art quilting

Abstract Log Cabin, Art Piece # 38

Bubbles, AP 38
| Cindy Anderson

Operation Renovation:

On my agenda today is the continuation of Operation renovation. I began a series earlier this year to adapt several of my fiber art pieces for mounting on stretched canvas frames. The candidates chosen were items that had been completed months or even years ago. In my opinion, all of them had a mediocre existence.

To prepare my subjects for a make-over I first stripped away their bindings and other finishing touches. Once that was complete the renovation process could begin. Some of the changes were subtle while others were quite dramatic; watching each one morph from its original status to a freshly refurbished fiber art piece was amazing.

In The Beginning:

This specimen was originally created as a building block for Neighbors, Art Piece # 37.

Neighbors, AP 37 Neighbors, Art Piece # 37

 

After struggling to fit it into the design I made the decision to keep it as a solo specimen.

Bubbles, AP 38 Bubbles, Art Piece # 38

 

 

 

The center of the block was a leftover scrap from one of my earlier art pieces. Thankfully I saved the remnant because it made a great building block for this one. The pieced center is surrounded by two borders; the first is a shade of magenta and the second a faded denim. In it’s original version, the fiber art piece was quilted with a straight-line motif using a variegated thread.

The Renovation:

During my quest to repurpose/reinvent a number of my specimens I chose this one as a candidate. Not too much had to be done to adapt it for mounting on a stretched canvas frame. The original facings were stripped away. The resulting raw edges were then trimmed to freshen them up. A new border was added to adapt it for mounting on canvas. To blend the original faded denim border with the new addition I chose to use the same color fabric. Once the size was adequate for mounting I added a layer of batting and backing, then attached the sandwich to the frame.

Hand-Stitching:

Typically once the fiber art quilt is attached no further stitching is required; however, lately I have been adding a variety of hand stitches to some of my smaller pieces. The hand stitches add an element of design that would not be possible with a sewing machine. When the items are small they are easy to work with because the wooden frame acts as an embroidery hoop, giving the fabric stability.

Essential Element:

For this item hand stitching was essential. While the colors of the specimen were interesting they lacked the luster I desired. To initiate my embellishment process I selected an overly large button with numerous holes. Rather than stitching it to the frame with the button perpendicular to its edges  I chose to place it on the diagonal. Next I secured the button in place by running a few simple stitches through the holes; which by the way are difficult to see now.

Drizzle Stitch:

Sue Spargo has a book called Creative Stitching, Second Edition. I enjoy reading through and experimenting with some of the stitches in her book. One of my favorites is the drizzle stitch. The three dimensional stitch creates twisted protrusions that extend above the fabric surface. The holes of my added button seemed like the perfect place to insert them.

Look closely and you will see that I used a variety of thread colors and lengths of drizzle stitch to fill in the holes of the button. The combination of the on-point button and the drizzle stitches reminded me of a flower’s center. To capitalize on that idea I added four groupings of hand-applied stitching along the sides of the button. Each of the lines is capped-off with a matching colored French knot. The added lines represent the petals of a flower.

Wow:

With the addition of the button, and hand stitching this composition went from ho hum to WOW; which makes this operation renovation project an obvious success. I’m so glad I decided to give this small fiber art piece a second chance.

New Identity:

Originally titled Bubbles because of the circles seen throughout many of the fabrics, I decided the title no longer applied. While pondering the many available options,  I very easily could have selected something with a floral theme; instead I chose to identify the structure of the original block as the basis for the new name. This block has the essence of a log cabin design. Going with that as my significant feature I have named this item Abstract Log Cabin, Art Piece # 38.

This is how my newly renovated project looked when she left the studio.

Abstract Log Cabin, AP 38 Abstract Log Cabin, Art Piece # 38

 

Final Details:

In it final form Abstract Log Cabin measures 12” x 12” x 1 1/2”. Added to the back of the frame is a paper barrier to protect the art piece from dust and bugs. Two d-rings and wire were attached to make it easy to be hung on a wall. Also added are silicone bumpers to help with stability and encourage ventilation.

Opinions Wanted:

So, what do you think? Was this a worthwhile project? Does the composition look better now than she did before?

Thank You:

Thank you for reading to the very end!

Have a grand day!

Cindy Anderson

Fiber Art By Cindy Anderson

The Odd One, Art Piece 17 (AKA The Chosen Nine)

The Odd One, AP 17
| Cindy Anderson
A Handfull
A Handfull

Busy, Busy, Busy:

This year has been very busy with  my renovation project, my solo art exhibit, finishing oodles of 8”x10” small art pieces and starting my own online store. Sandwiched in-between were numerous trips to my little cabin in the woods as well as fun activities with my peeps; all while practicing social distancing. The online store has taken up most of the time I would normally have spent on my blog. With the majority of those tasks accomplished, I can once again share my triumphs with Operation Renovation.

A Return To Operation Renovation:

Operation Renovation is a project I started back in January. During the early days of this pandemic I searched for something to focus my attention on. At the time, I had a number of art pieces that were finished but not quite to my liking. With my pandemic anxiety level reaching an all-time high I decided to redirect my attention to those less-than-appealing projects. A number of successful outcomes have already been shared but I still have quite a few to go; time to get back to sharing my progress.

Today’s journal entry will focus on the art piece I once called The Chosen Nine, Art Piece # 17. So, sit back and enjoy my next reveal.

The Chose O, AP 17

In The Beginning:

This art quilt began during  the summer of 2017 (see photo above). In its original form it was a grouping of nine improvisational building blocks. Each of the blocks was surrounded by four white borders. The nine, with their stark white edges, were stitched together and surrounded by a white binding. They were quilted with a simple, but attractive straight-line quilting motif. The finished quilt remained in that state until recently; that’s when I decided the composition was just too blah. To remedy my dilemma I grabbed a seam ripper and removed the binding, then gave it a good pressing

Simultaneous Renovation:

At the same time I decided to tackle the renovation of Art Piece # 17 I had also decided to work on two other items. Those compositions contained four blocks each. They are Four Friends # 1 and  Four Friends # 2. All three quilts could very easily have been left intact and mounted on a stretched canvas frame. Since I was making changes I decided to go wild and cut them all apart; I ended up with seventeen 5 1/2”x5 1/2″ units. To change things even further I reallocated them into eight separate art compositions: a six piece, a four piece, a two piece and five individual specimens.

Six Piece:

The six piece composition was the first one to be finished. To give this item a punch of color I chose to add a two-tone blue border around each block. All six blocks were then stitched together to form a new quilt top. The newly created fiber art piece was sandwiched together with a layer of batting and a new fabric backing. To secure the layers together I traveled around each block stitching straight-lines with a variegated blue thread.

A New Name:

Once the quilting was finished I decided to give this renovated item a new name. As I allowed my eyes to travel over its surface I made a discovery; one of the units incorporated into the project was quilted differently than the others. This revelation gave me the inspiration to title this fiber art piece The Odd One. See if you can locate it!

The Odd One, AP 17
The Odd One, Art Piece # 17

The Finish:

In its finished form The Odd One measures 16″x20″. Protecting the back from dust and bugs is a paper backing. For ease of display two d-rings and wire were added to facilitate hanging on a wall. Silicone bumpers were also added to help minimize sideways movement stability and to promote air circulation.

Thank You:

I hope that you have enjoyed seeing the once blah specimen turn into something much more spectacular. Sharing these stories with you is one of the best parts of the entire process. Thank you for being here!

Cindy Anderson

Fiber Art By Cindy Anderson

Art Pieces 150-151, 153-154, 156-158

Redemption, AP 158
| Cindy Anderson

The Beginning:

My blog was started as a platform to share my successes and disappointments with the art of longarm quilting. Late in 2019, after seven years of offering my services to my fellow quilting enthusiasts, I decided to stop. In fact my longarm quilt machine has sat idle since May, 2019, with one of my own quilts loaded on the rolls and patiently waiting to be finished.

My Activities:

Even though my longarm machine has been quiet my studio has not. I’ve poured my efforts into wrapping up as many unfinished projects as possible and into creating smaller, easier to handle fiber art pieces. Their smaller size lets me easily transport and work on them wherever I go. I take them with me to my Little Cabin In The Woods, and anywhere else that I will have an extended downtime.

Seven More Specimens:

My love of designing and working with the smaller specimens has distracted me from writing about them here. For more than a year my completed art projects have been stockpiled just waiting for the spotlight. Over the last few weeks I have been setting aside time to share my triumphs. Being share today are seven more specimens.

Yellow Tail, Art Piece # 150:

Titled Yellow Tail because of the dangling yellow thread, this composition was created using three layers of material; a green felt, an orange batik and a yellow/gold batik. All three layers were secured in place with hand stitching. The entire art piece was attached to an 8”x10” stretched canvas frame.

Yellow Tail, AP 150
Yellow Tail, Art Piece # 150

Yellow Corset, Art Piece # 151

This simple little art piece was created using a layer of green felt, a gathered section of synthetic gold fabric, a small strip of orange batik and one lime green zipper pull. The stretchy gold fabric reminded me of a corset and as a result I used that image as the inspiration for the title. Decorative hand stitching was used to both secure the elements in place and add visual interest. This fiber art piece measures 8”x10”.

Yellow Corset, AP 151
Yellow Corset, Art Piece # 151

Poppies, Art Piece # 153:

Attached to an 8”x10” stretched canvas frame this small specimen was assembled from two fabrics: a rectangle of green felt and a hand-dyed cotton fabric. The pattern and colors achieved through the fabric dyeing process brought back memories of my mother’s poppy garden. To draw more attention to the small orange spheres I embellished them with French knots. Also incorporated were several yellow French knots and array of other hand stitches.

Poppies, AP 153
Poppies, Art Piece # 153

Bolo Tie, Art Piece # 154:

Contained within this composition is a rectangle of green felt, a multi-colored strip of fabric and a hand dyed strip of rickrack. The green felt was secured to an 8”x10” stretched canvas frame using a simple running stitch. The remaining items were attached with French knots. Two blue strings dangle on either side of the folded fabric center. The blue strings combined with the folded fabric reminded me of a bolo tie; thus the origin of the projects title.

Bolo Tie, AP 154
Bolo Tie, Art Piece # 154

All Dressed Up, Art Piece # 156:

This 8”x10” art piece is All Dressed Up with an unusual grouping of elements. Serving as its base is a felted wool coaster. Directly above that is a strip of multi-toned batik, two dotted fabrics: a brown with white and a white with metallic dots. Topping off the composition is a jazzy hand-made bead. The wool coaster was attached to the stretched canvas frame with small dashes of gold thread. Two gold X’s were used to secure the multi-toned batik and the gold dotted cotton was embellished with like colored French knots. The bead was also secured in place with hand stitching.

All Dressed Up, AP 156
All Dressed Up, Art Piece # 156

Road Trip, Art Piece # 157:

This 8”x10” fiber art piece was also assemble using a felted wool coaster for its base. Added for decorative interest was a strip of multi-toned brown batik and one gold snap. Multiple rows of running stitch were used to both secure the components in place as well as add visual interest. The vertically oriented blue area of color with its artistic stitching remind me of both a roadway as well as a meandering river. This association inspired me to title this item Road Trip.

Road Trip, AP 157
Road Trip, Art Piece # 157

Redemption, Art Piece # 158:

The word Redemption was printed on the white strip of fabric. The presence of that word is the reason for the title of this item. Created from a vertically placed strip of red plaid and a reclaimed remnant from a previous project this item’s elements are simple yet striking. Rows of running stitch were used to attach the wool plaid in place. The reclaimed, multi-sectioned fabric strip was adorned with black stitches and a single white French knot.

Redemption, AP 158
Redemption, Art Piece # 158

thank you!

Before closing let me thank you for showing an interest in my activities. I am grateful for your participation and look forward to your comments.

Best wishes for a wonderful day!