"What if?"

I am in the process of playing "What if?" When I first came across the simple instructions for thread flowers, I hadn't yet found the instructions for thread leaves. When I did, I thought, "What if I put them together?" 
At first I only had a single layer/flower head. Then I thought, "What if I put on another, and then perhaps a third, as center?"
When I decided to use clothesline cording for the stems I bought what  found. Later I discovered that the cording comes in at least two sizes! Eureka! Great for big flowers and little flowers!
I originally used fabric to wrap the stems, but Sunny Days (below) seemed to call for a little more bling...so, I used satin ribbon.
This week I thought, what if I add beads? Just what sun flowers needed!
Who knows what my next 'what if' will be...but that is how we learn and grow. Try 'what if-fing' your current obsession and see where it leads you!

Sunny Days

Program Prepping

I am scheduled to 'be the program' for the quilt guild I attend each month. I am to tell a little about what an art quilt is, how I got into fiber art, and show-and-tell scads of my work. What's not to have fun with?
So, I have a growing pile of notes and books and online research, but today I finalized a sample sheet to show why I am a fiber artist; no rules, try anything once, endless variety and do I have to say it? FUN!

From top left, clockwise...

1. I colored the flower cartoon, then tried ironing it onto fabric. Not good...
2. Then I colored directly onto fabric and ironed. Oh, yes!
3. Next I used fabric markers. They were okay.
4. Then I tried crayon onto light heat n bond stuff. Hmmm... further research needed.
5. Satin stitched individual cloth petals then joined them into a lily. Not overly impressed.
6. Free motion embroidered on a sparkly nylon fabric. Kinda cool!

WILD flower quiltlets are like rabbits...

Good Afternoon!

Fall II

Fall I

Night time Wild flowers

Here is the silver gray rendition of the Wild Flowers series, Under the Gibbous Moon. The flowers consist of 2-3 layers in various sizes, the smallest centers being comprised of thick metallic thread. Leaves are from the several shades of silver gray thread also. New to this series is 'grass'. I used my long rectangle cardboard form, stitched two lines 1/2" apart down the center of it, as well as all around the perimeter, then sliced it right down the center. I have 11 more wild flower bases ready to quilt, all in the WILD colorway.

Mini-WILD Flowers

I had several people interested in the large WILD Flowers, but one of them preferred, 'just a taste' rather than the entire buffet...so, I made a mini-WILD Flower. There will be several more minis, as I have had so much fun making the flowers I have a miniature Mount Rainier pile of them ready to use!

Hand dyed background. Free motion embroidery leaves. Hand wrapped, machine 'quilted' flowers and grass. 11"x14" artist canvas mounted, ready to hang.

Iris completed

La Couleur Pourpre is complete, made its debut at the Chelan Art Show. I have finished some other things as well, but just haven't been home to photograph and download. I will try and do so this coming week.

Morning Glory aka...

Exuberance!

Now that I have used the skill saw to cut a thin piece of plywood to size, put a layer of batting on the front of that plywood, glued and stapled blue, then green, hand-dyed fabric on top of that, then placed the quilt, then applied some more flowers in the border with a grand finale' of a few hand stitched stems, Husband has changed his mind about the 'Elvis velvet painting'.  He now proclaims, "That'll sell!"   :?}

Detail

La Couleur Pourpre

I start with photo on fabric. My iris was a beauty this spring! I use the photo as reference to keep colors bright and true.

The left petal is mostly done. The rest is in 'production'. I will have to make a thread-matching run today!

Once I have finished all the thread painting I cut the flower out as an applique', make a small 'quiltlet' of it, then mount it on a larger canvas covered with fabric. Love making these! The gold rayon embroidery floss will become the 3D 'beard' on the foreground petal.

Balsam pin, Gerbia pin

Made thread lace balsam blooms while sitting my booth this last weekend. One person thought they would make great pins, so I added beads and a pin back. I will make more, in various colors for my next sale, but I also want to feature a few blooms on a small art quilt!
I used two layers of the woven soluble I got in Portland, OR and like it oh-so-much better than the Solvy. It just doesn't tear. It is nice and tough.