Including coloration to material is addictive — however generally utilizing textile dye will be too time consuming and messy. Ana Buzzalino makes use of thread portray coupled with a coloring ebook mentality (utilizing both textile paint or coloured pencils) to create mini quilts that emulate the masters. Right now, we’ll learn to make a Starry Evening quilt in addition to a stitched model of The Café Terrace on the Place du Discussion board
I like free-motion machine quilting. I can’t look ahead to the quilt high to be completed to begin quilting it. I do know that’s not essentially the norm, however to me, the quilting is the enjoyable half. I’m at all times in search of methods to enhance my free-motion machine quilting abilities and, by doing so, hopefully, give others concepts on easy methods to enhance theirs and possibly attempt one thing new—to the purpose that they love machine quilting as a lot as I do. This system ought to do the trick!
Some time in the past I bought a classic copy of LIFE Journal at a flea market that featured the work of artist Pablo Picasso. The pictures included a few of Picasso’s line drawings, they usually obtained me pondering that these drawings may very well be used to observe machine quilting. That thought impressed me to discover the works of different artists, resembling Henri Matisse, Vincent Van Gogh, and Toulouse Lautrec. All of those artists created masterpieces, however among the parts of their paintings may translate to the quilted line, particularly in the event that they had been drawn as coloring ebook pages. So what if I attempted to learn to make a Starry Evening quilt?
Supplies
Coloring web page printed to 11″ x 17″
Instructions
Step 1: Switch the design to the material
Reduce the bottom material 2″–3″ bigger than the dimensions of the completed piece.
Print the coloring web page/design to dimension. Utilizing a lightweight field or a window, tape the bottom material on high of the printed coloring web page/design to maintain it from shifting.
Hint the entire strains onto the material with a effective level mechanical pencil and a lightweight contact. The strains ought to be simply darkish sufficient to see them when you’re quilting. At this level, you possibly can be part of strains to make the free-motion quilting simpler.
At this level, you possibly can be part of strains to make the free-motion quilting simpler.
Step 2: Sew your ‘quilted masterpiece’
Utilizing basting spray or pins, layer the backing, batting, and marked base material right into a quilt sandwich. Connect a free-motion quilting foot to your stitching machine and decrease the feed canine.
Take a look at your design and determine the place to begin quilting. I attempt to begin and cease as little as doable. For that, I be part of strains the place I can. Exceptions could be with designs which might be “floating,” resembling circles, stars, and so on., except they’re adjoining to different designs and will be joined collectively.
Sew over the drawn strains. When you don’t quilt on the road the primary time round, attempt once more. Your piece will probably be extra attention-grabbing for it. Keep in mind that you’re constructing on a talent that requires observe . . . a number of observe.
Tip: Create depth and curiosity by stitching over among the strains greater than as soon as. Take a look at the coloring pages for inspiration: among the strains are darker and thicker than others.
Step 3: Add Shade and Sew
Coloring is in vogue proper now. Wouldn’t it’s enjoyable to paint on a quilt as an alternative of on paper? There are a number of merchandise you should utilize to paint — with material paint, ink pencils, and embroidery stitches — so as to add curiosity to your “quilted masterpiece.”
Maintain studying and we’ll clarify the professionals and cons of every technique in addition to easy methods to use them!
Portray on Cloth
Cloth paints are available three varieties opaque, clear, and metallic. I used clear paints on this case as a result of the “quilted masterpiece” is made with a light-colored material. Metallic paints are an alternative choice so as to add curiosity to the quilt.
When portray instantly in your “quilted masterpiece,” give it some thought like portray on a coloring ebook web page. The thread strains are the boundaries, so paint contained in the sew strains with out touching the thread.
Begin with lighter colours first after which add the darker colours, mixing as you go.
You may paint a complete space or simply a few of it and go away elements of the design unpainted.
As soon as you’re pleased with the outcomes, let the paint dry for 72 hours or longer and warmth set following the producer’s directions.
Inktense pencils are as versatile as watercolor pencils, however have a firmer texture. The colour is lighter when utilized to the material, then activated with water or material medium.
As soon as the colour is dry, it’s everlasting, so you possibly can add different colours on high to create wealthy tones. Inktense can be utilized as an alternative of material paints so as to add coloration, depth, and dimension.
There are two primary methods to paint with Inktense pencils on material: moist or dry. The quilt The Café Terrace on the Place du Discussion board was coloured with Inktense on dry material.
Moist Technique
With a small brush, paint the realm to be coloured with textile medium.
Work by areas. The material must be fairly damp, however not sodden.
Fastidiously begin including coloration with the Inktense pencils instantly onto the moist textile medium. This enables the colour to circulation freely from the pencil onto the material. As soon as the colour is utilized to 1 space, return over it with a brush and textile medium to mix the colours in.
Inside a coloured space, brush the lightest space first and work your technique to the darkest space of coloration to keep away from over mixing. As soon as once more, you possibly can paint your complete piece or go away some areas unpainted.
Dry Technique
Apply the colour as desired on the dry material, shifting from mild to darkish and mixing as you go.
With a small brush, decide up a small quantity of textile medium and start making use of it to the coloured space, mixing as you go. Begin on the middle of the realm you coloured and work your method towards the perimeters, fastidiously, so by the point you get to the perimeters there will probably be virtually no medium and the colour gained’t bleed. Repeat as vital.
Basic Suggestions & Tips
Use small quantities of textile medium. You may at all times add extra.
When you don’t like the primary utility of coloration, let it dry. As soon as dry, the colour is everlasting, so you possibly can add layers of coloration on high with out shifting the colour beneath.
Textile medium will make the picture stiff, which is right for a wall hanging. When you desire a softer really feel, the stiffness will probably be gone with washing.
The tougher you press, the bolder the colours will probably be. Wash over dry coloration with just a little water to get an ink-like impact.
Some material mediums require warmth setting to make the colour everlasting. At all times observe the producer’s directions to keep away from disappointment. If there’s any doubt, make a pattern and take a look at it to see if the colour washes off.
Reminder: At all times Keep in mind to Comply with the Legislation
When studying easy methods to make a Starry Evening quilt, I used to be certain to not violate copyright regulation. Copyright legal guidelines are sophisticated, so earlier than utilizing any photographs, I wanted to verify they had been both copyright free or within the public area. I discovered that the majority work by Twentieth-century artists (together with Picasso) continues to be copyright protected, so I wanted one other supply.
Finally I discovered works which might be within the public area and licensed beneath a Artistic Commons Attribution—Share Alike 4.0 License which states that you’re free to share (in different phrases, copy and redistribute the fabric in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, rework, and construct upon the fabric) for any objective, even industrial.
The work on this article has been stitched utilizing photographs obtained beneath the Artistic Commons License or within the public area, and I obtained written consent to make use of them. I’ve given credit score to the writer of the coloring web page with every pattern (see Assets) in addition to hyperlinks so you possibly can obtain the pictures and use them in your personal interpretations.
Further Assets
Take a look at these web sites for photographs you should utilize in your work.
Concerning the Artist
Ana Buzzalino is a fiber artist and quilt teacher residing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Ana has been educating a wide range of quilting strategies for over 25 years. Her current work focuses on floor design, resembling material dyeing, rubbings, stampings, and monoprinting. She is a frequent contributor to Quilting Arts, has appeared on “Quilting Arts TV,” and a Quilting Arts Workshop™ video, “Machine Stitching and Portray Quilts.”
We hope you’ve loved this tutorial on easy methods to make a Starry Evening quilt! For extra superb paintings and tutorials from artwork quilting masters try this ebook.
Sew lengthy,
Katie
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