Semi-Detached Structure

SEMI-DETACHED

... or OMG! 

I completed a challenge! 

Meet Semi-Detached. 

I made the leaves about six weeks ago and left them alone until they provided the "I should do something with these" impetus needed to create Semi-D. Semi-D is created mainly from silk dupioni, which doesn't photograph very well, MistyFuse, and Timtex. I like the rigidity of Timtex, which gives the piece "structure". 

The tree-branch is made from Timtex and heat-activated, moldable batting, giving the tree-branch a slight three-dimensional curve. According to the packaging, the moldable batting gives rigidity and stiffness for handbags and totes. A fun product, and I shall try it again for something. 

The Timtex and moldable batting were covered in brown silk dupioni and cords made from silk embroidery floss,  Kreinik braid, and metallic knitting yarn (the stuff that looks like a ladder) were attached with a zig-zag stitch. The edges were left raw for a little bit of texture.

I should have used a much firmer quilt batting than bamboo, and next time I will quilt the backing and top before attaching such heavy add-ons. In order to keep some of the leaves from flopping around, and to secure the base of the tree-branch, I used some "450 Quick Dry Adhesive" - it's clear and dries very quickly. Some of the leaves are raised from the surface with large beads, which are glued to the background and to the leaf itself.

While I was writing this, my husband was vacuuming my sewing room (Yes, he really was!) and found something I thought I had lost. So I added it to Semi-D.

As a bonus (and because I haven't kept up!), this is a photo of Stream - the piece I used for inspiration when I made the leaves. Stream is over two feet long, and is over seven years old!

Ready for the next challenge!

A CHILD'S WHIMSY by Kathy K.

I was so excited about the Whimsical Challenge and immediately began three months ago what I thought would be a brilliant idea.  I worked on the piece for bit-by-bit, but it seemed to never come together, soooooooooo finally last week, I ditched it and came up with the piece below.

I like that it is a happy and colorful piece. Besides the binding, the quilt began with all white fabric. You also may notice that I varnished the quilt- I just felt it needed the shine; I am glad I did.  I am not quite done with it yet; besides removing the painter's tape on the back holding the binding down on the back :-|, I would like to add a few beads on it.

I LOVE TURTLES by Margaret Kelly

The 12 x 12 group topic this time was "Whimsical" ......."I love turtles". Of course I had to eat the chocolates first :)

I then heat shrunk the wrappers and attached to black background fabric for the body of the turtle. That cost me a few needles, let me tell you! Head and legs are also of black fabric with copper painted on for contrast to the dark background.  I drew faintly on the background where I wanted to place the turtle, then attached the heat shrunk cellophane (floral wrap) to show bubbles in the water.  Also the background is actually 4 small pieces of my hand dyed gradation fabric sewn together.  After the "bubbles" were sewn down, I added the quilting lines.  And finally I added the turtle, binding etc. 

Now...... where did I put that other box of chocolates.....

Frost?

Happy New Year! 

The Frost challenge began smoothly.  I took hand-dyed fabric (ice blue) and layered hand-dyed organza (sage colored) on top.  I painted white snowflakes over the surface.  I then cut the piece into 3" x 3" squares (3.5" x 3.5" with seam allowances).  I sewed them together haphazardly and couched a thin silver braid around the snowflake edges.  I then sewed a inner and outer borders around the snowflakes using a silver rayon thread.  This is what the final background looks like...

I love the look of the background, but it needed something more and here is where my snag came.  I have hit many dead-end trials and ideas.  One of my trials was to add a cardinal bird sitting on a branch; here is my cardinal....

I really like the cardinal, but felt its style did not match the style of the snowflake background.  So, the cardinal "flew the coup".

I finished the piece by adding a butterfly, and here it is.....

Enjoy!  Kathy

A Touch of Frost

This has been a challenging topic.  My first thoughts included snowflakes in various techniques.  Too complicated.

I remembered a photo I took awhile ago of leaves edged in frost. 

The leaves are made of silk fusion. They are edged in a  non-fire ceramic glaze snow found in my cupboard from years past.   The background is a hand dyed  Judy Robertson fabric.  It was a perfect colour for the leaves. A fun project.

Diane   Boyko.

INCANDESCENCE by Dale Kathryn

From 69 to 12

(From the Moon to Mars)

I can't remember when/how I decided that it was time for something completely different - but out came my  Embellisher for this challenge. I machine-felted chopped up bits of sheer polyester fabric, metallic ribbon and fabric, and silk fabric to strips of black Kunin felt. When I was pleased with the overall strip, I attached the next strip. If I didn't like a section of the strip, I removed it. The first section is in the centre right of the following photo.

 

As I continued to build on the strips, I got more and more excited with the possibilities. I over-layed and under-layed the metallic ribbon before needle-felting it - which left a trail of little sparkly bits throughout the house.  

Of course, I did an oops, and trimmed about 1/4 inch too much off one side.

After I did that, I added some hand- and free-motion stitching and then some semi-precious chips, glass and metallic beads. The edges are just a few rows of black satin stitch. Bamboo batting and Kunin felt backing (which you are NOT allowed to see!)

And here it is ... Curiosity.

Thanks for the great theme, Barbara!

Intro from Pippa Moore

Hi to all of you. I am delighted to be part of this group - have wanted to be part of 12 X 12 group for some time, after watching the work of the original 12 X 12 group develop over the last couple of years. I've been quilting a long time - have tried out all sorts of techniques and subject matter. At this point I would describe myself as a mostly piecer, with a love of improvisational work and saturated colours. I have a special interest in African textiles and art work. Also in the designs of the Art Deco/Art Nouveau/Arts & Crafts period. I am full of more ideas than I could hope to execute in a life time, but have found that focussing on small work, helps in that process. I look forward to this exchange. A big thank you to Gladys for getting it going!