Finished Quilting Marbled Fabric Quilt

I finished quilting my Marbled fabric quilt. This quilt came together so fast for me. Keep in mind I created the fabric in 2013. I could say, I've been planning it for the last six years, 

but you know that's not true. 

At first I had no idea how to quilt it. Outlining the shapes didn't really appeal to me.

Below are two closeup shots of the quilt.

I laid some clear plastic over the whole quilt and started doodling with an erasable marker until it showed me where it wanted to be quilted.

Marbled Fabric Quilt

I started a new quilt this week using some fabrics I marbled in 2013. If you have never experienced marbling fabric, I highly recommend it. It is a magical experience! When I was teaching art at the middle school, I loved seeing the students' reactions as they lifted their papers off of the marbling tub and flipped them over to see the beautiful designs they had created. They used the marbled papers to line the inside covers of small books they created. The outside covers of their books were hand stamped from blocks they carved and inked up.

Showing Scarves at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles

Studios on the Park will have their opening reception for the  "Hand Crafted for the Holidays" show this Saturday from 6 to 9 PM. There's lots of great hand-crafted gifts in the show, including some silk scarves made by me. Hope I'll see you there!

Gelli Plate Prints on Fabric

I'm still having fun using art techniques with leaves

Here's a few gelli prints featuring leaves from my collection and one feather.

I really like the texture on some of these.

I plan on enhancing them with some paint and marker work.

As you can see, I first printed some different backgrounds on the cotton

 and then used the leaf as a mask as well.

This last one was a feather I found on our property. 

I love how the textures, which were printed first, came through the feather.

Sun Printing Fabrics

 All the beautiful fall leaves are inspiring me to do more sun printing.

Here's the fabric with 'stuff' on it, drying in the sun.

And voila, the finished fabric below.

The one below was done on fabric with German cursive writing. The first photo

shows it drying in the sun and below it is the finished piece.

The one below was scrunched up and then I applied paint 

to the top ridges and put out in the sun.

Below is the resulting fabric.

More fun with fern-like leaves below.

Another scrunched up one below.

New Monet-Like Ice-Dyed Fabrics

The other day I created a couple more fabrics for my blue,-green-yellow stash. I have a lot of strips cut and am wanting to create an improv style quilt, but wanted some focal point blocks here and there. I love how these turned out. They remind me of Monet's water lily paintings. Who knows? These might take me off in a completely different direction.

Monet's Water Lilies, 1922

Dye-Na-Flow Play

Really enjoyed my time playing with Jacquard's Dye-Na-Flow paint this week. 

 Below are two pieces of cotton, one scrunched up, the other accordion folded. Manipulating the fabric gave it some great textures and interesting nuances.

Painted a couple of silk scarves as well. I plan on putting these

 in the upcoming Studios on the Park "Handcrafted for the Holidays" show.