and I still find time to play.You should see how my house looks with two kids.
I just read this post and am already thinking about what to do and can't wait to see what everybody else comes up with. Organic? Geometric? A little bit of both!
Jody
I think these challenges are addictive, I am anxious to start on my quiltie shape, it is nice to have a little extra time, summers can be busy.
You should see what my house looks like with no kids!
One question - do we enter our quiltie shapes on this thread, or will there be another?
Kathleen,
Just post a reply to this thread
I took a workshop where we made several quilties, cut them in four, shuffled and zigzagged them back together. I didn't think they looked like Art. Harold, maybe! But I thought one might work for my shape. I began putting them up on my door/design wall and I got a background happening. Aha, I have a theme. Then I got out my colourwheel. I have a colour for my focal point. I am ready to make that quiltie shape. This is SO great!
Okie, here's one of mine (I think I might do another one- not sure though). Everything's coming up hummers for me this year, so naturally when Belinda said "organic shape" my mind leapt right to the ruby-throated guys we saw so many of this spring at the feeders.
I hope he qualifies as both a shape and as a quilt- he's only got two layers rather than three, and he's not exactly geometric, though he's obviously organic hehe.
The shape was created with my new favorite stitching surface, paper sacks from the grocery store.
I got tired of never having enough to do with all the bags I collect, and being loathe to throw them in the recycle bin, I started thinking about them as free paper canvases. I cut them apart, remove the bottoms and then lightly gesso one side of the paper. This gives it good tooth for more layers of paint/dye/etc and also helps strengthen it for machine stitching.
For this piece, the bag was taken apart and reassembled in random blocks by machine stitching. A smaller portion (maybe 7" x 7", I didn't measure) was then removed, which I gesso'd. I gave it a wash of yellow acrylic paint, dry-brushed some white to highlight the wrinkles in the paper and when it was dried, I spray basted it to a heavy piece of timtex.
I used a stencil I made recently to trace the design. Then I straight- stitched around it with rayon thread. Once it was secure, I cut it out close to the stitching and added more stitching in both red and yellow threads... some at the throat and more in the wings and tummy. I sketched in the eyes and then painted in the details with a liner brush and black liquid acrylic paint. The body received additional washes of greens and reds to highlight the stitching.
I'm thinking of mounting him on this canvas, which I started months ago and then never knew how to finish...
The canvas is stretched, a small 12" x 12". It's treated with paper scraps, scraps of stitched textiles, cheesecloth and layers of paint.
My cat Pumpkin approves:
What a creative use of paper bags! I love your hummer and it looks beautiful against the canvas your created!
Judi-
It's great!
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