Seaweed Mandala

Size 12” x 12”

Materials: Batik cotton, cotton batting, polyester embroidery threads in black, cream and blue, Tsukineko ink pens in turquoise.

Techniques: Free motion embroidery, free motion quilting, hand colouring.

A doodle similar to this is in my sketchbook. I was thinking about seaweed mandalas at the the time, and some turquoise and black pottery of my Mom’s. I spent HOURS on this piece. First, doodling with the sewing machine, then picking out bits of stabilizer from the back. At that time I was pretty happy with the piece and decided to give it a press with the iron. What a ~~~~~MISTAKE~~~~.

Perhaps the iron was too hot, because the polyester embroidery thread SHRUNK! The piece lost an inch all around and puckered terribly. I couldn’t do anything about it. Wetting didn’t help. Thank goodness I had cut a generous starting square, and thank goodness the design is more or less symmetrical and the puckers were even all over.

I didn’t lose any sleep over it and quilted it up in fairly simple outline quilting.  I am pleased with the results and love the texture. 

Here’s a close-up picture of the embroidery design.

Inner Animal

Size:  approx 12" x 12"

The theme for this art quilt was "Inner Animal".

When I started thinking about my inner animal I thought of a timid mouse. My husband, however, cheered me up and said it wasn’t true. I used to be a synchronized swimmer (right through university) and I still have swimming dreams. They’re like flying dreams because I can breath under water.

So the dolphin idea was born. It started out as a boring purple dolphin on this piece of hand-dyed fabric that I was saving. It sat like that. Boring, boring, boring; not a very happy dolphin!

After a while I decided it was time to play. The swirls were born out of a variegated pink and blue rayon thread. Still boring. I opened up the latest issue of Quilters Newlsetter and there in the back “photo finish” was the most beautiful quilt with paisley appliques on it called “Open up Your Dream Flower”. So I filled in the spaces with paisley designs in lots of colours. I doodled with my Tsukineko ink pens as I went. More detail, and more colour.

Suddenly my dolphin was having fun again!

Underwater

Size: approx: 8 ½ “ x 11”

This piece began its life as a sampler in an embellishment class. I was experimenting with various techniques like:

foiling on the fish scales,

angelina fibres on the dorsal fins and tail,

drawing and stitching on metal for the eye and lips,

and yarn embellishment on the belly.

Satin stitch outline,

And there is paint on the fish body and the denim background.

Pure whimsey, nothing more!

Windows

Size: 9 ¾” x 12 ¼”

Windows. What could be simpler than a picture I drew while looking out from a window at Refuge Cove while visiting my friend last summer? Looking southwest the very distant mountains on the left are Vancouver Island. That is Cortez Island in the middle distance. And some islets inside Refuge Cove are in the foreground.

I used Staedler watercolour pencil crayons. They seem to have a more intense pigment than other crayons that I’ve used. After drawing the image I painted over with Golden #900 fabric painting medium and a small paintbrush. It is a very liquid medium and dries with a soft hand. I also heat set the piece after a couple of days. I’ve used a single layer of cotton batting.

Next I stitched using a combination of polyester embroidery threads and cotton threads in different colours. I used the poly where I wanted the stitches to be shiny, like on the water and the tree tops. I used cotton thread on the rocks and tree trunks. The quilting is simple and sketchy.

I’ve left a narrow border of the white fabric showing although I could have cut the piece down to 8 ½ x 11. I think it looks like a mat border and with the brown binding frames the piece nicely.

Here is a close up:

Freedom

Approx size: 13” x 13”

You know all the little messages going around in your head? Like the ones that say you can’t do that, or, there’s no time for this, or, what if you waste your time, or make a mistake, or get criticised, or totally MUCK IT UP. Well I wanted to be free of that, and I’m my own worst enemy, believe me. So this week I just made time for absolute FREEDOM from all that and I set out to play.

Aside from a wonderful feeling inside (that is still with me) my day resulted in this little piece. I started with double batting and a backing. I had a rough idea of the image I was going to make, and so I trialed scraps of fabrics for the sky, water, boat, and sail. (There, I told you what it was, so you don’t need to embarrass me by asking). Next I placed a piece of navy sheer polyester on top and started free motion stitching with cotton thread. An hour later I brought it outside and blasted it with the heat gun until the sheer melted away. Ahhhhh. My favourite technique at the moment. That’s it, no paint, and the binding is only pinned on at the moment, but you don’t know that.

Oh yes, the spiral. I’ve used it before as a symbol of growth, which I hope I’m working on. I think it also holds the spark of freedom today. Hop on board!

Fabrics are a mix of hand dyed, batik, commercial, and an African print for the boat. The pieces are neither fused, nor sewn. Only the top stitching holds them in place.

Here is a close up:

My Place

Approx size:  16 ½ “ wide x 14 ½ “ tall


This piece is done in response to a summer challenge of 2013 which was to interpret 'Your Place' in fabric.  This could be a literal translation of your house, your property, or  your garden.  Or it could be a wider interpretation of 'your place' in the world, your community, or your family.  Included was to be an object of personal significance in your picture (real or copy).  For example, your pet, your favourite chair, the tree you planted.

All pieces are hand-dyed.  The orange fabric is stamped with a hand carved stamp.  The green fabric is stamped, but also sketched using wheat paste medium.

My challenge to myself was to incorporate these varied fabrics into one piece, and then let them play off one another.  Repeated shapes, repeated colours, and rich texture in a formal, yet informal layout keep the eyes moving around, searching for an element of harmony.  The paintbrush becomes the object to which all other elements relate.


Here is a photo of the pieces beginning to take shape:

And here is a close up of the stitching which includes quilting, thread painting on the leaves, and background infill on the orange.  

Salish Sea

Size:  yet to be measured...

A stylized view overlooking the Salish Sea (Georgia Strait) and towards the Coast Mountains of BC.

This was a very fun, experimental piece that involved lots of burning, cutting, and painting.  I tore my hair out more than once over this!  In the end though, I am happy with the results and am planning more like this.  I am enormously inspired by the Canadian artist David Blackwood, His use of line to create texture, and his moody atmospheres draw me in.

Here is a close up where you can see the texture, the paint, and the stitching: