Category: Quilting Techniques

Learn a variety of Quilting Techniques. Ideas for trying new ways to create.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/02/decorative-threads-add-texture/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/07/creating-texture-in-art/

About the Quilt Artist

My art quilts are all about the quilt artist  creating abstract, whimsical or impressionistic pieces.  Inspiration comes from the natural world as well as from Mexican and Native American influences. My materials of choice are often redirected fabrics from the San Francisco Design Center and found objects.  Art quilts free me to play with color and texture. My technique, Scribble Quilting allows me to create movement on many of my pieces.

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TWO INSPIRATIONAL ARTISTS

I owe some of my inspiration to two artists from Santa Cruz County, California. Meri Vahl, an award winning art quilter has been recognized nationally for her work. Teacher of the fabric layering technique, she was patient. Understanding that each student brought individual strengths, weaknesses and abilities.  Ellen edith;friend, art quilter, fabric designer and artist extraordinaire made whimsical, personal quilts. Her influence lives on well beyond her life.   I have great appreciation for these two local leaders of the art quilt world.

SAQA (STUDIO ART QUILT ASSOCIATES)

I am proud to be part of an evergrowing group of art quilters.  SAQA started by Yvonne Porcella in Northern California in 1989. It has grown to an international organization.  Art quilters have transformed the quilt into a 21st Century art form. I continue to explore new forms and ways of working with unusual materials on this  journey.

ABOUT THE ARTIST,BIO

I was born and raised in Palo Alto, California. In high school I studied sewing and clothing construction for two years. I continued to sew much of my wardrobe. In 1974,I took my first quilting class at a neighborhood fabric store. Over the years, I continued to sew clothes and make quilts for my family. I stopped counting bed quilts at 300. After teaching 30 years in Watsonville as a bilingual teacher, I retired to spend more time on creating art quilts.

MY FIRST ART QUILT
Homage to a Dancer,45″ x 56″

In 2008, I made my first art quilt, Homage to a Dancer. It reflects  my participation in Los Méxicas,the University of California,Santa Cruz ballet folklórico group.

A STUDIO IN THE ART CENTER

In May of 2016, I opened a studio in the Santa Cruz Art Center, 1001 Center St. Downtown Santa Cruz. I have space to work and display my work. For First Fridays and Open Studios, I fill the lobby with art. In June, 2019  New York Art Center accepted my work into their gallery. 7 Franklin Place, TRIBECA, New York City.

AWARD WINNING ARTIST
Great Blue Heron at Dusk,31″ x 25″

Great Blue Heron at Dusk entered into an art show in 2010. The following year it won a merit award at the Olive Hyde Art Gallery in Fremont,California.
In 2013, Visions of New Mexico won third place in the Neo Membreno Vessels 2013 Show at the Western New Mexico University Museum in Silver City, New Mexico.

Stress Free Curved Line Piecing

I learned stress free piece curved lines from reading a library book. It is that easy to learn. Rarely have I learned any technique from a book. Like many, I prefer to watch someone demonstrate the technique in person. I regularly use this technique to add movement in my abstract art quilts. This technique is not for creating equal curved lines for traditional quilting blocks.

Steps to Practice Curved Line Piecing

Materials needed-100% cotton fabric, rotary cutter, cutting mat, sewing machine, thread, iron and ironing board to press final product

Step 1

Step 1

Choose 2 pieces of cotton fabrics about 4″ x 4″
(10 x10 cm). Printed fabric makes it easy to tell which side is the right side. Solid color fabric ensures success.

Step 2 Notice that the pieces are on top of each other.

Step 2

Place the 2 pieces, right side up, on top of each other. Using a rotary cutter on a cutting mat, cut a simple curved line starting somewhere in the middle of the two pieces. Don’t stress about the shape of the curve or the exact middle. It doesn’t matter.

Step 3

Step 3

Separate the pieces. Take the top right piece and place it next to the bottom left piece. Take the top left piece and fit it next to the bottom right piece. They should fit together like a puzzle pieces.

Step 4

Step 4

To sew, place fabric right sides together. Sew together with a
1/4″( .5)cm seam. The important part-The two pieces need 1/4″ (.5cm)seam when moving through the presser foot. Due to the curve,the length of the fabric pieces won’t line up on all edges. Lift the top piece of fabric to adjust slightly as it moves through the presser foot. Also gently move the bottom piece of fabric if necessary. It sounds more difficult than it is. Press flat. That’s it!!! Repeat with the other 2 pieces of fabric.

Finished and pressed

Step 5

Step 5. Practice,practice, practice. As your skill develops, vary your cutting line to create different curves. I found this technique amazingly forgiving. Incorporate creatively into your art quilt projects.

Taking Curved Line Piecing to the Next Level

Step 6
Step 7

After practicing this technique for a while, I decided that I didn’t always want duplicate pieces for my art quilts. I adjusted the technique to use two pieces of fabric instead of four. I placed the edges of the two pieces face up close together, overlapping the fabric(step 6). The overlapping part is the section where I make the curved cutting line. Place the 2 fabric pieces together like a puzzle piece (step 7).

It is hard to tell but the fabric shown here is about 10″ long.
front of finished curved line piece using two pieces of fabric
back of finished curved line piece using two pieces of fabric

Once you have mastered the basic technique, let the experimenting begin. Lots of room for variation in the shape of the curves. Try different fabrics that are not 100% cotton. It works with them also.

Issues with Curved Line Piecing

Love in the Abstract pink magenta and purple art quilt, 24"x 26" 61 x 66 cm. Curved line piecing adds movement.
Love in the Abstract art quilt, 24″x 26″ 61 x 66 cm. Curved line piecing adds movement. Love in the Abstract added texture with couched threads.

Sometimes quilters can get carried away. If a few curved lines are good then a whole piece of them must be better. At least that is what I thought at one time. This turned out not to be a good idea. The piece would not lie flat. Maybe there were too many small pieces of fabric. The way it looked was also a problem. It was not pleasing to my eye. Lesson learned. Moderation is fine.

Poppin' Back multicolored art quilt, 23" x 22" 58 x 56cm
Poppin’ Back multicolored art quilt, 23″ x 22″ 58 x 56cm

Entering Shows

When one is ready to enter shows, one may find size restrictions. Sometimes it is easy to complete a piece within those limits. Yet,depending on the technique that one uses, it can be difficult.

I use curved line piecing in my abstract art quilts. This technique uses more fabric than just straight line sewing. If I am making a piece for a juried show with a small size restriction,it can be difficult to get the size just right. It is difficult to plan for a particular size especially if the size is on the small side,like 12″ x 12″. One has to take into account the seam allowances at the same time as planning for the fabric of an interesting shape of a curve. Be forewarned!

In spite of the issues that I brought up,I enjoy using this technique to add movement to my art quilts. I hope that you will also add this technique to your toolbox of skills.


Read more here. https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/06/yarn-adds-texture-to-an-art-quilt/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2022/09/scale-and-size-is-important-on-fabric/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2023/07/new-to-quilting/

http://www.saqa.com/ Learn more about art quilts at the Studio Art Quilt Associates website.

https://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/ See more of my art at my Etsy shop.

Try these Solutions to Solve Little Art Quilting Problems

Solving little art quilting problems are different from the fixing bed quilts issues. One does not have to match seams like when making traditional quilts. If I have an error I can just cut it off with my rotary blade rather than ripping out seams. I still use my seam ripper but just not as much. This is not to say that issues don’t come up. They are just different issues. Some of these solutions apply to sewing in general as well as art quilting.

Solve Basic Sewing Problem

Anticipating Issues with Good Habits

Some suggestions to solve little art quilting problems begin with good habits. Of course the best way to fix problems is to anticipate them before they happen. Always make sure your fabric edge is straight. It might look straight but line up the plastic cutting ruler edge anyway. Make sure the fabric edge is straight. Even fabric straight from a shop might not be cut straight. Advice from construction workers, Measure twice to cut once.

Keep your machine free of dust.

Use a pipe cleaner to keep your machine’s mechanism free of dust. Look for holes in the machine for the pipe cleaner to enter safely.Remove dust carefully. Be careful not to disrupt interior settings. Vacuum the interior monthly if you sew a lot. It is amazing how much lint thread may shed. Remove lint from between the grooves of your feed dogs. I have been known to remove the lint with a large pin. A clean machine makes perfect stitches. Once I took my Husquvarna Lily into the shop because the zigzag stitch wasn’t working. The stitch was fine but my machine was full of lint underneath.

Watch your Speed.

Aim to maintain the same speed as you sew. The speed of throttle affects your stitches. Going fast and then slow can create inconsistent stitches. Attempt to keep a steady speed when stitching. Listen to your machine. It will tell you when your speed is changing. Especially on mindless tasks, we tend to daydream and not pay attention to the speed that we are pushing on the pedal or throttle.

Trouble Threading the Needle

If you are having trouble seeing to thread the needle on the machine,here is an easy fix. Get a white piece of paper. Double thickness or paper that is a bit stiff helps. Place it behind the needle and hold it there while threading the needle. The white makes a clearer background to see the needle’s hole. Other tips-Please wear your glasses. Trim the edge of thread before threading. Wet the end of the thread with saliva so the end isn’t frayed. I personally have not had luck with needle threaders. Maybe they will work for you.

Thread Trimming

Did you know that you can use 1 side of the scissors to trim a thread,sort of like a knife. This especially is helpful when the thread is coming out of the fabric.Trim as close as you can to the fabric with just one blade of the scissors. If you trim normally with the 2 points of the scissors coming together, one can accidently snip the fabric. This small nip in the fabric is difficult to fix. Some of us learn things the hard way.

Some Suggestions to Solve Little Art Quilting Problems.

Tucks to the Rescue

Tucks to the rescue. Sometimes a piece of fabric is just a bit too big for where it needs to fit. Yes, you could just cut off a piece of the fabric. But why not try to turn a problem into a solution. Create more texture for your art quilt by making one or more tucks . This may be useful when one is working within a particular size requirement. Tucks can be different sizes. They can be sewn close to the edge of fold or 1/4th inch (1cm) or farther away. Make a tuck or two that runs the whole length of the piece of fabric. I discovered the power of tucks when the slightest bit of extra fabric was too much.

Use the Crease or Fold to your Creative Advantage.

I often repurpose materials. Sometimes a piece of fabric comes with a crease or fold. It can be difficult to remove the crease even after using spray starch. Try this solution. Use the crease or fold to your advantage. Create a tuck or several rows of tucks. Sew the stitching line as close as you can to the edge of the fold. Problem solved. While creating an original art quilt, use the fold to your advantage. A series of folds can be moved to one side or the other to create movement as well as texture.

3 rows of tucks create texture and movement
A series of tucks create texture and movement.
A strip of fabric with a hard to get rid of crease
A strip of fabric with a hard to get rid of crease

Sew a tuck to remove a crease
Sew a tuck to remove a crease

A variation- Sew several lines of folds. Remember the rule of three or odd numbers. You may sew the tucks 1/4″ (1 cm) away from the fold. To create movement and texture, iron the segments of the tucks in different directions.

Lots of tucks, Upwelling. 34" x 30" 86 cm x 76cm

Solve little Art Quilting Problems by Thinking Before you Cut

Sea Canyon Depths, 40" x 17" 102cm x 44cm
Sea Canyon Depths, 40″ x 17″ 102cm x 44cm

Think how can I save time or effort while cutting this fabric. I add a lot of foliage to my nature art quilt pieces. I started out cutting individual pieces. By accident I discovered that while cutting one piece, I could create a second piece that would be a mirror image. Less fabric would be lost. Just don’t cut all of the way through to the far end. Stop at the top of what you are cutting. Turn the fabric around and continue down the other side instead of cutting all of the way to the opposite side. Not difficult do if you stop and think before cutting. Just another way to solve little art quilting problem.

Sea Canyon Depths, 40" x 17" 102cm x 44cm
Sea Canyon Depths, 40″ x 17″ 102cm x 44cm

This technique could create mountains, foliage or another running pattern.

Sea Canyon Depths, 40" x 17" 102cm x 44cm
Sea Canyon Depths, 40″ x 17″ 102cm x 44cm An underwater work in progress

Sometimes experienced quilters forget about all of the little tips that they have learned along the way. I try and point a few hints here that I have learned.These are just a few of different technical problems or creative issues one might encounter.

http://www.saqa.com/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2023/04/what-most-people-dont-know-about-art-quilting/

https://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/

How to make a Quilt without a Pattern

Making a quilt without a pattern may sound easy and appropriate for a beginner. However, it is not. First of all,this post assumes that the person has basic quilting skills and materials. As always,choose 100% cotton for ease of sewing and washing. Use a quilter’s cutting board, quilter’s straight edge and rotary cutter. I prefer to use a generous 1/4″ 1 cm seam when sewing.Whatever seam size you use, be consistent throughout your piece.

Whimsical wild animal fabric and solids strips
Whimsical fabric and strips

Starting Your Patternless Quilt

  1. Choose your colors and fabrics,3 solid colors. Fabrics that read solid from a distance are also fine. Some batiks fit this bill. They add interest close up and seem solid from away. Choose 1-3 fabrics of interest to highlight. This could include animals, checks, dots or a number of items. Plan on a quilt of about 44″ x 35″ 112cm x 89 cm. This is the size of my work table. Adjust for your liking or workspace. Yet, this is a doable size for the first effort.
  2. Next,press and lay out the patterned fabric you want to highlight. Cut 3,5,or 7 pieces of varying lengths and widths. Using leftover pieces works well. Trim to make sure long edges are straight. Place fabric on your work space or design wall in a balanced order.
Balanced solid and print fabrics laid out on the cutting table before sewing begins
Balanced solid and print fabrics laid out on the cutting table before sewing begins.

Planning Before Sewing

3. Next, cut the strips of solid fabric. The width can vary. I prefer 4-6″ 10-20cm wide. A wider strip gives you more flexibility if you need to trim it later.Lay them on the table or design wall. Adjust to your liking. Add other colored strips to fill in the spaces. Make sure that the colors are equally balanced across the top of your quilt. That said there aren’t too many pieces of one color on one side of the quilt or the other. Does your eye flow smoothly across the quilt top or does your eye get stuck somewhere? I prefer that the eyes flow or move gently across the quilt top. Step back from your piece to observe. Take a break to rest for your eyes. It is amazing what little errors one might see upon return. You don’t need to lie down just do something else and come back later.

4. Then,begin to sew your pieces together. Finally,add your favorite batting and quilt as you generally choose to do.

a lap quilt of solid colors , magenta, purple, white and violet
a lap quilt of solid colors , magenta, purple, white and violet

Hints to Make a Quilt without a Pattern

  1. When trimming fabric with a design or picture, look at the fabric design before cutting. Pay attention to the fabric’s pattern or animals. Trim to highlight the part of the pattern you want. For example in the wild animal quilt,I highlighted the faces of the animal. On the other hand,I trimmed off the foliage. Take notice and trim fabric from each end rather than cutting from one side only. This extra bit of caution can make a big difference in the look of the final product.
  2. Some printed fabrics have a direction to them. Are all of the pictures facing one way? Or are all the pictures facing all directions? No matter which side it is being viewed from, a face is looking at the viewer. It is your choice if you want all of the pieces ( ie. animal faces)facing one direction or not. We often create a quilt with the designs facing one direction.Yet when it is used a quilt is usually not viewed that way. So don’t worry too much about this.
  3. Have a general idea of where you want certain pieces to be in your quilt. Lay them all out to view before sewing together. Leave them for a few hours or longer to be able to view the pieces with “new eyes”. Are the colors and patterns balanced? Does something catch your eye that shouldn’t? Furthermore, make these changes before the sewing starts.
  4. When piecing the quilt top together, flexibility is necessary. More strips may need to be added. Or at times strips may need to be trimmed. I find that I have more flexibility to make these changes if I sew the top together more or less by sections. For example,sew the upper right corner together. Then move to the upper left corner. Then the lower right corner and the lower left corner. If for some reason another strip or piece of fabric is needed, it is easy to add it this way.

In Conclusion

At this point in my career, I do not use quilt patterns. However, I did use patterns for years to quilt and sew. The rare time I do use a pattern is generally a shape that I have made myself. If sewing without a pattern is new for you, I applaud your bravery. It can be a daunting new experience. At times, it can be very scary. Ultimaltely, it is my hope that you will find it as freeing as I do.

I have several lapquilts on my etsy site made in this way.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1194284434/contemporary-modern-lap-quiltbabhttps://www.etsy.com/listing/1194284434/contemporary-modern-lap-quiltbaby

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2022/06/how-to-discover-your-artistic-signature/

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1208240295/contemporary-modern-lap-quiltbaby

Desire more texture in your art? Add decorative threads.

an egret in the wetlands,Decorative Threads Add Texture
Wetlands Wanderer,an egret in the wetlands Above all,notice the decorative threads at the bottom of the quilt. 28″ x 27″

Add Decorative Threads for Texture

Above all,decorative threads add texture to art quilts. Furthermore,texture is part of my mantra, Color! Texture! and Movement! Therefore, I take creating, finding and using texture very seriously. Above all for me, it is fun. I get excited about repurposing decorative ribbons and threads in my art quilts.   I would like to take this opportunity to share some ideas.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/07/creating-texture-in-art/

Discovering New Materials

My artistic path evolved about the same time I found Fabmo fabric and more https://www.fabmo.org/. Fabmo is a nonprofit that rescues fabric samples and  materials from designers  to keeping them out of the landfill. In addition,they make them available to the public.   The charming decorative three dimensional details call to me.   However, I discovered these threads quite by accident. For example,I accidently took some details apart. Most importantly, I discovered lovely threads and ribbons to add texture to my art quilts.

decorative details,Decorative Threads Add Texture
decorative details
Ribbons from disassembled details,Decorative Threads Add Texture
Ribbons from disassembled details

Take Things Apart to find Decorative Threads for Texture

These small details add texture, fiber and interest to art quilts. However,some of the threads are quite long when disassembled.  Lots of room for creativity. Make a small detail by twisting and folding  longer threads. Decorative threads entered my art pieces.  In addition, I use these decorative details to add 3D texture  to both my abstract and nature inspired art quilts.

Cinnamon threads abstract art quilt,Decorative Threads Add Texture
Cinnamon Threads, detail from an abstract art quilt detail of 23″ x 20″ art quilt

How Would You Use These Decorative Threads?

Decorative Threads Add Texture,Red detail
Red detail
Beige detail and disassembled red detail,Decorative Threads Add Texture
Beige detail and disassembled red detail

Some Examples of What I Did

In addition,here are a couple of photos of works in progress highlighting deconstructed fibers.

Big egret a work in progress
An egret, a work in progress
fibers in a work in progress,Decorative Threads Add Texture
fibers in a work in progress,

Helpful Hints

Not in the San Francisco Bay area with access to FABMO in Sunnyvale? Find interior decorators in your area. They will  be thrilled to pass on their “outdated” details. Moreover,beautiful yarns  can be found at garage sales.  Leftover pieces of interesting yarns may also be found at yard sales or Goodwill. Decorative threads are available for  purchase. Of course, interesting decorative threads are often sold at quilt shows. Does your local quilt guild have a flea market? Lots of good finds there.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope that you will be inspired to try and  incorporate more decorative threads into your art quilts. Therefore, please share your successes and advice. Above all, try something new.

These articles may be of interest to you.
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/04/an-abstract-art-quilt-sunset-through-the-forest/

http://fabmo.org

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2022/12/the-devil-is-in-the-details-textile-details/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/12/the-amazing-story-of-fabmo-how-two-dedicated-people-can-make-a-big-difference/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/07/underwater-fantasy-art-quilt-a-work-in-progress/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/06/yarn-adds-texture-to-an-art-quilt/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/01/creating-movement-in-abstract-art-quilts/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts

How to Create Texture in Art Quilts

Under the Shady Tree detail 2

      Creating Texture in Art

Techniques for creating texture on a flat piece objects are subtle.  In other posts, I addressed other aspects of my mantra, Color!Texture!Movement! Moreover, adding color or movement creates a bolder statement. Above all,color impacts the viewer first and then movement next. But texture may even go unnoticed. However, now I will share my ideas for creating texture in my art quilts.

Tucks Create Texture

For instance, tucks are  small seams sewn on the edge of a fold. Yet, a series of 3-5 tucks create texture. For example, in Upwelling they represent the layers of earth movement. Furthermore,this technique is also helpful  to reduce the size of a piece of fabric by just a small amount.

green and teal art quilt with a pop of magenta
Upwelling, 30″ x 34″ Tucks run the width of several pieces to create texture.

Naturally Thick Fabrics

On the other hand,corduroy or other thick fabrics add texture by their nature. Look for fabrics that naturally have an interesting texture like dupioni silk. Unfortunately, these fabrics are often challenging to work with. Most importantly,develop your skills so that you will be able to work with them more easily.

Couching Decorative Threads

In addition,couching (zigzaging)different threads on fabric adds texture. First,I couch threads on long strips. Then I cut the pieces apart to use as fabric. In addition,this is a good way to utilize small pieces of yarn or decorative threads. At the same time,use the same color of thread to emphasize the line aspect of art. in this way,the focus will be on the color of the yarn not the color of stitching thread.

abstract art quilt in golds and light browns,Desert Sands, 16" x 21" 2015
Desert Sands, 16″ x 21″ 2015

Three Dimensional Objects

Furthermore,add texture with 3D objects. In addition,artistic people may create their own 3D object using fibers. Here I included two fabric figures that I had previously made. Similarly,on the male figure, I added a serape  for the Mexican theme. Likewise,embroidery thread hair,jewelry and lace completed the female’s figure.Finally,I added found plastic objects.

a Mexican inspired 3D art quilt
El Senor y La Senora Win Loteria

True Confessions Time

Ultimately,sometimes I am motivated by just using up materials. What items can I add to my art to finish it up? As a result, this random technique led me to a positive ending. I had about  8 designer samples  of short threads in different colors wrapped together. Spontaneously I decided to add them to the foot  of a tree. Don’t they look like grass? Boy! did this work!

a tree with a fence,fabric art, Under the Shady Tree, 37" x 25" 2019
Under the Shady Tree, 37″ x 25″ 2019
decorative threads are used to look like plants growing at the base of the tree
Under the Shady Tree detail 2

Start with Fiber

Fun With Fiber 6, Fiber container holds southwestern fabrics, burlap background
Fun With Fiber 6

Start with fiber. Here I used a redirected folded fiber piece. I added a found Mexican(Aztec inspired) clay head and redirected fabrics. Then I attached it to a highly textured piece of burlap.

In conclusion, the techniques to add texture include tucks, thicker fabrics, couching decorative threads, and adding three dimensional objects. There must be other ways to add texture.
Do you know of any? Please respond with your suggestions. I am open to new ideas.

How to Create Movement in Abstract Art Quilts

These articles  may also be of interest to you.

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/04/an-abstract-art-quilt-sunset-through-the-forest/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2017/06/couching-threads-and-creating-fabri/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2019/01/couching-zigzag-…-to-art-quilts-2/

How to Improve Your Next Art Quilt

https://www.etsy.com/shop/annbmayartquilts/

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