Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
Redirecting materials inspire.
Use redirected fabric in art quilts to design something new and inspire yourself to create. I find unique fabrics not like those sold in a regular quilt store among redirected materials.
Discontinued fabric from a decorator’s studio
A sample of linen fabric from a decorator’s studio becomes the main design element with the addition of zigzagged or couched yarn. The colors; black, white,, and grey attracted me before I saw that this linen actually had greyhound dogs printed on it. My fondness for dogs aside, I didn’t want the dogs to stand out. I accomplished this by rotating the fabric and couching yarn to it. Next, I cut the fabric into twigs and branches to suggest tree tops. Then, I placed the branches on a sky blue indigo fabric background to complete the art quilt.
Friends’ Suggestions
Although dyeing fabric is a great way to redirect materials, it is a bit too messy for my situation. But many of my fabric friends have done it. The sheet that the dyed fabrics are wrapped in to carry home often is colored in an interesting way . Thanks to that warning, I was prepared when I recently took an indigo dyeing workshop. The background fabric for the sky was indeed the bedsheet that had used to carry my other dyed pieces home.
The Process-
First,I choose the fabric. I liked the way the curved lines of the dogs’s backs created movement on the fabric.
Next,I choose the yarn colors that I wanted to use, grey, green, and black yarn. I couched the yarns with matching threads so that the sewing threads wouldn’t stand out.
Next,I continued adding yarn curving it as I zigzagged(couched) it onto the linen.
Then,with more yarn, it is more difficult to identify the dogs.
Continuing,I kept adding more yarn and zigzagging it down. For thicker lines, I wrapped 3 pieces of yarn together.
Ready to cut the Fabric into Branches
Finally, with this fabric, I cut out the tree branches,twigs and sticks. I put the backing fabric flat on the table. Then I added the batting on top. Then I added indigo dyed fabric for the background. Next, I basted them with a touch of glue. I assembled the tree on top and basted it.
Lastly,I covered the finished top with tulle and free motion quilted the layers together. I finished the edges by adding a 2″ facing folding it to the back and hand stitching it. Finally, I sew a fabric sleeve or tube onto the top back for hanging with a dowel and fishing line.
You may be interested in this previous blog post as well.
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/zig-zagging-yarn-to-create-fabric/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/01/creating-movement-in-abstract-art-quilts/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/03/using-discontinued-fabrics/
The completed piece of art is totally made from redirected materials; linen and backing material from the San Francisco Design Center, redirected yarn from my sister-in-law, redirected tulle from a wedding, and redirected background indigo fabric from a bedsheet. My heart’s desire is complete;making beautiful art from repurposed materials.
