Quilting & Learning - What a Combo!: Exploring Textile Arts

Showing posts with label Exploring Textile Arts. Show all posts

Thursday, March 05, 2020

Mixing it all up at Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to Free Motion Mavericks' linkup (week 270). I finally have some free motion quilting (FMQ) to show you 😊.

Mixing it all up

As you may know, I really like to learn and try new things. I especially love mixing up all kinds of techniques that aren't usually found together, such as embroidery, improv piecing, beading and FMQ. That's what Exit Strategy is all about! Here's what's been happening to that piece.

Adding FMQ to Exit Strategy 1

You can see some of the FMQ that's been added. Let's look at each block.

Block 1 is about triangles and organic straight lines (i.e. not so straight 😊 ) I only have the top triangle block to FMQ. I'm not sure what I'm going to do there yet, but I'm likely to follow the path of the fern print.

Block 1 - the triangles

Block 2 is all about texture. It's more diverse with embroidery, lots of couched fibres and a hexie. At this time, I believe that it's finished, but of course I reserve the right to change my mind. The FMQ has created a lot of contrast and the light blue triangle in the middle, which is not FMQ, is very puffy - I love it.

Block 2 - Texture and contrast

Here is a shot looking down at the block to show some of the texture and FMQ.

Block 2 - At an angle to see more of the texture

Blocks 3 and 4 are more structured. I think that they may need more embroidery in a couple of spots and maybe a few seed beads.

Block 3 - A more structured block

I've FMQ the two orange blocks but I haven't figured out the rest yet.

Block 4 - Still considering my options

Making Triangles - Shuttered Windows & Openwork

When I first wrote a post about this piece, I said that I would explain how I made these triangles. I read about this technique in "Exploring Textile Arts" by Creative Publishing International (2002). I combined two techniques. The first is a type of negative or reverse appliqué, like when I made a Mola piece (see Related links). The other technique, what I call "thread lines," is used in Openwork but can be added on top of the open triangle window.

Shuttered Windows and Openwork

Draw a triangle on the fabric.
Decide which side of your triangle will be the "flap", then cut one of the other two sides of the triangle following the line.
Place a contrasting piece of fabric, face up, under the drawn triangle.
Sew over the entire outline of your drawn triangle.
Cut the other side of the top fabric of your triangle (make sure it's not the flap).
Move the flap of the triangle (the uncut side) out of the way.
Sew a zigzag, satin or decorative stitch around the two cut sides. If your top fabric does not fray, you can add your thread lines before this stitch.

Thread lines: You will be following the previously stitched line around the two open sides of the triangle. Using a straight stitch, back stitch a little, then lift your sewing foot and extend the thread across to the other side of the triangle. Back stitch the thread in place and continue to where you want the next thread to cross the triangle. Keep doing this until you have the number of threads your want.
This can also be done by hand.

Pleat the flap of the triangle and use a button or bead to keep it in place.

Since I didn't want to use a zigzag, satin or decorative stitch around the triangle, I just covered my machine stitches with a blanket or a chain stitch.

One Monthly Goal (OMG)

Exit Strategy 1 is my March monthly goal. I need to have it finished by March 31 to place it in the Out of the Box's Fibre Fling 2020 Exhibit and Sale.

What I learned

Some of the FMQ designs practically shouted out to me but some are keeping very quiet. I'm going to have to listen carefully to those quiet ones.
I will be adding some embroidery, particularly to Block 3. I'm hoping that it will be easier to FMQ after that.

Sunday, September 08, 2019

Introducing my Exit Strategy

In the spirit of anticipation, celebration and learning, I am starting a new project.

EXIT STRATEGY →

In less than 3 years and 2 months, I will be 60! People are generally not eager to grow older, but I believe that the perks of age and wisdom more than make up for the laugh lines and grey hair (which I've had for over 15 years anyway!)

60 will begin the next phase of my life - Fibre Artist!

So, how am I going to get ready for the fibre artist phase of my life without living in the future? Well, pretty much the same way that I've approached most things.

Learn
Have a flexible plan
Keep expectations low and gratitude high

I hope that you'll join me on my journey. Let me tell you about my very flexible plan.

Amy's Creative Side

It started with the blocks that I made while participating in the One Week Improv Challenge with Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side. The challenge was by subscribed email and through Instagram at #improvwithamy.

As with most challenges, I followed at my own speed. I did manage to make the first five days of seven days (see the post in Related links). At some point after the challenge, I made a few more blocks.

Block 1 - joining strips

Block 3 - playing with triangles

Of course, the next decision is....what to do with those blocks?

The first time I thought about Exit Strategy

A few months later, in late spring, I felt especially tired and needed something besides rest to help me stay positive. What's better than a new plan, a new project to help my spirit soar with anticipation, celebration and learning?

The name, Exit Strategy, came very quickly but the rest took me a while to figure out. It's so easy to get caught up with grandiose plans but more than anything, I want this to be realistic and doable.

These are the notebooks that I keep with me to jot down ideas. The idea for Exit Strategy was slowly percolating.

3 notebooks that I keep around

The next step of this plan came about when I bought a gently used version of the book, Exploring Textile Arts in June at Quilt Canada. The book was published in 2002 by the Editors of Creative Publishing. There is a more recent version, but this one is fine for my purposes.

I've been very inspired by some of the techniques in the book. That's when the rest of the flexible plan started falling into place.

The flexible plan

Try out new techniques
Use the improv blocks as background
Blog and reflect on what I've learned
Repeat
Time frame: very flexible....3 years and 2 months 😊

Using 8 inch blocks as background makes these projects less intimidating. It's about learning, playing, taking chances and trying new things. I'm hoping that I'll be able to put some of the blocks together as they are completed....or not. That's also part of the very flexible plan.

You may have seen the first block that I posted about, without specifically saying what Exit Strategy was. If you didn't see it, the post is below in Related links.

A Felting Miss-Adventure,
part of the Exit Strategy project

I've been hard at work practicing my embroidery stitches and learning new techniques. Here is a sneak preview of my design wall. I will be posting about these techniques in the next few weeks.

A sneak peek at my design wall - things are progressing

I created a page for Exit Strategy, and as I progress, I'll add links to the related posts. I hope that you'll follow me in my journey.

What I learned

I've been thinking about this for a very long time, ever since I discovered what I wanted to be when I grow up 😊
I used to say that I wanted to be a full time artist when I retired, but then I thought about it....I'm going to be retired. This should be fun, not just another job! So now I'm keeping the full time out of the description. I'm hoping to play full time but as far as art making goes, I'll do what I want, when I want, and then, if I feel like it, I'll find opportunities to show my work and accept the deadlines that go with them.

Page titles

Thursday, March 05, 2020

Mixing it all up at Free Motion Mavericks

Sunday, September 08, 2019

Introducing my Exit Strategy

First Quilt-Along