Dogs are family members too. Make a memory quilt for your dog. Charlie, a client ‘s pet dog of 16 1/2 years had just passed. The family approached me to create an abstract piece of wall art in his memory. The beloved dog was groomed every two weeks. Each time he returned home with a colorful bandana tied around his neck. The bandanas could be made into a piece of art to keep his memory alive.
A Lot of Color!
There were about 30 different pieces of fabric bandanas. Holidays and special day themes were common with a wide range of colors. In addition,there were not a lot of solid colors for eyes to rest on. In a busy art quilt, I like to include places for eyes to rest on. The first steps was choosing a pleasant color wave. The client requested a lot of color for the memory quilt for her dog.
Choosing the colors-the most challenging part.
Choosing the colors became the most challenging part. Did I mention that the client and I lived on different coasts? Once the client sent me the bandanas then I could begin to suggest some colors. Phone communication, photos and texts were important. I thought that I heard her say that she wanted as many of the fabrics used as possible. So how could I do that?
Retangular pieces of fabric on the design wall from light to dark. Which to choose?
Being Flexible
I started by putting the fabric on my design wall. First, I thought of arranging the fabrics from light to dark. I cut a few pieces of fabric into rectangles. Then, I stopped myself. I shouldn’t spend time cutting out fabric if I wasn’t sure which fabrics would be used. That turned out to be a wise choice. Being flexible is very important.
As it turned out, most of the fabrics did not make it into the final piece. The client realized that the fabrics were too different to fit into a coherent piece. In other words, all of the pieces did not need to be used.
Meanwhile, during this time the clients were downsizing their house. They weren’t sure where the finished piece would be nor its size. As it turned out, the size needed to be 21″ x 19″ (54 cm x 49 cm).
Fun fabric choices, how to choose?
On the other hand,the size of my commissioned works are usually larger. This smaller size limits the number of fabrics. I usually choose 4-5 fabrics. In addition, I remember the rule of 3 to balance out the fabrics on the top of the quilt. Nonetheless, all turned out well.
Red ,blue and white bandanas? More choices.
Would red and blue fabric work ? I put these bright bandanas together. However, once I said that they were red, white and blue it sounded too patriotic.
Would pinks and blue fabric work ?
The Client’s Choice
What finally caught the client’s eye was the bright fabric with many frogs on it!The bright warm colors of the active frogs fit the bill. Those colors guided me to a memory quilt for a dog.
From there I choose the bandanas that matched the frog fabric. Then I cut rectangles of various sizes, about 2″ x 3″ – 4″( 5cm x 8cm-10cm) and placed them on the design wall. I made sure that the fabrics were balanced. No one fabric was overpowering a side or quadrant. I sewed the pieces together to complete the top.
The fabrics were the stars of the piece so I wanted to minimize the quilting.I lightly quilted stitch in the ditch in the seams. Many clients are drawn to the fabrics of the patchwork. They are not concerned with fancy quilting for a memory quilt for a dog.
Plan Ahead
Ties and bows add texture to the finished piece.
Even though the ties need to go on at the end, one must plan ahead to include them in the beginning. Only the black and white one, made it one to the finished product. That is fine.
Completed dog memory quilt, 22″ x 19″ 56 cm x 48 cm
Here is what the client said about the finished piece.
“I just wanted to tell you that it’s absolutely beautiful and I will cherish this with all my heart and soul. Thank you so much for such a beautiful job no words can describe what this means to me. Thank you again. ” Susan
Art Quilters, see fabric in a new way. Above all, creating art is about seeing things in a new way. A class or video frees us to learn new techniques. However,the technique one uses is not the only part that makes the quilt an art quilt. Art quilters often use traditional quilting techniques and others to create something new. In this post, I will focus on seeing fabric, our basic material, in a new way.
Our Sight is Unique.
In reality, one’s sight is unique. No one sees things the same way. Moreover, our perception of colors is individual. In addition, hues change depending on what color is next to it. Furthermore,the amount of light available also affects the way we see colors. Nonetheless,knowing these things frees me to not worry so much about having to find the perfect color. Numerous variables affect the hues and values anyway.
Remember, vision actually takes place in the brain. Connect with what your brain is saying. However,make sure your brain is not sending you negative talk. But truly observe the lines,shapes, and images printed on the fabric. Consider how they could be used and perceived in a unique way.
See Fabric in a New Way
While pondering a piece of fabric,a quilter might start with how one would normally use the fabric. Start there. But then quickly leave that thought behind. Imagine a different way to use the fabric. One that you haven’t done before.
Yet, how do we truly see fabric in a new way? Turn the fabric upside down or sideways. Use the back side of the fabric instead of the front. Furthermore,look at parts of the fabric that can be cut and used differently. Large flowers or other large prints may be cut into smaller pieces to become parts of something else. Make your work impressionistic. Let the viewer decide what they think something is.
Rebirth of a Forest
Limit the Line of Vision
Some people find it helpful to limit their line of vision. Use a small empty photo frame or cutout cardboard frame to focus one’s eye.For example,move the frame around on top of the fabric while blocking out the rest. Some find it easier to focus their attention with this simple tool.Use this to choose a part of the fabric that you want to use in a new way.
A Personal Example
Rebirth of a Forest 29″ x 22″ 73cm x 56cm
May I share a personal example? I had fabric printed with what looked like whole coffee beans to me. Nonetheless,that is what I was reminded of. I couldn’t get that image out of my brain. I tried to see the fabric in a new way. Then I thought that maybe others wouldn’t see coffee beans. It became the trunk of a tree in Rebirth of a Forest after our devastating forest fire. Similarly, practice looking at the fabric in a new way.
Steamy Rainforest,an art quilt, 15″ x 15″ 38cm x 38cmMexican Iguana, an art quilt,23″ x 21″ 58cm x 53cm
Other Ideas-Reimagine the Fabrics
Start with a fabric that you normally might not use. Maybe choose a so called ugly fabric. How would you make it appear better? For instance, what can you put next to it so that looks more pleasing? If you usually use one fabric style, attempt to use it in a way that you have never have. For example, I recently used Guatemalan fabrics to create the branches and foliage in landscape quilts, Mexican Iguana and Steamy Rainforest. Previously I had used the Guatemalan fabric only as a strip or a block. Furthermore,imagine a different way to use a fabric from what you usually do. Above all any new skill, practice is important. Moreover,practice takes time.
Skies Over Lake Atitlan, 24″ x 29″ 61 cm x74 cm,an art quilt. This is how I would normally use Guatemalan fabrics.
New Colors
Try colors that you are not comfortable with. Furthermore, a new color combination is a good way to shake patterns up. If this is difficult for you, just change the hues and tones of fabric as a baby step. Practice with a small piece if necessary.
Let the Fabric Help You
How can the fabric help you with something new? We have all tried to find shapes and figures in clouds. Think of it that way. Multicolored batiks and other fabrics can add colors and shapes. What do you see in their fabric patterns? Then cut them out and use them in this new way.
A New Style of Fabric
Choose a different style of fabric from what you usually use.If you usually use stripes, try a batik. Use the fabric for a totally different way. The result will be surprising. Use large Asian flower fabrics as a rock. When cutting or designing a shape, imagine the fabric as material. Ignore the print that normally grabs your eye. Once I chose a fabric based only on the curved lines. It was only later that I saw that the lines were actually greyhounds dogs.
Skyward, 25″ x 23″ 64cm x 58cm art quilt made from greyhound dog fabricCan you see the dogs underneath the couched threads?
Ways to Focus on the Fabric
Notice the lines and shapes of the objects printed on tbe fabric. What do they remind you of? Practice seeing something unique that the manufacturer didn’t plan.The result may be surprising. Reimagine the fabrics to add a new spark to your art quilts.
Focus on the positive space and negative spaces. Positive space is the object itself. Negative space is the space around it that is not the object. Focus on the angles and lines both horizontal and vertical. How can they be highlighted in a new way? Notice the shapes, contours, shadows, and groups of lines of the object rather than the object. This is not easy at first. Give yourself time to practice seeing things differently.
Don’t be Afraid to cut up Fabric.
So often I hear people say that they love the fabric so much that they don’t want to cut it up. Or that they are afraid that cutting the fabric will ruin it. This thought pattern prevents one from trying new things. One must move past these thoughts to create art. Enjoy the fabric for a while but not forever before using.
Bag of Cultural Gems with Day of the Dead fabric 29″ x 22″ 74 cm x 56cm
True Confession Time
I confess that I had a piece a fabric for a long time without cutting it. A Day of the Dead Mexican skeleton fabric hung on the back of my studio door a long time. Then I cut it up and used it in several art quilts.
Another confession I have to make is I tried making landscape quilts matching the items printed on the fabric to the scene I wanted to make. I searched for rocks printed on fabric. To be honest this gave me a supreme headache. I am not prone to headaches. It was not fun either. I have since chosen to create my own rocks.I use both solid fabric and printed fabrics. However,the printed fabric is not printed with rocks.
Overlook, 35″ x 26″ 89 cm x 66cm Notice the of solid fabric rocks. The tree truck is made from a floral piece of linen, couched with yarn.
In Conclusion
Reimagine the fabric to add a new spark to your art quilts. I offer different ideas to use in a wide ranges of techniques and skill level. Some lend themselves to one technique over another. For example, cutting out fabric and adding to a landscape art quilts may be an easy place to start. However, continue exploring. Small changes can have a big affect.
Take baby steps. It can be scary to try something new. Give yourself time to get used to it. Like any new skill, practice is important. Practice takes time. We all get stuck in a rut. It is easy and comfortable to do things the same way that we have always done.
An artist is curious and open to new things. Being creative starts with asking questions? How can I make this better or different? What if I did this a different way? Experiment. Move away from the conventional. Take what you learned in a class and make it your own.Create a point of view and share it with the world. Begin by seeing fabric differently.
I hope that these ideas inspire you. I would love to see what you come up with.
