Sunday 10 August 2008

Experiments & My April and May Journal Quilts are Underway!

I read on Lynda's blog about her experiments over-dying her rusted fabrics and that made me think about colouring some of the fabrics I rusted earlier this year (or was it last year?). I decided to try my Adirondack Color Wash in Denim and it worked great - I just sprayed the fabric with water first and then left the Color Wash to spread. I didn't want it to be too dark so didn't spray it too heavily. I think it makes the rust really nice. Even the lace and the rusted organza worked. Now to actually do something with them...

Building on my recent success at finishing a journal quilt, I decided to start a couple of others. April's technique is "painting on vliesofix" so I am constructing a quilt based on scraps of painted vliesofix that are left over from my first go at this quilt. I have heaps of fresh pieces I could use but I loved these colours. Anyway I had cut flower shapes out of the vliesofix so I have used the remaining shapes and ironed them random style to a recycled baby wipe (this one fortunately hasn't been anywhere bear a baby and is coloured as a result of being used as a painting tool) which has been adhered to a gorgeous piece of commercial fabric. I have then practiced my non-existent free-motion sewing skills to add petals all over the baby wipe. The next step will be to quilt the rest and maybe add some beading. The stitching is actually bright orange but it hasn't shown up that way in the scan!

May's technique is "recycling" so I am taking it literally and recycling one of the many cloth Basmatic Rice bags that we have. We make a lot of curries and eat a lot of rice so we buy rice in these 5kg bags which I re-use for all sorts of things (such as underwear and shoe travel bags) but of course we have an excess of them. I have torn one of the bags into various size rectangles and have machine stitched them onto batting using a basic grid (in red). All I intend to do now is hand-stitch around each of the frayed edges. Not sure what sort of binding but I feel it should have frayed edges!

I am currently making a whole pile of small collages for cards so that is what I am off to work on now.

9 comments:

Elizabeth said...

What do you mean non existant free motion skills???? this piece looks great!! I love the entire post and the overdyed rust is brilliant!! I have just read about the Heart Journal quilt- love it!! I looked closely and I love all of the stitching that you added- such wonderful texture!!!
These pieces are brilliant!!
love it all!
Hugs!
Elizabeth

Night Owl Designs said...

Yowz, you've been busy Debbi! Your fabrics and quilts look fab :-)

Unknown said...

the rust overdying turned out great, love the April journal as well

Anonymous said...

What a great idea with the Basmati Rice bags! Is that what I have been saving them for... other than the old zipper that is??? Lovely, wonderful work Debbie and an interesting blog.

Sharon
http://www.mystoryart.com

Dawnie said...

Some beautiful work here deb and wish my non-existant free motion stitching was as terrific as yours.All the dying is SUPER.

Dawnie xxx

Karen Salva said...

Wow, love what you have done here, and everywhere on you blog for that matter.

So glad you stopped by so I could discover you and all your fabulous work. Great fabric ideas. Will keep visiting for sure!

Jen Crossley said...

Awesome Debbi I love the rusty fabric with the blue,just beautiful
Jen

Unknown said...

The rust is beautiful Debbi! Great tutorial and I love the bag-piece. You really where busy!

sharon young said...

Another cracking post, Debbi, I love the quilts, especially the rice sack one, great recycling idea.
As for your non-existent FME skills, I don't think so
:-)
The over-painted rust samples worked really well too.