Thursday, April 1, 2010

Radiating Color

I love working with bright colors so the problem for me was how to arrange them and how to limit my palette! I liked the idea of swirly lines and I created them by chopping up scraps of batiks with a serrated rotary cutter. I threw in some metallic thread for sparkle and free motion quilted all the little pieces down after fusing them to the black fabric first. Then I quilted the whole thing leaving room for the circle. I even bound it before the circle was ready to be appliqued on.
For the circle, I needlepointed a piece of canvas with yarns, embroidery floss and other fibers. I finally finished the needle point last week after working on it from the beginning. Obviously, I just wasn't applying myself! I cut away the excess canvas and sewed the circle to the quilt by machine. I crocheted two of the yarns into a long chain and couched it around the outside of the needlepoint to hide the canvas. I loved making this piece.

6 comments:

  1. What's not to like about something we love to do? Your piece makes me want to touch, to feel the luxurious texture. I would love to see how a little spot of white would set those bright colors...
    Good job, good challenge. Helen

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  2. I love the look of the batiks cut with a wavy rotary cutter. The addition of the needlepoint is very interesting - the colors are wonderful. I agree with Helen - I want to touch it!
    Susan in SF

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  3. I love the needlepoint addition. It reminds me of some fabric I have by Kaffe Fassett for Rowan Fabrics. All little squares and rectangles of analogous colors. Very cool idea.

    Lisa Kay

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  4. Karen, First let me say that you and my daughter need to get together. She loves to create quilts using the confetti style....all those tiny silver of fabric...yeegad! More power to you. I love the mix of techniques. It is as though it is a lovely wrap (like a shawl) with a elegant closure. Jan G.

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  5. This is one that wants to be touched! At first I thought it was chenille... and the needlepoint addition is superb!
    Well done... and in 'Color'.

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