Friday, August 19, 2011

Onbekend maak onbemind

In Afrikaans we say that the unknown cannot be loved. In South Africa the "modern" prints are only showing up in the last 3 years. So first I looked at these fabrics and thought "How can one use this in piecing a quilt?"

I have now realised that this wild fabrics need to be shown off. You cannot piece a star- it will get lost in the multi-colour prints. But if you use bold big pieces you can make a vibrant quilt. I have hanged all my new purchases of this wild fabric on my design wall. And looking at it for a week while doing my embroidery. I can truly say: I think I like it!


I completed some more blocks from Aie Rossman's Heart applique. I have now realised that the perfect setting for a blanket stitch in my Artista software is 1,5 wide and 1,5 spacing. I have also seen if I off set it I get the neatest results. I have also started to put applique paper (Steam a seam) on my applique fabrics. Although I am using mainly batiks, they still fray and do not have a neat appearance. The applique paper bond the edges and give a very neat result.


I have admired this embroidery piece for a long time- and the results is just as stunning as it look on my computer screen. I will embroider some more of this designers work. I selected the same colours that was suggested to get this wonderful effect.


I was enjoying seeing all the embroidery designs stitched out. So I got an idea for a quilt to showcase them all. I have recieved two rolls of Moda fabric strips 4 cm wide(1and1/2 inch). I used half of both to create blocks of Double Irish Chain. This is my idea of how to combine it. I will use the black and bright green blocks in the center and the red and blue blocks on the outside.

So I had a new motivation and I could embroider 50 designs. I decided to embroider all of the many heart designs that I have on a cream fabric and the other designs- not bigger than 4 inches, on a white fabric. I have nearly completed all the designs on the white background and will be able to start piecing the rows tomorrow.


This lovely Blackwork look like hand embroidery. I have used a cotton thread. I see that the fabric need to be reinforced- it get distorted from the stitching. I will use iron on  interfacing  and also sew it on cotton batting to support the stitches.

2 comments:

  1. OMG! I love the embroidery and the Irish chain quilt will be gorgeous!

    Liri

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  2. Fantastiese materiale. Ek is versot op die Batiks wat jy gebruik in jou werk.
    Die borduurwerk is ook uit die boonste rakke!
    Ek gebruik Steam a seam met al my appliek en dis regtig 'n uitstekende produk.

    ReplyDelete

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