Raw Edges

 Morning Jo. 

Well I finished 2 projects on my finish it up list and I am half way through a third. So you know what I did...I started a new project.. yup.

But first I want to show you my finished 2021 Calendar quilt. It's hanging on my wall. All done in hand dyed  magnificent colours. (Thanks again) It really brightens up my room and my cold January heart. I made notes about events of the days on the blocks. It's fun to look at them.

So on to the new project.  A friend gave me a bag full of scraps from his cutting room floor. I went to my longarm; layered a backing and batting and just grabbed scraps from the bag and stitched them together onto the backing. Raw edges. I just made sure to cover the batting completely. I stitched and stitched. I used quite a large stitch 8 to an inch. When the bobbin ran out I changed the colour of the thread. I made squiggles and circles and lines and I didn't worry about crossing lines. I wanted random stitching. I think I will invest in one of those bigfoot presser feet like you have. I did get caught up a few times but just cut it away.

There was a variety of different fabrics. Some polyester satins and silks, some cheesecloth, some hand dyed and even a sparkly lace. I used them all.

You can see my stitching more clearly on the back. It's just random.

So this is what it looked like yesterday.

And this is what I did to it today. I painted it! I got out white house paint and my grandson helped me to cover the whole quilt. 

And this is what it looks like.

I have painted quilts before. Back in 2012 I used this technique on a big project. I wasn't happy with the colour so I painted over it. This is a picture where one corner was left unpainted. I painted it white then went over it with blue. I love how the stitching is emphasized.

This is another piece that I did a long time ago. I just stitched random pieces together; then quilted them and painted them. I use this as a mat at the front door. 

I am certainly not the first person to paint a quilt. Some famous artists have been doing it for a long time. Rauschenberg used a log cabin quilt as a canvas in his early years. Sanford Biggers has used quilts as canvases many times. 

I think I am going to make a few more. I like the way the paint softens the colours and emphasizes the stitching. I see lots of possibilities: leave some parts unpainted. paint with a heavier hand, paint in more colours, paint over a wholecloth quilt, change the size of the scraps, lots of possibilities. And I still have lots of scraps.

I will wait a few days for the paint to cure. Then I will wash the quilt to soften it a bit and I will call it finished.  Or I might do a bit of handstitching on it. We will see what it needs.

Oh!!! the binding. I am not going to bind it at all. (gasp)! I remember all those conversations we have had around the dining room table about binding versus facing and on and on. I stitch along the edge when I am quilting my quilts. Its all raw edges anyway so raw edges on the edges work for me.

Hope you have a stitchy day. It's too cold and too much snow to go outside.

Karenwhoislookingforcolour