QAK QUILTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE 2015/2016

INTERPRETING a PHOTO of a LEOPARD

The Quilt Artists of Kentucky have started a new Quiltography Challenge using photos taken by members of the Creative Camera Club of Lexington, KY. We will be exhibiting our interpretations of the photos, along with the photos, in November of 2016.

Here is the first posted photo:

  I wanted to try a new fabric manipulating technique, that was posted in the blog "and Then We Set It On Fire", that creates permanent bubbles, creases, folds, etc. according to how the fabric is stitched.  I chose a synthetic gold organza and used stitching around rocks to create a variety of bubble sizes and shapes.  This technique only works with synthetic fabrics that are sensitive to heat.

 Once the fabric was stitched, it was put into a pot of water and brought to a boil.  I boiled it for about 20 minutes. I turned off the heat and let it cool in the pot. Once it was dry, I very carefully removed the very tight stitching around each of the rocks. When I try this technique again, I'll be sure to use looser stitching.

Here is the fabric after I have removed the rocks.

Look at all of those cute little bubbles. I thought they would really capture the spots of the Leopard's arm, especially after I added beads to them.

I draped the "arm" over a collaged piece of tree trunk. I started adding black/copper oblong beads in the centers of each bubble.  Something started happening with the way the fabric was reacting. It was starting to look like flowers.

I also added in smaller black and gold crystals to the background of the bubbles. This really made the "flowers" standout.

By the time I had finished the beading, the piece looked more like cascading flowers to me.  Oh well, at least it was inspired by the Leopard arm.

Here is a photo of the finished piece:

I added painted highlights to the "flowers" using Stewart Gill and Jaquard Metallic paints. I also ended up adding in beaded highlights to the log. I used size 11 seed beads and 6mm bugle beads.

The green background is a piece of hand-dyed raw silk that was left over from a jacket that I made this fall. I first quilted the background and then added in the painted highlights, using Stewart Gill Paints.

I will be mounting this 12"x12" piece on artist canvas.

Create Always,
Karen

Here's the second photo that was posted the beginning of September.

Watch here for the results of this photo!