Un-named FFFC Challenge #28

As a member of FFFC (Fast Friday Fabric Challenge), once a month we are given a challenge, with a deadline of one week to complete an art quilt following the challenge guidelines.

This month our challenge was two-fold.  To capture a mood or emotion, and to use color as a zinger.

I immediately thought of the cardinal sitting in the Rose of Sharon bush outside the studio door.  It was  a gray, dreary, day, and that cardinal brought a much needed relief of color, and yet seemed both lonely and content at the same time.

Without referring back to the picture I had taken that morning, I set out to recreate the scene as I felt it.  This is my piece, as yet un-named:

This piece, the 4th in a series based on trees, is 13″ square, fusible, painted details, free-hand drawn cardinal, beading for the eye, yarn edged.  I will be painting a 12″ square canvas to blend to this piece and then mounting it as a “hidden” canvas.  That gives  (in my eyes) a presence to the piece when it’s hung on the wall, but doesn’t distract from the fiber of the piece.

Detail of the cardinal:

I look forward to the January challenge, to come out the 4th Friday of the month.  And possibly by then I may have named this piece?!?

This and that

Over on the FAB blog, I’ve posted the results of the Art Techniques group April MAT. MAT is a Monthly Art Technique, where one member of the group will post for others to participate in. Some months there is a swap or exchange, some months it is technique only.

This month’s technique was painted batting, using either acrylic paints or procion dyes. You can see my before (wet in process) pics and my after (dry ready to use) pics here and here.

I’m still working on the “tree” quilt. I’ve used a few more mediums in it, not intentionally to use “every” medium I can, but intentionally to achieve a layered effect. Last night I added in some leaf detail.

This is a combination of Lumiere paints for the green and rust colors, and using Golden Pearl Mica Flake for the silvery effect. I hadn’t used the Mica Flake before, and feeling the dried effect this morning, I will not be quilting through it. I probably could, but I’ll be quilting around it.

And I’ve also done a little bit of fabric dyeing:

Since yesterday “was” an office day, not a studio day, I’m looking forward to even more progress today!

See you tomorrow!

Weekly review

I thought I’d post a weekly round up of a few things I have been working on this week that aren’t computer related.  Most of what I’ve done this week seems to be in the computer department, but I have managed to work on a few fiber things.

First off is my late aunt’s last quilt to be quilted.  When my aunt passed, my cousin asked me to quilt the tops she found in the basement, and I readily agreed.  I’ve shown one of these before on the blog.  Once this is bound, they will all be returned on our next visit back north.

And a closeup of the quilting:

I’ve also been working on a jacket, for myself.  It’s a water themed jacket and will feature one of my soon to be released applique patterns.  Here’s a preview of the seaweed being couched down onto the back of the jacket:

And lastly, a sneak peak at the first in a new series based on trees:

This particular one has copper leaves.  I’ve had this roll of copper mesh for quite some time, and now that I’m actually using it, I’m finding it very easy to stitch through.  But, once you put a needle hole in it, it’s there.

That’s my update on what I’ve been doing.  Hope you’ve had a great week and next week is even better!