The Design is in the Detail

Block 18 is a little different.

I'm going to be away over Easter so this is my Easter block, I'm getting in early and once again, the block is bigger than 6"  it's 17" X 14".

It's a little Folk Art in a way, a bit Fu Fu and I used fabric, wool and felt. If I felt so inclined I could bead it, but I'm not that keen.

Look closely and you can tell I'm not an embroiderer like my mother.... my stitches are clunky.

But it was a 'challenge' once again and I do admit, that I really don't like the last 4 blocks I've done... (including this one)

I think that it's a challenge to get out of my 'box'.... I could do 52 blocks similar and they would all match, I could do 52 blocks in the same genre as well, but that defeats the purpose...

so here is my little whim for Easter. It's up on the design wall and I'm sure I'll add more things over the next week.

How did I make it? well I cheated, I already had the flower and the rabbit on the piece of black felt... I don't even remember why I did it really. I don't even know how old it is... I just found it as I was cleaning out...

I just added the rest of the story in fabric, so no pattern, I just drew it and put it down. I machine blanket stitched it together...

It will be stretched onto canvas so there is no batting in the mustard wool border....

OK, so this technique isn't new to me... I've actually taught wool applique... but I guess that's a phase that's past.

Block No 17 completed.

This block is based on a blog comment.

"Before Rumors start....

I thought I would get in first.

My upper lip has swollen to interesting proportions..... NO, it's not surgery, simply an allergy reaction to eating too many fresh tomatoes...

I'm allergic to fresh fruit and veg..... often with interesting reactions...!!!!

I can normally eat tomatoes, but with a bumper crop in the garden being harvested I think I overdid it a bit.... Then again I could sell them as a beauty aid....

"Eat one of my tomatoes and you could have luscious lips.!!!!"

and now the block is complete.

It's a little unusual for me, a little out of the ordinary.... but I needed a break from the intense quilting on the Rhino and this small quilt fitted the bill.

I printed the picture of the lips on a piece of good quality white cotton that I had stabilized  with fusible web.

I picked a sprig of leaves from the garden and drew them on with pigment ink, first outlining them with a .5 black pigma pen.

I then added the writing and the small tomatoes.

I looked for a piece of fabric for the background to match the lips.... goodness what on earth could I do... I'm not into hearts and stuff like that which is generally associated with lips...

But these were tomato lips and I associate my tomatoes with the green grass by the veggie patch.

I lay the tomatoes on the grass after I've picked them.... and there you are, I had some grass fabric in my stash....

I ironed the lips image to the grass fabric and added batting and backing fabric.

Beginning with the lips, and a rayon thread, I first began quilting with a straight stitch and very quickly changed to a free motion zig zag. I change the stitch to 1.5 stitch width and 1.5 stitch length, feed dogs up, free motion foot on the machine and go for it... You will the width is really  set by the dial, however, the length is up to you and the speed with which you move the fabric.

 

I then added another color and stitched with a straight stitch.

Then the rest of the images... I didn't want the sprig of leaves to be heavy, so they are quilted with mono-filament thread. I added black to the  line around the block and then a few outlined leaves... just for interest and it adds a 'sketched' effect.

The back of the quilt.

The background is quilted in 3 different green cotton threads. I followed the pattern on the fabric and added a little more interest by taking the pattern into the white of the lips block.

This is a n interesting experiment because there were no drawings make prior to making the block... but it was done as If I was drawing in my sketch book right on the fabrc.

FINISHED

Challenge block No 10 - completed

This is NOT a quilted block, but it's part of the challenge for me...

I created an illustration from one of my photos, originally I was going to put the illustration on fabric and then thread paint it, but I decided to leave it as a drawing and it will be framed and exhibited with the photo at the exhibition.

MASKS

A mask is a device for driving the personality out of the body and allowing a spirit to take possession of it. Masks have been used in many cultures around the world.

Masks were an important part of Mexican culture long before the Spanish arrived.

Today, masks are mostly found in the southern, central, and north-western states of Mexico where many Indian populations live. The masks are usually of beings either human, animal, male or female.

Many times it is a combination of elements from various categories. Some masks serve as reminders of ancient deities from the prehistoric world.

Masks are still used at many festivals and ceremonial dances. Many of the masked dances are performed to secure happiness and good fortune. Popular subjects performed with masks include re-enactment of the Spanish Conquest, religious tales, and dramas that include animals and supernatural figures.

In most areas masks are made by specialists who are usually men. Carved and painted wood is the most common material used. Masks are also made from leather, papier-mâché, clay, cloth, cardboard, wire mesh, gourds, and wax.

Challenge block No 11 - completed

Challenge block from mexico.

Thoughts and process:-

I decided to work on the  block I designed in Teotitlan in Mexico.

The drawing actually represents what I saw as I sat on my balcony.   the roof tiles on the building opposite the apartment.

The red  things hanging are the pomegranates on the trees in the courtyard.

The leaves across the center of the block are from the pomegranate tree.

Then I drew each of the pot plants surrounding my balcony and the cobblestone road below and finally the blue sky with the hills in the distance.

But somehow I need to represent the sounds I heard so maybe I need to draw a rooster on top of the roof.... I don't think I'll add the turkey and the donkey.. The bands and the music....!!!

I pretty much like the drawing as it is. it's simple and makes a statement... now that I've described it to you I guess it has more meaning.

I decided to create an illustrated block, but using both ink and pencil. It's a little tricky, but I'll explain.

The pencils work better if they are waxy... so I normally would use prisma pencils but the ones I used in this block were Derwent Colour Soft.

You need to apply the ink first and then add the pencil because the ink pen gets caught in the wax consistency of the pencil and seems to stem the flow of ink.

1. I traced the image onto mustard colored fabric by putting the original drawing on the light box and tracing the image with a black .5 pigma pen.

 

Place it on the light box.

I could just quilt on the lines in black thread, it would be an interesting piece... but I need to explore something new each week, so I decided the try the ink pencil combination.

I have done it before, but not necessarily in this manner.

So which is the pencil and which is the ink?

First of all it's a challenge drawing on a colour as dense as this one.... but I quite like it. It's mellow.

The pencil gives a soft glow to the piece. A little of the surface color may wear off with constant handling, but... once quilted this will be packaged for viewing by students... and I have a big sign on the pack saying "Please don't open"

Quilting... I'm excited about that because I think I will continue some of the drawn lines.

I'll explain. If you look at the hill in the left hand corner at the bottom of the picture. I will begin the quilting line from the outer border, picking up the design on the block and continuing down the the other outer border.

The Pomegranate leaves... I can take them from one border to the next..... etc. etc.

So I'll quilt it tomorrow and I have to edit film and quilt for ....XXXXX....... hours on the Rhino.

I cleaned the studio today... I just can't work in an untidy studio.....   Strange but true now I'm ready to work.

Challenge No 15 in the process.

I've finished the lilies for challenge No 15. The lilies are free standing.

I added batting and backing and first stitched around the edge with a mono filament thread. I use smoke on the top and a grey 50 weight cotton on the back of the quilt.

 

Free motion sewing, this image is of the back of the quilt.

The outline is in grey Mono filament. Then filled in with thread painting following the colors on the image.

I finished the edge with a small zig zag. 1.4 and 1.4 matching the colors.

Now for the leaf. !!!!!

 These are images that I took in 2008 at the home of Frida Khalo.

I've created an applique from this image and used it for several projects.

.... then it will be completed

I think this is block No 15.

This is a different block and It will accompany block No 10, the Mexican Quilt.

I mentioned in the previous post that I wanted to create some lilies to add to the quilt.

I have some applique lilies ready to applique on the Frida Quilt but because I'm still working on the illustrated border I have to keep them separate until the quilt is ready. 

I scanned them at high resolution and printed them on the bonded fabric from Printed Treasures.

 
I ironed them to a piece of muslin (calico), but there wasn't enough body to make them stable...

 

so I redid them and added thin cotton 'warm and natural' batting and then a muslin backing and they are much thicker and will stand alone.

I first quilted them with a mono filament thread and grey 50 weight thread in the bobbin.

Right now I'm thread painting each color.

finished.

I've finished my first block, which actually turned out to be a small quilt 17" X 23"

I'm going to add another installation to this quilt, but that will be counted as a separate block.

I'm going to make two stand alone lilies and they  will be placed in the top of the embroidery. To be honest, I don't know how I will make them, but that's part of the challenge.

When we travel, we buy things that get put into the drawer, ore sometimes even put on view for a short time...

With this quilt, I've completed a challenge to represent part of my trip to Mexico an used things that were given to me as gifts or I purchased on a whim.

The rugs made in the Teotitlan village in Oaxaca look similar to the background fabric in the quilt.

The colors are representative of the colors and images I saw in the markets.

The woven pieces fitted in withe the colors of the quilts and remind me of the industry in the villages... it reminds me of the hours spend weaving so that we, as tourists can buy a piece of art work

I haven't finished the binding, but I'll get that done tomorrow.

The image of the flower seller at the bottom of the quilt was a piece of fabric I purchased in the USA about 6 years ago, and just fitted the bill as did the binding color purchased over 20 years ago.

I'm happy with it... it's machine and hand quilted.

Challenge block No 10 - in process.

Thoughts and process:-

Just at the moment the quilt lacks spontaneity...

I'm about to sandwich  the quilt and I think I will hand stitch the fabric down with big colored stitches, (Vertically)

The strips on the side are a handwoven belt that I bought just for this purpose.... (I cut it in half) and yes, i want one strip longer than the other.

I think I will add turquoise and orange ribbons too. I don't have them in my stash.....!!!

Challenge block No 15.

It was difficult to complete the blocks as I traveled.

I've shared ideas and drawings, but tonight I got out the fabric and I share with you my ideas.

I purchased a child's bib made by the artesana Nasaria Patishtan Diaz from the municipio Chamular.

So, my Spanish is not very good. and I have been trying to find out more about the program under which this small garment was made. I will investigate further. 

I bought the garment with the idea of using it in my challenge series on the last day of an exhibition at the Oaxaca Textile Museum.

The garment is a hand embroidered baby bib (B. Chico) I'm choosing a pieced of fabric to applique it to, and then I will applique other images on the bib... in fact, these images were on a piece of fabric that contained candy, given to me as a gift.

The following photos are of fabric I have in my stash to quilt the bib onto....

I'm auditioning all three.

I love this one, but it's a little busy.

This one is fabulous too, but I think I need to keep it for a specific purpose... like, applique lilies superimposed over the top......!!! maybe.

 Somehow this fabric reminds me of the beautiful rugs I've just seen... the pattern is vertical and will balance with the rectangle bib which sits vertically.

The images I'm appliqueing on are already on a white background so I put fusible web on the back of the fabric and cut around the perimeter of the pictures leaving just a little white on the edge... then I don't need to be absolutely exact when appliqueing..

More tomorrow, I'm not too sure where I go from here with this challenge... but I'm going to sleep on the idea.