My Art Quilt in Etsy Treasury

"Autumn Stillness"

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c77bb3471896d91dfe82cf5/the-leaf-peepers-are-coming

I just received notice that my quilt, "Autumn Stillness" has been included in the Etsy Treasury, "Leaf Peepers." It's a nice collection of various art expressions in autumn colors.

Hand dyed thread painted leaves lay upon a densely free motion quilted pattern of leaves on a painted canvas cloth backdrop in emulation of the last leaves of Autumn. The reverse is also hand painted with fabric paints and features a unique 4" hanging sleeve of hand painted and individually crafted leaves. (14 1/2 "x 28") Hand dyed thread painted leaves lay upon a densely free motion quilted pattern of leaves on a painted canvas cloth backdrop in emulation of the last leaves of Autumn. The reverse is also hand painted with fabric paints and features a unique 4" hanging sleeve of hand painted and individually crafted leaves. (14 1/2 "x 28")

Front of Quit

Front detail

Reverse of Quilt

Detail of Hanging Sleeve

Emulating Japanese Boro ("Rag") Art

A few nights ago while perusing YouTube I happened upon a video about old Japanese fabrics and was particulary intrigued by this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9g6y6O-myA

It spoke of Japanese Boro art, the ancient art of salvaging useable pieces of fabric from garments that were otherwise worn out.

The second garment shown captivated me. For as long as I can remember I have kept and recycled and upcycled outworn fabrics and fabric scraps into diverse forms of art. A stack of 4"x4" denim square from my grandaughters' outworn or outgrown jeans remained in my stash from a denim and velvet quilt that I made for my daughter at the holidays last year. Also in my stash was a swath of homespun fabric that I had inherited from my daughter's mother-in-law. The homespun fabric had, heretofore, never found its way into a project.

Here is my completed modern interpretation of the ancient, fine art so skillfully developed in the Far East.

2010 Take on Ancient Boro Art

Jacket Front

Jacket Back

Reversible Jacket Front

Reversible Jacket Back

Jacket with Front Panels Open

Designs Created with Clorox Bleach Pen

Initial Layout of Back Panel

Back Panel Construction

Back Panel on Dress Form

Jacket Front Laid Flat

Connecting Side Tabs

Finished Grandma's Attic Art Quilt

This small art quilt was great fun to make. Because the upholstery fabric scraps reminded me of the furniture in my grandmother's living room, it took me on a memory voyage to her attic. In that magical place were all sorts of wonderful things that made for a magical childhood experience. A wooden box held many pieces of costume jewelry that she no longer wore but were like gems to a little girl. Summer days spent playing in the attic while birds sang in the trees at the wondow were straight from a storybook.

Every time an opportunity presents itself to search through my collection of beads and cast off jewelry my imagination and memories are stimulated. Picking out the ones that reflected the feeling in Grandma's attic brought her back for a few precious minutes on this beautiful Southern California morning.

My passion for recycling, repurposing and upcycling is reflected in this quilt. Someone gave me a stack of upholstery samples. The batting was taken from an old wool blanket that was made in Australia, and the upholstery scraps on the front of the quilt were the trimmings from a project with a friend.
Upholstery samples are free!! and often very beautiful.

Aspiration