Monday, September 14, 2015

Yellow Kayak Landscape Quilt

The Yellow Kayak landscape quilt for August’s challenge is done!

August's Landscape Art Quilt - Yellow Kayak
August's Landscape Art Quilt - Yellow Kayak (11½ x 12½)
I wrote about most of my process a week ago. I did get a question in my comments, do I thought I would address it here.

Did I fuse the fabric pieces together? In this quilt, I did. I don’t always but I knew that I probably wouldn’t work on it soon after I layed it out, so I added a little bit of fusable web to the pieces to keep them in place. I do use a light fusible interfacing under by background fabric to ensure some stability, especially when I do the thread sketching. Otherwise the fabric tends to pucker up.

Sky buckling
If you look at the photo after I thread sketched the trees, you can see that the sky fabric is buckling because there is so much stitching in one section and none in the other. It also did the same in the water section, around the flower.

Maybe professional quilters might disagree, but when it’s a small art quilt, as long as you end up quilting about these spots, most of the puckers will leave or not show as much. Around the flower, the water evened out well. In the sky, because I didn’t quilt it much, it comes out puffier – but as far as I’m concerned, this is fine.

I followed the picture to quilt the water. The shading on the fabric was great, so I just quilted around the spaces that had waves, while keeping the still areas unquilted.
Water puckering around the flower

In the area around the rocks and the log, I actually used a black colouring pencil to add some shading. Since I don’t expect this quilt to get washed, this should be fine. Maybe one day I’ll have the nerve to use paint or even markers – but I’m not there yet (especially since I added this near the end of making the quilt. It wasn’t time to ruin it!!!)

For the kayak, I used a metal clip from a lanyard. (I collect bits like that!) I then added a button on top (another collection) and finally, after a lot of consideration, I used 2 black shoe laces.
Original photo













I wasn’t sure what the logo was, but my daughter very helpfully Googled it. I tried using a marker and even machine quilting the design – until my daughter suggested that I hand-embroider it. I’m sure glad she was there :-)

I couldn’t resist adding the butterfly to the finished piece to add a little bit of colour and fantasy I think that might be my signature (when ever it makes sense of course).

What I learned:
  • I love having the help and advice of my kids. They often add ideas or see things that I don’t.
  • The border is some wood fabric from my stash. I love it. If I had planned this ahead of time though, I would have made it a little wider.
  • I’ve read a great tip since I finished this that I hope to try next time. That’s to block the quilt (without cutting it) and then apply 1” painter tape around the edge before quilting the piece so that I don’t quilt on the edge.  If I had done this, the best part of my sky wouldn’t have been cut off!
  • This landscape quilt was for a friend’s birthday – it’s her wonderful photo of her kayak. I’m happy to report that she likes it!

Yellow Kayak
Yellow Kayak
Come back later to see what great landscape art quilt I’ll come up with. I’m really hoping to get struck by inspiration soon!!!

Enjoy the fall.

I've linked my post to these parties. Have a look at what everyone is doing.
Wow! Muv has featured my quilt on her blog, Free Motion Maverick! Check it out! (and thanks so much).


12 comments:

  1. Very nice art piece! It really captures the feeling of the original picture! Thanks for sharing your process and your thoughts as well!!

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    1. Thanks Alida for your kind words. I'm glad that it turned out so well.

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  2. What a great idea to add the 3D objects. It really did turn out great. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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    1. Thanks Cynthia. I enjoy being able to share and looking at everyone's quilts on Oh Scrap!

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  3. Andree, I love this little quilt so much I have decided to feature it on this week's linky. Fabulous work!

    Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks.

    Love, Muv

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    1. Thank you so much Muv. That's wonderful news.
      BTW I really love your Free Motion Landscapes - I've only see ones like yours also made by Linda Wulf Koenig. Do you have more information on how these are done? I've read all of your posts on them but I'm a little nervous about starting.

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  4. This turned out great! I especially like the details on the kayak and how you quilted the waves in the water and left the calm areas smooth.

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    1. Thanks! I was looking forward to quilting the waves when I was piecing it and thought they would be more intricate. When I got to that part, they just sort of quilted themselves! They do make the smooth areas show up.

      Thanks for your comment.

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  5. Love the use of a piece of a lanyard and the shoelaces! They both add great authenticity to a kayak. ;-) Being partial to butterflies myself, I love your addition. Kids and husbands make great coaches don't they?

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    1. Thanks Sandra. I didn't know what to use - I'm glad that my intuition was working that day! My daughter and I were looking at embroidery floss and hemp, but it just wasn't working. I love getting feedback from my kids - they are the ones who see my work the most. It is great to have co-creators!

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