Conversational Birds

So, here is my Bird Quilt....plus five book covers which I made with my extra birds and flowers I made with my flower loom. The book cover is made from woven placemats picked up from a thrift store.

The birds are sitting on a rick rack "wire".

I will get my pattern written up and posted for sale, soon. 

This has been a super fun scrap quilt project!

Good Morning Turtles Quilt Part 1 of 2

Good Morning Turtles is a little quilt that began with a hand marbled fabric from Quilter's Treasures. I designed this quilt with flower and turtle motifs that fit into the grass-like fabric design.

I was playing with several technique ideas. I want to share some of these things with you.

My first idea was to thread paint a base and then built up a design with fabric fused felt elements. Here are photos of the progress of the flower motifs.

I stitched the flower base. The fabric I used is a pretty yellow dot cotton because the color of the fabric will show through the stitching. I stitched some crosshatching in the middle of the flower to keep the motif from puckering.

Flower elements are made from fusing print fabrics to wool felt. I used Wonder Under fusible web.Then, I cut out the shapes.

Next, I glued the shapes to the base using a really good fabric glue. I used the same techniques for the turtles.

In my next post, I'll show you the next steps I took in the making of this quilt.

 

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Thread Painting, "Blue Cat Red Apples"

When designing and stitching a thread painting, there are many things to consider, i.e. every design doesn't work with every thread, every fabric doesn't suit all purposes, different stitches and techniques are necessary for different effects. I have had students tell me that something didn't work for them only to find that the needle is the wrong size or the thread doesn't suit the fabric. So, here is a thread painting (I decided to finish it recently) "Blue Cat Red Apples" and my reason for each choice I made in materials and techniques.....Very Simple....

"BlueCatRedApples" thread painting

 The blue cat is one of my regular motifs...he also appears as "Jazz Cat" (in my book,Thread Painting Made Easy) and "Domestic Cat" (in my book,Enhance Your Quilt-Embellish). You can find a pattern for him on  Havel's Scissors website. This time, he lazes on a fancy balcony with apples floating all around him.

Black and White Drawing for Thread Painting

 In the design phase, I knew that I wanted to stitch the cat, apples and balcony very heavily. So, I had to consider the thread, needle, fabric, stabilizer, design and technique to make the work successful.

Heavily Stitched Thread Painting

 When I designed this piece, my full intention was to use STAR cotton threads. I worked with C&C to design some new colors and that was just really cool...anyway.... the threads are thick, so that my heavy stitching doesn't take so long to accomplish with solid and variegated colors. I used the same thread to thread paint and quilt. My needle for all the stitching has to be a 90/14 machine embroidery needle. A smaller needle will just not carry this natural and beautiful thread.

STAR Threads Close Up

 The fabric used is a very soft open weave drapery cotton.I liked the open weave because I was going to be stitching very heavily and the open weave can handle this much stitching without too much distortion.
I used Rit Dye to color the fabric a warm yellow. I love this color.

Thread Paint on Open Weave Cotton

  I needed several layers of interfacing to stabilize it. The fabric used was an open weave, so I chose a bonded interfacing to stabilize it. I used several layers to get the right thickness. Stabilizer should be left in the work, because it becomes part of the stitch structure, if you pull or wash it out, then you end up with loose stitches.  

I stitched a light allover design of flowery leaves in the background. This reduced the amount of distortion caused by the heavy stitching. So, the initial design included this background idea (technique)to help prevent distortion.

When I quilt a thread painting, I use the same technique of moving the fabric under the needle on a domestic Bernina sewing machine as I do for thread painting. My two friends invented the things I needed to accomplish this.

Original Invented and Sold by Pat

 Pat LaPierre invented the SuperSlider.   
                                                                                                                  

Sharon Invented this Halo! Genius!

 Sharon Schamber invented the Halo. I can't quilt for nothing without these two items. The result is that my thread painting and my quilting is very similar work and this makes me very happy.

Thread Painting is What I Do

 Then, I quilted intertwining my lines of quilting and stitching. It is difficult to distinguish the thread painting from the quilting. This is my intention. This technique brings all the design elements into the same kind of textural plane. This produces an embroidered, quilted tapestry.

I like this quilt. I bound it in red fabric and it is hanging in my "Drawing Room".

The Importance of Play!

PLAY! PLAY! PLAY!....is very important to me:

 As an artist, I have found that taking time out to explore an idea for a technique, subject matter or materials is an important element to my personal growth. Sometimes, an idea for a new technique is suggested by my lovely and shiny collections of threads, fabrics,beads and baubles. Sometimes the subject matter suggests the use of new materials. Sometimes a technique idea leads me to the subject matter and materials. It is a very merry go round!

Detail from "Ideas Take Shape"

The detail above is from a thread painting started on a play day. It actually is from a sketch of abstract ideas. The sketch was drawn as I traveled on an airplane to teach at a quilt show.

Sometimes, I will have a brilliant idea that turns out to be nothing.....but if I didn't take the time to explore it, I wouldn't know. Then, the cool thing happens! I find something different that would have never happened if I hadn't spent the time with the first, "not so brilliant" idea.

Gathered Textures, Colors and Forms are Inspirational

Sometimes the idea turns out to be a real thing...by spending enough time with the idea, I can explore the possibilities and expand the development of the idea. Every single idea or expansion of those ideas require lots of time spent playing with one idea after another. The results of this play time have become the basis for my art, my classes and the subject of my books and videos. Now, That is when play turns into a lot of work!.....sometimes it is very hard work!

Threadpainted Sampler published in an Issue of Quilting Arts Magazine

I have written and published three books ( "Thread Painting Made Easy", "All Beaded Up by Machine" and "Enhance Your Quilt- Embellish!" all published by AQS....the American Quilter's Society. This was the thrill of a lifetime! Since I was young, I was determined to publish my own needlework books. I have been so grateful for all the people who developed techniques and patterns and published their  books for me to read and learn!

I've produced Video Classes which are available at my store on Gumroad....go here to see!  https://gumroad.com/terrywhite 

....and, most recently, I've created two thread painting classes on Craftsy.com...go here to see!   http://www.craftsy.com/instructors/terry-white

Detail of an Experiment with Applique Mixed with Threadpainting

So, I would encourage you to schedule your own play days!
PLAY!...it is good for the soul and the artistic spirit!

.....and, Enjoy the Process!