My First Art Quilt Challenge

I'm a member of a group of twenty art quilters, Challenging Ourselves,  and the first reveal is happening today!   Our objective is to explore new techniques and to venture beyond our usual areas of skill and interest. With this challenge, I wanted to learn a bit about painting--with both thread and textile paint.  I'm not exactly thrilled with the results but I am more comfortable with the techniques and it's a start...

A wonderful surprise!

I had no idea this lovely wallhanging was on its way to me!  It was hand-embroidered and hand-quilted by Trish who has all the talent and expertise to do the teeny tiny perfectly straight and even stitches.  The fabrics are beautiful and are right at home in my wee white and pastel cottage.  It will hang at eye-level by the computer (where I seem to spend more and more of my time) so I can enjoy it.  I do so admire the little dainty, delicate stitcheries.  Thank you, Trish!! Such a treasure!

New Purse!

I'd like to be able, when I want,  to suspend the tendency I have to overthink, overplan and overwork.  This purse is an exercise in spontaneous and improvised.  I pulled out a scrap of linen, some leftover 2" fabric squares, and the little bit of crochet and whipped this up in about an hour.   The fabric patches are raw-edged and zig zag appliqued.  I didn't have any matching thread so I quilted it (wavy and crooked) in variegated red/green thread.  I measured only enough to insure that the lining would fit inside the purse.  Very satisfying and I like it, overall.  It doesn't have quite the offhand look I was trying for.  Wonky is still more difficult for me than even and straight. 

I saw a pillow a few years ago, similar in design, and thought then it would make a cute purse.  Another one to scratch off the to-do list.  ;o)

Portrait of Kitty

I tried five different background designs and Kitty rejected them all.  Then I noticed this fabric and the flowers that would be so right for embroidery and beads.   Colors bold enough to stand up to the black and white stripe.   I like it even though it's not even close to the original plan.   I do hope Kitty's mom likes it as well and can find a spot for it in their 18th century house in CT. 

Portrait of Kitty

Kitty is all built but not fused yet.  I'm going to let her simmer on the back burner for a few days while I consider backgrounds.  Do I place her on a stone wall in the garden?  Lying on a quilt?  Before a window?  I might decide that the solid black is too black and switch it out in favor of a tone-on tone?  Any advice and suggestions are welcome!

Portrait of Kitty

Just a kitten, isn't she beautiful?  She certainly deserves a quilted fabric portrait.  I hope I can do it justice.

I resized, posterized and desaturated the photo using Gimp2 to define the separate values.  She's basically a black and white cat, so I  turned the photo into a sketch to help with the thread sketching later to blend the furry edges. 

Now to translate the sketch into fabric.  Stay tuned...

Portrait of Bonny, A Little Quilt

My first quilted portrait.   What a lot of fun and a wonderful learning experience!  Bonny is 13 years old now and the black has turned to grey, the caramel faded to tan and she hasn't quite the spring in her step she once had.  But she still follows me around all day, dribbling a tennis ball at my heels or helping in the garden, digging up anything planted, despite the "No Digging" sign.  The most difficult and time-consuming parts were getting a suitable photo and finding suitable fabrics in my stash which leans heavily toward neon brights.  I desaturated the photo to find the shadows.  There weren't many.  Next time, I'll know more about setting up the lighting so there will be more interest in the shadows.  Is this the first of a series?