Reflections

This piece has sold

Size 12" x 12"

As soon as I saw the theme “Reflections” I knew it would be easy to fit into my series of Trees. I worked from my imagination for the sketch of trees and their reflections. I had this piece of shibori fabric that I dyed last summer and I thought it really looked like sky or water. However, in order to get the water texture to appear horizontal I had to cut a diamond piece out of the larger fabric. What a waste of fabric! So the white stripes are horizontal, but the straight of grain is diagonally. If that makes sense. I will still use the rest eventually, (but maybe in smaller triangular pieces) since I really like the fabric.   

Next I used a blending colour of polyester sheer and cut out the trees all in one piece using my reversed paper pattern on a piece of plywood and my hot stencil cutter to melt the sheer. Works amazingly well and very quick! The sheer was then very fragile and to fit it to the background I first lightly sprayed it with 505 while it was still on the pattern board. I lowered the background onto the sheers, smoothed it flat with my hand, flipped it over and then peeled off the paper pattern gently. I’ve used a close free-motion stitch in polyester embroidery thread to applique the trees. One layer of cotton batting and then quilting is done in a slightly paler colour just outside the outlines. One more darker line across the horizon and that was it. I was tempted to do swirly’s in the sky, but refrained. Binding is done in a batik.  I should have double-batted.

Sorry I don’t have a close up, but the resolution on this one isn’t  great and there’s not really any detail to see. I do like the misty feeling of this piece.  

Rose Hips II

This piece is not for sale.

 A Rosa glauca in my garden is a constant delight. In autumn its bright red and burgundy hips glow against the garden’s leaves. This piece started in a strip piecing workshop with Coreen Zerr. Raw edge applique, thread painted leaves and hips, machine quilting, and hand embroidery are the techniques used.

Here is a close up of the rosehips:

Here is a close up of the thread painted leaves:

Marquetry

 

This piece is not for sale.  Sorry for the poor quality photo.

Width: 64 cm

Height: 64 cm

The piece resulted from a Guild Summer Challenge. The challenge was to use the stripey fabric, and I chose to use it’s similarity to wood grain. The flowers might be found in a piece of furniture wood inlay. Embellished with beads.  Hand and machine quilted.

Here is a close up:

Cloisonne

 

This piece is not for sale.


 The inspiration for this piece was a small antique cloisonne vase. The challenge was to fill the background space with enamel like colours. The brass work is imitated by the gold coloured rayon thread, and the beads reflect the light like the jewel tones of the real vase. Raw edge fused applique, satin stitching, hand quilting, and beading are techniques used in this piece.


 Here is a close up of the thread work and the beading.

Well Behaved Women Marking Time in a Crazy World

This piece is sold.

Width: 42 cm
Height: 42 cm


This piece was my response to the summer challenge offered by my guild one summer. The challenge was to use both the quote "Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History" and the challenge fabric which had kitchen implements all over it.  The challenge fabric is incorporated into the clock numbers.  A crazy quilted panel provides the canvas for this piece. The words:  " Well Behaved Women Marking Time in a Crazy World" are embroidered around the inside of the clock ring.  This title is a play on the original quote by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, the women's historian and author. 

The women figures are marking time on the clock face, and are my interpretation based upon two stories related by the author Clarissa Pinkola Estes in "Women Who Run With the Wolves".  The figure on the left represents Skeleton Woman, and the figure on the right represents Butterfly Woman. 

Sheers, clock pieces, metallic paint, fabric markers, hand embroidery, free motion quilting are used in this piece.

Here is a close up:

Old Fishing Boat

Width: 36 cm
Height: 46 cm

I was intrigued by the different sculptural qualities of old paint, old wood, rust and moss. The challenge was to recreate them using the techniques of an art quilter. I used Egyptian cotton hand painted with dye, fabric paint, puff paint, fusibles, cotton threads, old rope.  The piece is double batted to give it rigidity.  It has commercial fabric backing. 
Here is a close up of the flaking paint:

Here is a close up of the rusty chain and the moss:



Vine Maple Leaves

These pieces are sold.


 Width: 36 cm
Height: 23 cm

The native vine maple is rare on our island, but a few exist to show their vibrant reds and purples in the autumn. They are the perfect subject to explore the sculptural qualities of quilting. Techniques: hand painted with dye. Machine embroidery, oil sticks. Free motion quilted.