More New Printing Blocks

One of the cool things about the Inovart block printing material is - it is just thick enough to carve a different design on the opposite side.  Here are the designs I printed on the backs! 

New Printing Blocks

 I got a new supply of my favorite Inovart recycled and latex free block printing material.  I ordered it from Dick Blick online here.  I was inspired to create some new printing blocks - rather different from my usual printing blocks (which I generally use for backgrounds).  This group will be more prominent when printed.  I studied African mud cloth prints and other primitive art designs as I prepared for this project.

Another Deconstructed 12" Composition

This 12" square also has the same 3 deconstructed print fabrics as the one I showed yesterday.  I feel like these are working on some level. 

Deconstructed Composition 12"

I am playing around a bit more with several deconstructed print fabrics.  This small 12" square has three different fabrics that I think work together.  This is a good exercise in composition.

Denver Botanical Gardens - Travel Log Tuesday

 We visited the Denver Botanical Gardens in February.  It was so nice spending time in this tropical environment on a winter day!

Deconstructed 12" Squares

This is another whole cloth piece.  I am not sure this one needs anything......some stitching, perhaps.  This one is going to wait for further inspiration.

Deconstructed 12" Squares

 I've decided to work with my deconstructed screen print fabric again - I want to try to develop a series with this fabric, and I am finding it remarkably challenging - because the prints are so strong......  I feel like maybe I can experiment with the 12" square format to troubleshoot.  Using the small size reduces the anxiety over using up my precious one of a kind fabric.  Unlike hand painted or hand dyed, block printed or screen printed fabrics which I could easily reproduce - I feel like the deconstructed screen printed fabric cannot be replicated.  The fact that this fabric is one of a kind makes it difficult to build a series.  I am reluctant to cut it up, but I am going to give it a shot.

I am encouraged by the success of my small piece - Red Planets.  This gives me the confidence to try.

Here are several pieces I have cut into 13" squares - aiming for a finished size of 12" square after quilting and binding.

The top two pieces are whole cloth, but this bottom one has a strip of deconstructed fabric pieced in.

Red Planets is Finished!

I've finished binding "Red Planets".  It measures 14 x 25"

I am very satisfied with this use of the deconstructed screen printed fabric.  The unusual patterning creates striking visual interest, but doesn't overwhelm.  I would like to further explore this approach to using my vast collection of deconstructed screen prints.   I am not sure whether this is successful because of the color - or if the results could be replicated in another color scheme. 

Finishing the binding for Red Planets

I fiddled around with the binding a bit to get the miter to look right and wrapped the binding around to the back, where it is fused in place.  I stitched in the ditch to anchor it.  This technique would never fly in a quilt show.  I wonder if I will someday regret doing the binding this way?  For now - it seems like a great solution!  Quick and it looks great.  I am happy with this piece and am wondering if this is a direction I can go with the deconstructed screen prints I have.....I really would like to build a series with them, but have been somewhat stymied in all my efforts.  Tomorrow, I will show the finished piece!

Binding the Red Planets

 I have decided to do something different for the binding.  I did not have enough long strips of this color to make a proper miter, and I wanted the gray to gradate the same on the binding as on the piece, so I used a strip of binding (with fusible on the back) - but I stitched it in place, folding the miters at the corners and stitching them in place, also.

Orchid Show - Travel Log Tuesday

I just had to share a few more pictures from the Orchid Show at the Denver Botanical Gardens.

We visited in February.

I do have one orchid plant, but I am thinking I may get rid of my other houseplants and just try to grow orchids on the big 12 foot wide windowsill I have in my studio!  I think I could find a way to have some blooming mostly year around.  They say orchids tend to bloom once a year at the same time, so if I just keep buying a new one when I have nothing blooming - perhaps I will have a continual show.  I am not sure the light, temperature, and humidity is OK in the location I have in mind, though.  I need to do a bit of research.   Or maybe just some trial and error.

Red Planets Quilted

 Here is "Red Planets" (decided that's what I want to call it) - the quilting is done, but now it needs to be trimmed and bound.  I think I like this orientation best.  I am pondering possibilities for the binding.  I have so many different ways of doing a binding now......hmmmm  I really want to do the best thing and am taking into account the gray gradually darkens towards the bottom on the left side and the fact that I have used raw silk for part of the background.

Quilting the Red Circles

 I begin the quilting process with the walking foot.  I stitch all the way across, through the center of all the circles, dividing them into quarters.  Then, I go in with the darning foot to do the free motion - filling in the spaces.

Did I mention the gray is raw silk?  It is possible to see the texture of the weave in this close up image.

Fusing the Red Circles

 Here are the circles fused in place. You can see that some of them have other fabrics pieced in with them.  All leftover from some other failed experiment, I think - but this time - I think it works. 

The two bronze strips are pieced.   Next - the quilting.

Abstract Layout with Red Deconstructed

 The red circles were to be fused in place with Mistyfuse, but I was not sure about the layout.  I decided adding a couple of bronze strips (also a deconstructed print that bled and was overpainted).  I pieced one in, but I was not sure about the best placement of the perpendicular one, so here are a couple of options I played around with on the pressing table.

Red Deconstructed Circles

 I tried to find a picture of the original deconstructed screen printed fabric I started with, but I cannot find one.  I am thinking perhaps I did not take a photo because I was so profoundly disappointed with my results.  This first piece of screen printed fabric I ever did had problems because the red dye bled with the washout and the whole thing was pink.  So I overpainted the whole thing with yellow - which improved it only slightly.  Above, I have an image of a 12" square piece I did using some small scraps of that fabric - just to give you an idea where I started.

I am not sure what made me decide to cut it all up into circles, but I did it one day and then put them aside.  When I unburied them during a studio purge - I auditioned them with some hand painted gray leftover from my Evening Walk series.    I thought this showed promise, so I continued on with it.

Machine Quilting Unlimited Article!

Here it is!  The first page of my article in the March/April issue of Machine Quilting Unlimited!

It is available now in Barnes and Noble, Amazon, JoAnn Fabrics and online at the Machine Quilting Unlimited website.  I am very pleased with the layout!  They gave me six full pages and the quilts look awesome!

Travel Log Tuesday - Orchid Show

This entire space was lined with orchids!

Reflections is Finished!

 This piece is finished!  Above, a last look at the screenprinted, machine quilted binding.

Below is a full size image of the finished piece.

 And here is a detail showing the screenprinted handwriting and machine quilting.

Screenprinted Binding for Reflections

 I screenprinted the cottonwood trees on the binding after it was in place.

Masking tape protects the quilt from any ink that might extend beyone the binding.

Once the ink is dry, I remove the tape.  I am pleased that I have been successful in positioning the screen so the print of the trees continues naturally into the binding. Next, I will machine quilt the binding to make it blend in with the quilt even more!

Here is a picture of the quilted binding.

Fused Binding for Reflections

 I purchase Mistyfuse on a roll from the Mistyfuse Website, and I have covered my worktable with teflon.  This makes it easy to apply the fusible to the fabric.  I am using fabric leftover from Reflections - which is a wholecloth quilt of hand dyed fabric. 

I cut the binding fabric into 1 1/4" strips (you could use any size, but this is what I like).  I lap the binding about 1/2" over the top edge of the quilt, then fuse it in place.

Completed Quilting Reflections

 I've finished the quilting on this piece, and am happy with the results.

Next, I will trim and bind it.