BEGINNINGS: A quilt Metamorphosis Story, Part 1

I pulled out one of my "quilt incubators" last week. It was full of fabric that I had dyed and was just waiting to be put into a quilt.  


Here's a few of the pieces that I started with. They were hand dyed silk blend fabrics. 

My idea was to create a patchwork background that would then metamorph into a circular piece that would be a symbol "for all life being one life."

I started by cutting various fabrics into strips and weaving them into a square piece. The fabrics were back by Misty Fuse, so, as I was weaving them, I could fuse them into place.  Once the weaving was finished, I cut the piece into a circle and layered it onto a background.

I then pulled out another "quilt incubator" and started playing with glitzy, yet see through fabrics that would be layered over the circle. 

I cut the glitzy fabrics into circles and layered them over the woven piece.  I then satin stitched them down, using various metallic threads. 

Once that was done, I started quilting inside of the circles, again using metallic threads.  I'm using three different colors of thread and fabric. Each of the different colors has its own quilting pattern.
The patterns overlap just as the circles overlap.

 I will be adding more circles that are cut out of a gold lace material. They will go around the edge of the quilt.  

The whole idea is to build up the individual layers to represent how each aspect is individual but that the individual is also one with all of life.  

I hope to finish the quilting this week and start on the embellishments soon. 

Until next time,

Create with Quilting,

Karen

"LAVISH ABUNDANCE" and Journaling

LAVISH ABUNDANCE

 

2017 was quite a year for creating in the studio.  I was very excited about creating this quilt that I call "LAVISH ABUNDANCE".  Once I had it done though,  I got busy with gardening, going on a great trip to Costa Rica with my husband and lots of other things that kept me from writing a journal page about how I created this wonderful piece.  

 I started a quilt journal several years ago. So long ago, that I did not have a digital camera. I did have a computer so I could write and print from there. Many of the photos were taken back in the 1970's and 1980's.  I think every quilt artist should keep a journal of their work and, of course, sign their work in a way that it cannot be removed.  

 For too long, quiltmaking was seen as something that women do either to "make do" or to "have something to do", but not as the art that it is.  Quilters didn't even sign their work most of the time because it wasn't "real art".  

 Fortunately, more and more quilters are signing their work now and that's good.  I also encourage quilters to keep a journal of their work.  A journal page can be a simple one page description of the quilt or it can be several pages describing the process and design inspiration that went into creating the piece.  

I have done both. My earliest pages, many of which were written several years after I had made the quilt, were set up with a photo of the quilt, then a description of the pattern used and the colors of the quilt, plus any little stories about why I made the quilt or who I made it for.  That was back when I was making traditional pieced and hand quilted quilts, and I could not do close up photos of the details. Nowadays, it's very easy to take great photos with my iPhone. 

My journal pages are usually much  more complicated now. I am adding in more photos and more details about technique and materials used.  I'm also taking more step by step photos of the construction process. Part of the reason for this is that the art pieces are more complicated than the traditional quilts that I used to make and the materials are more varied in fiber content and often include things such as beads and paint. 


Here are some pages in the quilt journal about this quilt. 

Whenever possible, also be sure to include a photo of yourself with your creation. It is always fun to go back through your journal and not only see a progression in your work but also see what you were like at that time. It's also important historically should anyone every have reason to have your work appraised after you are no longer around to talk about it. 

I'm getting ready to start a new quilt. I've decided that this time I will also start the journal pages. Hopefully, by time I finish the quilt, I'll also have the journal pages finished.  

Creating Always,

Karen