Art Quilt: Applique’

Down the Drain: River of Sorrow complete
Down the Drain: River of Sorrow complete

You saw the other day that I had finished the first layer, or perhaps it was the second layer?

I really kind of liked this look despite the slightly depressing  look, but I was on a mission.

I used a satin stitch, but not a dense one stitch down the River. In some cases I will straight stitch first, but I didn’t in this case. I try to keep track of the settings so I can use the same density again. I often start with the density I used to sew on Merit Badges and then adjust from there. Despite the siren call of temptation, I always test the density before I sew on the actual piece. Have you every tried to rip out a satin stitch. It is doable, but I don’t find it to be fun.

After applique’ing down the River shape, I moved on to the broken hearts.

Art Quilt: with hearts in progress
Art Quilt: with hearts in progress

After making some hearts some time ago I have a trick, so I used it to make the heart shape then cut into them with very sharp scissors (should have used my Karen Kay Buckley scissors) and made the broken part. I put fusible on the back of the hearts and pressed them down. I use Soft Fuse. I have used other products, but that is my current favorite.

I had to play around with the placement of the hearts. I wanted them on the background, not on the borders or covering the River. Once they were placed where I wanted them I satin stitched them down and added the tears. I think tears coming off of a heart is powerful imagery.

Art Quilt: Signs in process
Art Quilt: Signs in process

The signs took a lot longer. I needed to add sticks and get the placement right, trim the shapes and write the messages.

I don’t know why I wanted these Easter Egg colors, but they seemed right. I didn’t even have to hunt for them as they magically appeared in a convenient stack of fabric.

Weird.

I fused the sticks, then found they didn’t show up very well, so I stitch around them to highlight them. I still don’t think they show up as much as I wanted, but I am okay with the look.

Art Quilt: Top finished
Art Quilt: Top finished

This is very much a quilt where you get one view from afar and need to come closer to get a more detailed view.

 

Posts about Down the Drain

  1. I Have a Secret – 8/6/2017
  2. Art Quilt Start: Background – 8/8/2017
  3. Art Quilt: River of Sorrow – 8/10/2017
  4. Art Quilt: Border 1 – 8/13/2017