This piece began as a color experiment. I wanted to explore neutrals paired with an unusual accent color combination. The coral, mustard, and light plum give the more traditional herringbone pattern a fresh, updated feel while the neutral cream and grey keep it from being too chaotic.
This piece is part of a triptych. I think all three would be make a bold statement framed and hung together.
All three, or just one, are available in my Etsy shop.
An improv pieced textile art piece featuring a couple of gorgeous hand screen printed linen scraps from Umbrella Prints, an Australian company, now defunct. I'm using my remaining bits sparingly. They're just so good.
I love how warm this piece feels with the neutrals and the subtle pop of orange.
This textile art piece uses simple linear shapes and neutral fabrics. The style, abstract minimalism, is at home in modern or traditional settings. The pop of the single print fabric adds interest without detracting from the calming simplicity of the piece.
It was created in an improvisational manner, making it truly one-of-a-kind. The textile composition is 8 x 10 and matted with a 11 x 14 mount. It is listed in my Etsy shop. SOLD.
It's been a while. Good to be back to my creative space. I've got a bunch of textile art pieces floating around in my head. They are small and perfect for experimenting with new ideas - nearly instant gratification. And I love how graphic these small ideas in fabric can be when framed simply.
Here's the first brought to life - inspired by the fluid, organic shape of kelp. The negative space is just as engaging as the kelp itself.
I made this piece using the same improv applique method I have been using for the past couple of years. I really enjoy the process of cutting and sewing by eye, rather than using a template. The variations of shape and serendipity of design that result are so interesting.
More to come. This one is in my etsy shop.
As an aside - sadly etsy has been overrun with mass produced items under the guise of "production partnerships" and "vintage" items. There are still lovely handmade items to be found, but you have to dig around to get to them. Let me know of any better platforms for handmade items, please. Back soon, I hope.
It has been absolutely frigid lately in the Midwest, and when it is that cold I just want to sit under blankets as much as possible. Hand sewing is perfect for such days, so I returned to improv appliqué in my latest project.
The technique of improv appliqué begins, for me, with appliqué shapes cut by hand without a template. I eyeball the shape and trim as necessary to adjust to the contours I want. Then I baste the pieces in place and appliqué with matching thread.
The finished pillow cover is 19 x 19 and fits a 20 inch pillow form nice and snuggly. The design is a little mid century modern meets 1970s with the coral, gold, and brown square arcs. You can find the finished quilted pillow cover in my etsy shop.
I'm thinking of attempting to make a how to video on this method of improv appliqué, if anyone is interested.
The blocks, which use adorable Heather Ross prints, are just so cute for tummy time and story time - they would be great for any baby - but I know my friend is going to love making up silly tales about each one with her kids.
The background is a lovely, soft peppered cotton, and the backing fabric is a Alexander Henry print I have been hoarding for a while. A great black and white print goes with anything! I chose the texty binding print by Carolyn Friedlander which is a bit on the nose for the quilt theme. It made me chuckle anyway.
You can find the Tall Tales Quilt blocks by Quilt with Kate on Etsy.
I have a small stash of special Heather Ross prints. The hand drawn quality and quirky subject matter of her fabrics is perfect for fussy cutting and quilt blocks that need a focal image. As I was thinking about the stories such images tell, I was reminded of a cute paper pieced book block I'd seen around the web. It is the Tell Tale block pattern by Quilt with Kate.
The Heather Ross prints make perfect book covers, and I enjoy imagining the titles and subject matter of each one. The frog cover is of course Wind in the Willows, and clearly we have an account of the the Princess and pea. The unicorn has to be a book of fairytales. The girl and her cat cover is a recent YA novel full teen ennui. Maybe this book is memoir about Woodstock.
