The Reef

The Reef
30" x 40"

About a month ago I was asked to create a piece to hang in Representative Alan  Austerman's office in Juneau.  Very exciting, because it was my first commission, and because of where it will hang.  They looked at the pictures on my blog and decided that they wanted one with similar colors to the quilt on my header, and specified the size of 30" x 40".

The background is pieced-first by sewing strips together, then I cut squares from the resulting fabric.  I did 3 different strip sets- one for the forground, one for the mid section, and one for the water.  The fish and crabs were printed with blocks that I carved, and Daniel Smith water soluble printing ink. I carved a second, smaller crab so they appeared more distant.  I cut them out and fused them to the background.  The seaweed was stitched on tulle layered with angelina fiber and water soluble stabilizer.  I shaped the rocks using freezer paper, then used an invisible stitch to apply them to the quilt, with various ribbons tucked behind for more seaweed.  Finally, I added more embellishments with buttons, beads and hand dyed pearl cotton.  I love the little beaded jelly fish.

Detail

Foreground Detail

Prayer Flag #2

 My second prayer flag-this time sized as it should be.  I guess my theme is Home.  If I do text again I will have to come up with a different way to apply it because I don't like my handwriting.

 Here are the two that I have completed.  I am just pinning them to the clothesline to photograph them but will string them up when I am done.  I don't know how many I will make-at least one more to go on the other side of the large one.

I got some thermofax screens in the mail the other day and played around with this one today.  It is called Cascading Branches, but I like it turned upside down.  Unfortunately I printed the orange in the lower right corner upside down.  I do like the effect of layering and think that it will be cool to print foliage, print a bird, then print more foliage on top.  The top half of this fabric was an unsuccessful attempt at rubbing with shiva paintsticks.  Now I know that I need a rubber mat of some sort to keep the plate from slipping, then tape the fabric. The second picture is the fabric before I screened it. It is better with the sreen print on top.  In all of the DVD's that I have watched, it seemed like they were pouring alot of paint onto the screen.  With the thermofax screens, I found out quickly that I didn't need as much paint as I had put down!  I used a cut off foam brush rather than a squeegee.  I watched Lynn Krawycz's DVD and some Utube videos and the screens came from her, also.  Perhaps the next screens I order will be my own design.

New Work

Dancing Lady is 24" x 24". I made the jelly fish by sandwiching watersoluble stabilizer(Solvey)and some unfused angelina fiber, for a little sparkle, between layers of tulle which were then place in a hoop, then free motion stitched. The tenacles are made from handdyed ribbon yarn, which are loosely stitched on, and strands of beads.

This quilt and the following two quilts were begun by sewing strips of the background fabrics together. I then cut slightly turned squares from the resulting fabric, and sewed the squares back together. I think it adds alot of interest to the quilts.

"Square Dancers" is 21.5" x 27". The jelly fish are made the same as for Dancing Lady. The quilting isn't very visable in this photo, but I love the texture I achieved. It was the first time I have used wool batting, which contributes to the great texture.

"Rockfish in the Kelp Patch" is 21.5" x 27". The rockfish were made in a similar fashion to the jelly fish but made using orange organza. Seaweed is made from various couched fibers. The seaweed in the borders is pieced in using Carol Taylor's technique of sensuous lines. In the picture above you can see a closeup of the fish.

"Treasures" is 16" x 16". The clam shell is made from white organza, again, with angelina and water soluble stabilizer sandwiched between and placed in a hoop for free motion stitching.