Local Color

Local Color: Tapestry Series. 20 X 36. This is another in my series of tapestry techniques. I call it my tapestry because it goes through a washing and drying process that makes it turn out very textural. Like an old quilt that belongs to your grandmother. Much like a tapestry. Everything you see is improvisational. A piece of muslin is the base. Fabrics are rough cut with a pair of scissors.Much like a painter puts down paints onto a canvas. Once I get everything arranged onto the muslin, I place water soluble stabilizer on top of the whole piece and begin a sort of tedious process of pinning it down. I use the long daisy pins so that they can be easily removed, as I sew over the whole piece. I try to do a running stitch over all the raw edges that I can see. I use a free motion foot and do some circles and curves, just enough to hold this piece together in the washing machine. I like to stay with one neutral color of thread. This gives it unity and seems to bring all elements together. Of course, you have a million little pricks on your hands and arms before you get all the pins out; then throw it into the washer and dryer. It will be all puckered and textural. Iron it flat again. Place it on the top of your batting and backing, and pin. Treat it just like any other quilt that you do free motion quilting on. If any edges are dangling, you can sew then down with your free motion stitching. And there you have it. A tapestry wall hanging. Looks like an impressionists painting. I will try to enter this into an upcoming exhibit called Local Identity. This can be seen on Off The Wall Fridays SOLD.