Sunday, March 08, 2009

Manipulating & stamping




Something fun today - I started playing with a fabric manipulation technique which was discussed on Fibre Art Traders - with this technique you put together squares of different sizes into a grid, which creates textures in the larger squares. Once I had the basic grid, I bordered it and then started adding to it - first thing I did was quilt it heavily (surprise, surprise) with some feathery fronds in a sage green, then gold and finally a blue metallic thread. Touch wood, neither of my metallic threads broke once during this process. I then added lots of buttons (see below for first stage), then other various sorts of embellishments. Technically, I suppose, I added the buttons before I added the blue metallic, but who's getting picky...




I think this piece will be for a swap I am doing on Creative Swaps - a 12"x12" (which is the size of this piece) Technique quilt swap - though you never know, I might change my mind. It does suit some of the suggestions of the swap - the size, of course, which is a requirement rather than a suggestion - to try a new technique, use mixed media and either recycle, use "found" objects or work from stash (which I did). Everything used is from my stash - few are true "found objects", but I didn't buy anything new. The pink and silver butterfly is a true found object - it came from some or other item of children's clothing that one of the girls was discarding - I of course grabbed it up. The square metal tag with the leaf on it came from a tag on a piece of clothing - they make really elaborate tags these days - this item, whatever it was, had several paper tags with this sort of charm attached at the top.


The other thing I did today was to work on the first lesson from an online (private) class I am doing on fabric stamping & painting. The lesson covered some stamping methods and transfer embossing, which is something I'd never done before. The class project was a pillow cover, but I didn't want to do that, so I just used some fabric and made a nice background. The piece on the left is a couple of trials where I wasn't partiuclarly happy with the results , but which I'm sure will be good for something. The piece on the right I like better, though I'm not crazy about it. Still, I can see it will make a nice background for ATCs, etc.

6 comments:

Vicki W said...

You are such a good manipulator! I lvoe the little quiltie.

Jaye said...

Hi, Kate..I really enjoy your blog. I was in a postcard exchange with you a couple of years ago and I just happened on your blog recently. I am a new blogger...just am now putting it out to the public. If you would be interested in reading it, it is ccsq.blogspot.com. Jay in Texas

Michelle said...

beautiful, Kate!

morningDove said...

i can't wait to try this technique. your little quiltie is great, love the color and all the buttons.

BryeLynn said...

Hi, Kate!

I found your blog last week. It is wonderful and I love the work you do. How do you find time to do so much? Keep it up, you are very inspiring.

Sally said...

I love your little quilt, the colour and everything about it is just so sweet, it would be a shame to part with it, but somebody is going to be very lucky to receive this.