Fourteen of Sixteen

Fourteen of sixteen what? Well let me explain.

I worked really hard to finish up a bunch of mini quilts. After adding the last stitch and tying a knot I sat down to write a story about each one. So far I’ve made it through the first thirteen.  Today we get to examine number fourteen.

One Strip

Who would think that a single strip of pieced-together fabrics could become the focus of a mini art quilt…why me of course!

Throughout my career, as a fabric artist, I have learned to appreciate the value of even the tiniest of fabric scraps. One never knows their potential. They could be

• added to a grouping of other fragments to create a brand-new building block or,

• proudly stand-alone.

When Should I Stop

The question echoed countless times by artists of all crafts is, “When is it finished?” Knowing when to declare a piece finished is tricky.

I have experienced numerous instances when I’ve made the decision to add additional enhancements only to later regret it. To help me attempt to avoid repeating that scenario I try to remember these guidelines:

Forge ahead slowly.

Take breaks.

Pause to reflect. Rushing through the process opens up the door to hasty decisions.

Photograph my work-in-progress in both color and black and white. The different perspectives help to point out the strengths, weaknesses and balance or lack there of.

Take pictures from different directions or angles. Viewing a piece from different angles helps you to spot the areas that might need further attention.

An Easy Decision

For this piece, knowing when to stop, was a very easy decision. The instant I saw the conglomerate of tiny fabric scraps I just knew there was nothing more to do.

All it needed was a striking border and some crafty quilting.

Huge Impact

To bring attention to the slender arrangement, a vibrant border of white fabric was added. Within the boundaries of the border are strategically placed rows of stitching.

The quilting in the left and right borders guides your eye inward toward the center and back out again. This movement helps to

• draw attention to the center panel and

• provides a level of interest not present with simple straight-line quilting.

Finished

As a finished project this miniature art piece is a joy to both

see and

own.

The process, from start to finish, was a simple, relaxed experience. This tiny art piece will add a sparkle to my studio for years to come.

Quilt Details

• Materials: Fabric top and backing are 100% cotton
• Batting: Warm & Natural
• Dimensions: 7 7/8” L x 5 3/4” W
• Quilting Stitch: Straight and angular lines using white thread
• Quilted On: Conventional sewing machine

What Next?

Now that you have seen this art piece are you curious about the others? Links to the other quilts are filed under the category Courthouse Steps, Block of the Month. Go ahead and check them out! You won’t be disappointed. While you are at it share with me your thoughts about this art piece as well as the other members of the family.

Thank you for visiting!

Thirteen Finished

I’ve been on a mission to reveal my recently completed art pieces. Last week we took a look at number twelve.  Today’s post features project number thirteen.

Ditto

The process used to reinvent this mini original art piece was virtually the same as number twelve. All of the design features,

• the cut apart/rearranged center panel,
• the white inner border,
• the perky blue batik with its leopard-like print,
• the dimensions,
• as well as the quilting

are similar. So similar, in fact, that one could say they are fraternal twins. The only difference is the slight variation in the colors of the center panel. These two peas-in-a-pod will make great side-by-side companions in my home.

Quilt Details

• Materials: Fabric top and backing are 100% cotton
• Batting: Warm & Natural
• Dimensions: 8 1/8” L x 7 3/4” W
• Quilting Stitch: Straight lines using white thread in the body of my piece and a variegated thread in the outer border
• Quilted On: Conventional sewing machine

What Next?

After seeing this art quilt I bet you are curious about the others in the series? Links to the those can be found under the category Courthouse Steps, Block of the Month. Go ahead and check them out! You won’t be disappointed. While you are at it share your thoughts about this art piece as well as the other members of the family.

Thank you for visiting!

Twelve of Sixteen

I’ve been sharing photos of my recently completed art pieces. On Tuesday we took a look at number eleven.  Today’s post features the twelfth of sixteen.

Ugly Quilt Blocks

I have a tub filled with orphaned quilt blocks. Some of them are leftover from other projects and some I thought were too ugly to use. All of the mini quilts I’ve shown so far were created from ugly quilt blocks.

Running Out of Steam

Turning ugly ducklings into something more appealing takes a lot of concentration. By the time I reached number twelve I felt overwhelmed and exhausted. Have you ever reached that point with your projects?

Finding the energy to continue left me with two options:

• take a break or
• simplify my process.

With a strong determination to forge ahead stopping was not an option.

Typically my first step is to slice the ugly block into strips or sections. After slicing this one I had a, “What If”, moment. What if I simply change the orientation of the strips; what impact would that have on the block?

After varying the direction and order of the strips I found an arrangement that I liked. How easy was that! Don’t you just love it when things easily fall into place.

Thank goodness I didn’t have to go through a long, and drawn-out process.

Design Elements

The original block already had white borders. The stark white fabric accentuates the center by drawing the attention of your eye.

Wrapping all four sides is a carefully chosen multi-colored batik. The batik satisfies several design elements:

• color,
• repetition and
• interest.

The color was selected to compliment the already present pallet.

The leopard-like print adds an interesting flair and mimics the design of the small lilac strip in the center of the quilt.

The spots on the batik almost appear to dance around the perimeter. The dancing motion gives the border movement.

The Finishing Touch

This piece, with its already interesting features, didn’t need elaborate quilting. I simply echoed the already present lines with coordinating thread.

Quilt Details

• Materials: Fabric top and backing are 100% cotton
• Batting: Warm & Natural
• Dimensions: 8 1/8” L x 7 1/2” W
• Quilting Stitch: Straight lines using white thread in the body of my piece and a variegated thread in the outer border
• Quilted On: Conventional sewing machine

What Next?

Do you want to see the other quilts in this series? Links to the other ones are filed under the category Courthouse Steps, Block of the Month. Go ahead and check them out! You won’t be disappointed.

Before you go please tell me what you think of art quilt number twelve.