Blackfoot Moon #2 ~

Blackfoot Moon No. 2 is in the books!

I love the  ‘custom’ background in the piece. And I enjoy the process of creating it even moreso! There is just something a bit magical and serendipitous and uncontrollable!  So it’s not a technique for you serious “control freaks” ~ right?  Well… maybe!  We’ll be setting this “create your own custom background” as a class locally, and around the state.  Stay tuned!

 Some of the initial photos are a bit washed out {as it was a bright sunlit day} but they do show a bit of the color story and texture action. I’m working with a piece of fabric that was previously hand dyed with Dye-na-flow paint/dye products.  Once it’s dry, more play action is created using color wash {mixing paint with water}, adding additional fabric paints, stencils, and some freehand swashes with a cheapy black foam brush are the simple tools you need to create your own custom background.  And of course, being patient!  The fabric needs to dry somewhat in between these stages! Oh, and the  fabric paints I used are from Jacquard Lumiere.

All the painting is finished ~ the fusible appliqué pieces are all in their place, and fused down, and it’s ready for batting and quilting:

Now here is the photo that I love!  A great rendition of the true color story, rich, vibrant and a bit mysterious even… and all that great background texture is eye-candy to me, and adding additional texture with the quilting is just the icing on the cake!  Or on the fabric I should say!

small slices of various colors of cotton prints, and some other brighter batiks fit in nicely for the clouds.I love adding other small fused pieces of fabric in similar color value ~ it’s a small thing, and it adds just another layer of texture.

lots and lots of quilting!!

Tiny feathers,  fused to Steam-A-Seam Lite 2, some are cut out from fabric, and some are hand-created/painted and then  fused to the tipi poles:

I cut two curvy edges on this quilt. And that moon ~ swoon!  It is a big part of the overall picture, and by adding it in a bright metallic silver, and using paints that had silver and golden metallic flecks in them really brings the theme “to light!” Even though it’s more of a late night thing!

This beauty is hanging up at our local quilt shop, The Quilt-A-Way, here in Great Falls.  I can’t wait to work on my next one!

Have a beautiful one ~ until next time…