Bright-Eyed Bird, 7.5" x 8", $60
This Sunday is the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show's Fiber Arts Stroll. It takes place in multiple locations in Sisters where over 25 artists will be showing their work and demonstrating techniques from 12 -4pm. I am one of the artists and will be stationed at Melvin's Fir Street Market. This year I decided to highlight the whimsical appliqued creatures I like to do. As you'll see here many of them are birds. This is a prelude to teaching this class in the fall. I'll post when I know details about that. I was pleasantly surprised to hear about this article in the Nugget News, Sister's newspaper. One of my older pieces is illustrating the article.
This post is a good place to show these pieces, but if you can't make it to the Fiber Arts Stroll consider this a stand in for it. Below, I've included much of the information that I'll probably talk about on Sunday. Most of these pieces are new ones that I started in anticipation of the Fiber Arts Stroll, but there are a few that are old ones that I have finally finished. Bright-Eyed Bird, above, is new in a series of small works that are based on colorful birds on a black and white background.
There's quite a lot of variety in these 9 pieces. Things to note are:
- batting vs. no batting
- different edge treatments: binding, facing, backing folded up, but under the top layers, backing folded over the top of the piece to create a binding.
- various types of eyes
- different ways to do bird legs: bullion stitch, satin stitch
- turned vs. raw edge applique
- new fabrics vs. vintage fabrics
C.A.T., 13" x 8", NFS
C.A.T. was started in a wonderful class I took with Janet Bolton in 2010. I feel so lucky to have been able to do that as she doesn't travel to the US very often. I love Janet's work so much! This one is made with many layers of fabric. I kept adding a layer behind so I could have a sliver of color on the edge and I finally got what I was going for with the outer red edge. Although many of these are for sale, this is one that I just can't part with.
Chubby Bird, 7" x 8", $60
Chubby Bird is just too funny to me! One thing I love about these little creatures is the opportunity to play with body shapes. Since I have been taking Carla Sonheim's drawing classes, I think my figures have become freer and more whimsical. You'll also notice that I've been playing around with eyes. There are so many possible ways to do eyes!
Four Flowers, 12" x 12", NFS
Four Flowers is a piece that I started before I took that Janet Bolton class I mentioned. I got the main part of it done before that class and then it got put away for a long time. I got it out to finish for this new group of pieces and added lots of stitching and the turquoise layer. I think that was just what it needed. I plan to frame this one.
Long-Legged Bird, 7.5" x 6", $50
Long-Legged Bird is one of the new ones, and another interesting body shape. Part of me didn't really like the body shape, but something told me to go with it and I do like how it came out. This one is machine quilted and has batting (the ones above have no batting) and a facing.
Pink Angel Kitty, 12" x 12". $50
Pink Angel Kitty was started during an online class with Jude Hill. This piece is created with raw edge applique on a vintage linen napkin. After I embellished, stitched and couched the main piece, I layered it on the printed background with batting and a backing and machine quilted it. I love the face on this piece. I learned to do this type of eye in Jude's classes and l love how it comes out. I'm not as thrilled with raw edge applique. I guess I still have a sort of love/hate relationship with it. This one has batting and a traditional binding.
Singing Bird, 9.5" x 10". $75
Singing Bird is a favorite because of the solid fabrics and bright colors. I actually hand pieced this background one night when I just got a hankering to do that. I think this piece cured me though. I couldn't believe how long it took to piece this tiny thing. I've been experimenting with ways to do bird legs and so I tried satin stitch on this one. It's a bit tedious, but I like the outcome. This one has no batting and the green backing is folded under the main piece to create the edge.
Stitch by Stitch, 8" x 7", $50
Stitch by Stitch is another one in the black and white series. The name comes from the accidental bit of text showing between the birds. I didn't plan on that, but I like happy coincidences! Again, playing with body shapes I've got two birds with different personalities. This one is machine quilted with batting and a facing.
Three Trees, 11" x 12", $75
Lastly is Three Trees. This one was created on a piece of vintage hand-quilted cutter quilt. I needle turned the trees, but added the gold circles with raw edge applique. After that I did a bunch of decorative stitching over the edges of the circles so that the edge would be really secure. I did a lot of Jude Hill's thread beads on the trees. The white one is a vintage linen and has the original embroidery. I did a bit of extra quilting on the background, then brought the backing forward to the front to create a self-binding. There is no other batting except what was already in the vintage quilt piece.
I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my small folk art pieces! These will all be with me on Sunday. I have noted the prices on the ones that I will be offering for sale. If there's something you really, really want, you can get in touch with me with the contact button above and we can make arrangements. All payments must be made by Paypal before Sunday at 9 am. Shipping is $5 and I can ship early next week.
I also plan to have some of the small watercolor pieces that I started during last year's Fiber Arts Stroll. They are complete and also will be for sale.