Creating background

The quilt sandwich is made and is approx. 32" square.
Layers: Iron on interfacing on the bottom fused to bamboo wadding fused with paper backed fusible to the Dupion Silk.
I made templates of the outline of my hand in 3 sizes. (resized in CorelDraw).
25 Hand outlines are drawn on the back of the quilt sandwich, which is the interfacing.

I went through my threads and yarns and selected 2: an orangy hand spun silk thread, given to me many years ago by an 80 year old lady called Norma, a variegated jeans topstitching thread.
I made a test quilt the same as the main quilt and tried them out.

I liked the orange thread the best, with it slightly lumpy texture.

Deconstruction 1 and 2

What if....
I opened up one glove, so I could applique it and see both sides at once?

This is what it looks like. Because you can't see the thumb, you can't appreciate how unpleasantly organic this object looks!


Next: just cut each glove in half, so I have 2 outside and 2 inside pieces.

OK, this was an experiment and I was very much prepared to sacrifice this pair.
I don't have to sacrifice the 4 pieces, but I learned NOT TO USE STEAM ON KID LEATHER!
It makes it shrink like plastic would.

Next step:
I have a piece of gorgeous magenta Dupion Silk for the background. Thought I could tuck it, but tucking needs more fabric than I have.

Gloves, gloves....

I bid on 13 pairs of ladies gloves on ebay and I got them today. They are just gorgeous: most are soft, kid leather, short ones, long ones, some are fabric, most are cream, one black, one brown, one midnight blue...or is that black?
Now I have to decide what to do with them. Of course, they don't all have to go into the next artwork...


Initially, my plan was to stitch some gloves onto a background quilt and then embellish them. I don't want a big quilt....

I am stuck at the moment....

Don't know about this one....

This actually looks better on the photo than it does in real life.
I used some paints and some crayons.

If I analyse this, I like the design, I don't like the execution, it is a bit too sloppy for me....

"Hand-in-hand"

This is the theme for the next exhibition of our art group to coincide to the multicultural festival end July.
What I would really, really love to do is create a chain of paper dolls into a Mobius strip that way, either 3D or drawing, but I don't have the technical skills to do either....If you don't know what a Mobius strip is, search images in google.

What I do have is the ability to make a paper doll chain and a quilt I do not want to keep as it is.

I have paints, mediums, a brayer, which is a hard roller to roll paint for block printing, but I am considering using the brayer to roll paint lightly over the quilt, covering to top layer, but leaving the deeper, stitched lines.

I can use the paper doll chains as stencils.....

Maybe I can do something with this quilt?

We went to a wonderful art opening this afternoon of paintings and small scultptures.
Looking and chatting about art, I was thinking where to go with windmills. As it is, I definitely do not like it.
I don't like the development of the design and I hate the way the quilt isn't square.
Maybe I ought to get some paint and brayer and just roll some acrylic paint over it? Maybe I can add some medium to make it transparant?
Maybe i can cut the quilt up?
Here is the eternal question:
What if.......

Windmills of you mind...finished

Actually, I finished it a few weeks ago, ready for the "Musical Gems" exhibition.
Here are some images, thank you Tessa for taking the photos.

Am I happy with it?
Not altogether.
Once again I took shortcuts, was too lazy, too much in a hurry, whatever you call it, but I didn't set the printing on the organza, thinking, what the hell, I am not going to wash this quilt. No need for setting. Which only takes a quick rinse in detergent....

Then, when the quilt was completed, I wanted to flatten it.  Great, I know how to do that: spray with water, stretch and pat the quilt and let it dry....

Too late I noticed the printing on the text started to run....bugger....

I was lucky to find the hand, a piece I did last year for the Beatles card " I want to hold you hand" but when I had made it, it was too large. So that came in "hand"y!

What's my next project?

I bought some gorgeous fabric in PNG where we spent Easter this year and I want to make a tablecloth.

I left my camera in PNG, the family will bring it back when they visit in a few weeks. Until then, I cannot take photos.