Tag: zigzagging yarn

How to Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts

Kelp Dwellers 25″ x 25″ A piece of multicolored blue sheer fabric is a perfect background for this underwater fantasy.

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.

grey and black dogs, Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
Greyhounds on linen

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.

black grey and white fabric with green and black yarn ,Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
Black, grey, and white fabric with green and black yarn couched yarn

Next,I continued adding  yarn curving it as I zigzagged(couched) it onto the linen.

More beige, grey, black and white yarn couched onto the fabric

Then,with more yarn, it is more difficult to identify the dogs.

Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
The dogs disappear.

Continuing,I kept adding more yarn and zigzagging it down. For thicker lines, I wrapped 3 pieces of yarn together.

Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
I add more lines of yarn by zigzagging them with matching thread.
Different view of the fabric with threads couched

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.

Use Redirected Fabric in Art Quilts
black and white branches on an indigo died background

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.

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

One Way to Add Texture to an Art Quilt

Long strips of cotton with the threads couched on them.

Introduction

Yarn Adds Texture to an Art Quilt

Use yarn to create fabric to add texture to an art quilt. I zigzag or couch multiple pieces of yarn on strips of  100% cotton. Then I cut them up and use the pieces  as fabric in my art pieces. Decorative threads can also be used.

brightly colored yarn
Yarn I inherited from my mother.

My First Inspiration

I have several small spools of yarn I inherited from my mother.   Their bright colors attracted me. I don’t know what my mother had used them for. I wanted them for something,although I didn’t know for what. They languished in my studio for a long time before a perfect use came up.

My Second Inspiration

Several years back at a large quilt show, I saw a piece that had a large amount of yarn jammed on top into big blob. To be honest, I didn’t like effect at all. But it gave me the idea to use  yarn in a more orderly fashion. I stumbled upon a way to create more  texture for my pieces.

Materials


First, I  chose the colors that I want to use in my art quilt. I go through my box of decorative threads and yarns looking for yarn with texture and complementary shade of color. Using a long strip of cotton fabric, 20”-40” long and 5” to 6” wide, I begin.  Other backings like ribbon didn’t work well as it was slippery and was not easy to sew with. I zigzag(couch) the yarn to the cotton strip.  I  prefer to match the sewing thread color to the yarn as that the color of the yarn stands out more; the stitching appears invisible. But that is a personal choice one can make.

Suggestions


Don’t worry about the lines being straight.
A thin piece of yarn can be doubled or tripled to become thicker .
Vary your use of threads  for texture.
Remember to leave space for the 1/4″seam allowance.
Don’t sew too close to the side edges of the cotton fabric.

zigzagging threads
Next,various strips of cotton with yarn and decorative threads zigzagged on them.
Then,long strips of cotton with the yarn couched on them.

More Suggestions

Sometimes I keep the threads straight and sometimes I cross one thread on top of another.  I like the movement this creates on my art quilts. Overthinking this process is not necessary. I find it fun and relaxing. If things don’t turn out as I would like then I can just save the piece for another project.  After 5 or 6 pieces of yarn have been couched, then I randomly cut them into pieces to use as fabric.

couching decorative threads
Sometimes I use linen with a slight design on it for added texture.
Finally,I cut up the long strips. They are ready to be used as fabric.

Conclusion
It will be easy to find interesting yarns and decorative threads at flea markets or garage sales. There won’t be enough yarn for a scarf or a sweater but there will be more than enough for your couching projects.

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

http://annbmayartquilts.etsy.com/

https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2021/02/the-making-of-an-abstract-quilt/

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