Winter Flowers ~

I have more to show you… been having fun piecing and quilting my new ‘custom fabrics’ I’ve made using Terri’s Flower 20 stencil.  

If you look closely you’ll see this is the ‘white on white’ type of printed fabric onto which I applied the stencil, and then the s.e.i. dyes were sprayed onto it. Once dry and cured with an iron, I added fusible web, and cut them out individually.

And here they are… embellished with stitching. After I finished, it was time to ask the ‘what if’ question… and in doing that, I turned to the FW acrylic inks in pearlescent white.  I‘ve had a few questions on the blog about the inks.  I bought mine online, at Dick Blick. {they were on sale 40% off} and are not available locally where I live.  After I inked them, I knew I wanted to use Jacquard Lumiere fabric paints, to highlight the leaves, also bought at Dick Blick, online. Of course, there are other sources I am sure, like Amazon, etc.  Remember too, both of these products leave a nice hand to the fabric, and are great to quilt on, too.  Keep in mind I ALWAYS use a 90/14 topstitch style needle, too, and lower my top tension at least one full notch.  King Tut 40 weight ELS cotton on top; Masterpiece 40 weight ELS cotton is on the bobbin. 

Sometimes I may put paint on the fabric first. This time though, I put it on after I quilted in the white thread.  It gives me a better visual, and it’s helps me answer questions in my mind that say, “does this need something more” and “what would that be?”  The quilting is almost interactive at this point, giving the space definition, as it fills up the fabric.  I like to do just the opposite sometimes, too ~ just for the challenge of it.  I chose to highlight mostly, adding paint to the puffy part of the fabric.  I‘m not too concerned should any paint make it’s way onto the thread, either. 

Just using the paint in the lids; aqua and green lumiere

After quilting everything, I felt the leaves were just too dull; they looked hollow, flat, and ghost-like.  So they got a little shot of color, {just like we all need, from time to time}. I could have made some leaves from fabric and fused them, or even switched thread colors… but there are times where I just need to think about it as I go along; rather than toss it aside because I can’t make a decision… {there’s that UFO pile and it’s big enough already!} And I do like that the white thread on the leaves keeps the entire quilted piece cohesive, too.

Ahhh ~ that’s much better to my eye and sense of design. And then it was time to add the beads.  I chose silver, to go with the pearly paint, which really gives the flowers a ‘frosty-like’ appearance… and that’s why I named this piece “Winter Flowers”  {… perhaps Mrs. Frosty’s bridal bouquet?}

A happy finish!  Like earrings on a lady are beads to a quilt! And pretty threads in the borders ~ {they’re the high heels}

I did a little sashaying back n forth, free motion style, for texture.  {i call this design the ‘screen door’}  I am using Superior Threads 100% polyester tri-lobal thread, in aqua.  Did you know that tri-lobal thread has three sides?  It’s specially made that way, as triangles reflect more light. {there’s the trinity again!}  Yes!  Love that.  The fabric background is “Grunge” by Basic Grey for Moda.  {so glad I bought this is four or five colorways}.  Such great fabric for stenciling …painting …quilting …you name it.

A side note, about how I thought about this process… especially about ‘covering up’ the pretty stenciled flowers.  I did think about this, and honestly was hesitant to cover them up at first… they are so pretty! But, no fear, right?!  It’s a grand adventure! Besides, I put the pretty flowers on the border, so it all works for me.

The photo above taken from the ironing board station, and the one below, in the living room, on the coffee table, which gives a better visual of the texture on the piece.

 and now the cute, puffy flowers from the outside border:

 and I don’t want to forget to mention the silver Razzle Dazzle Thread I used to accent the inner border, as well as the binding seam in the outer border.

 love the texture!

“Winter Flowers” will be listed in my Etsy shop … soon!

 Pretty variegated thread was added in the center and just the inside perimeter, before beading, too.  Just for a little more color and dimension.