Sunday, January 16, 2011

Cord Bound Edge Treatment......Tutorial


I thought I would share a quick tutorial on an
alternative edge treatment for an art quilt.


This is how I add a cord to the edge of the quilt:

Click Images to Enlarge:


This corded edge is another option for your art quilt bindings.





Choose a decorative stitch...
Stitch it all the way around the edge of your quilt.





I prefer a stiff cord...
like this rolled leather-like cording.
I use a thread that matches the cord color.

Zig Zag Stitch the cord to the edge of the quilt.
Be sure the needle goes all the way to the
right outside edge of the cord.
Do not stitch into the cord.



When you come to a corner stop stitching a few inches away.

Bend the cording to line up with the corner, like in the photo below.


By bending the cord before you get to the corner,
there is no distortion of the quilt.





Continue sewing down until you reach the bottom of the quilt...

An open toe applique foot gives the best visibility for this technique.





Keep the needle in the down position on the outside edge of the cord.
Keep the cord pushed up against the needle.





Raise up the presser foot...
Gently pivot the quilt around...
Keeping the cord against the needle.




When lined up straight with the next side of the quilt,
Drop the presser foot and continue to sew the next side.

Repeat this process until you are on the fourth and last side of the quilt.





Continue stitching until you are a few inches from the beginning of the cording where you started from.





Trim the end so it is flush against the beginning of the cord.
You just want the two ends to kiss together.


Continue to stitch the cord to the side of the quilt edge.
I stitch over the beginning stitches for a half inch or so.
Then I do a teeny tiny straight stitch to lock it in place.

This makes a nice finish.
Alternative Edge Treatments are just one more way to add the last bit of design work to your art quilts.

CLICK HERE to see the completed quilt

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Art Quilts

CLICK HERE to view Traditional Binding Tips

CLICK HERE to view Curved Binding Tips


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full of Bindings,
LuAnn

Neocolor II Portraits......Suzy & Baby Goat


I am enjoying incorporating two of my passions:

Photography & Quilted Art


I continue to alter images in Photoshop and print them on fabric for the purpose of adding color with
Neocolor II crayons

My son's Jack Russell, Suzy
has become a common subject in my quilts.
I think because I have so many photographs of her.


Here is Suzy snuggled into a quilt.
This has been printed on 13 x 19 Fabric in Black & White






I normally start with the lightest color first, which was Suzy.
However, I was unsure of how to color her, so I started with the quilt.

Sometimes all you need to do is just start coloring...
You get comfortable with the colors...
You work intuitively...




Portions of this have been painted with the water solution and are vibrant.





This piece is now ready to be basted with batting and backing fabric.
I am anxious to get it to the sewing machine...




Last Spring I spent time down at the Goat Barn.

I took a lawn chair and my camera.

The bouncing baby goats kept me entertained for hours!



These big close up images work best for this Neocolor Technique.
This image has been altered in Photoshop, then printed on fabric.





Here is Baby Goat
Ready for Quilting...

CLICK HERE to view Baby Goat Quilted

CLICK HERE to view Photoshop Elements Tutorial

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view one of Suzy's Quilts

CLICK HERE to view Gunnr's Quilt

CLICK HERE to view A Day at the Goat Barn

CLICK HERE to view Cowboy Flavor


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full......of Portraits,
LuAnn

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Neocolor II Iris Portrait....In Progress


I continue to work with the
Neocolor II Water Soluble Crayons

This is a photo I took last summer of our Iris bed.
The Pink Iris are a perfect subject for this type of portrait.
One big focal point works best

Let's see where the day takes us...


Black & White image of the iris is printed on 13 x 19 inch Fabric on the inkjet wide path printer





I begin with the lightest colors first.

Yes, this is like coloring in a child's color book.....and it is fun!

Yes, I will be offering this as a class later this year...

Yes, I will post the class offering so you can sign up.





Continue to color in each petal of the flower, shading & highlighting as you go.






You can see on the left side of the flower, I have taken a darker crayon and traced around the edges of the petals to define them.






At this point, the entire flower is colored in with Neocolor II Crayons.
I will not color in the background until later...



This is where the fun begins:


With a solution of water and textile medium...
the flower is wet with a small paintbrush.





I love that vibrant color !





One last petal and then the inner flower portion and the Iris is done...





The entire flower has been painted with the water solution.
After it dries, I will begin the background areas.






The Iris photograph has an out-of-focus background of green leaves.
I could simply color it all in green, and that would look great.
I could color it all in blue, to represent the sky, and that would work.
But, I love the iris leaves, so have drawn them out freehand in the background.





At this point the background is colored in with the crayons...






Time to wet it down...





The colors remain this vibrant even after the piece is dry.

It is now ready to be basted with batting and backing and go under the needle!

CLICK HERE to view the Iris...Quilted.

CLICK HERE to view Photoshop Elements Tutorial

CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view Gunnr's Neocolor II Portrait

CLICK HERE to view Neocolor II Class

CLICK HERE to view Rust Dyeing


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,
LuAnn

Monday, January 10, 2011

Kindred Spirits...


Share this with your Kindred Spirits






CLICK HERE:  to see My Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Art Quilts

CLICK HERE to view my Tutorials

CLICK HERE to view Art Cloth


May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,
LuAnn