Thursday, August 10, 2006

Feed Dogs UP!


Stack#10
25"x27" Fused cottons machine quilted
Since I have taken this new direction in my quilt design, I have had to adjust the type of quilting designs to match the spare look of my work. I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER. This is the look that is appropriate to the work and is done with feed dogs up. Not free motion.

Since my tops are fused to the batting, there is no shifting to worry about, hence no pleating or puckering or general ickiness. In this case with this piece (and yesterday's work too) I have also eliminated binding and the Escape Hatch Finish and just fused the batting back to the backing fabric. I cut the backing fabric larger and left a quarter inch or so showing from the front side and then stitched it down, concealing the batting completely.
I have quilted a bit of a design subtly just for the sake of interest.

In most of my quilting I strive to match thread color to the fabric so that the quilting is just texture, but occasionally the fabric shifts color so imperceptibly that I cannot make a nice thread change, so I have to allow the thread to contrast a bit. I think this looks appropriate.


The shapes are quilted down, but the fabric is left raw, and allowed/encouraged to fray. I take advantage of this fraying as an aspect of the design. This is how fabric is, and it is in contrast to how paper is, for example. Since what I am making is fabric collage, meant for the wall, not meant to be machine or hand washed, I am reveling ( as opposed to raveling) in the woven character of the medium.

15 comments:

  1. Melody! This is SPECTACULAR.

    Wow.

    I love the quadruple focus in the center. I love the stripes on the sides. I love the four rectangles at the bottom. I love the color.................

    Wow.

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  2. Anonymous8:25 AM

    Lovely...simply (and simple) lovely.

    teri

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  3. Wow! On to another great idea...

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  4. Love this, but I need clarification. Do you fold the 1/4 inch of backking fabric over the front and stitch down?

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  5. Love it! The inner blocks appear to be rising into the sky!!

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  6. Anonymous3:59 PM

    "I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER"

    I AM NOT!!!!

    This new quilting anyone can do, even me and I don't quilt. Your previous quilting.....we all wished we could do.

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  7. Anonymous4:40 PM

    Strong visual statement in cyberspace, Ms Mel!!!! Can't even imagine how terrific it looks in real life. You have a winner in my books!

    Anne on Pender Island

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  8. Anonymous6:14 PM

    On second thought, it is good to see you moving in another direction and on closer inspection your quilt is very nice, I like the colour and composition and I digress, the quilting goes well with the composition.

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  9. I quilt with my feed dogs UP all the time, even when I am doing swirly, curly things. Somehow it just works better for me and I know of other quiltmakers who find the same thing. I guess the message is that people shouldn't be afraid to break the rules and find what works for them...By the way, I like your latest quilt too.

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  10. Abstract, great composition, quilting that doesn't overwhelm the design elements and a series....pop a cork! This is solid work...more please.

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  11. I can only echo how you're rocking with this!

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  12. I see the lessons you learned from your sister in this. And it's fabulous. the quilting is appropriate to the work.

    I do most of my quilting with the dogs up, too.

    This is a fascinating direction you are taking.

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  13. Ahhh, wonderful :-)
    Cheers
    Claire

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  14. I don't go much for these art / abstract / modern quilts myself. Not sure what to call them. Kind of like when someone draws childlike - if a child can do it, then it must not be art.

    But I do have to say I do like this one. It doesn't seem as cookie cutter as others I've seen.

    I'm not "anonymous" even though I may be echoing what s/he said. Follow your bliss. It is your opinion, that in the end, matters.

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  15. Mrs. Mell, even though I just love your previous style of quilting which I know Is a ton of work, so to speak. This new direction is wonderful and goes so well with what you are doing. When I look at your work,I see the work first and then the quilting which is supporting the work. This is good, good lesson to learn.

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Hello,
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