what if

what if #89: soft edge diced dots

actually i am not sure what the question was, but i was inspired by some paint leftovers and i tried some softer edge discharge on indigo with soft scrub, continued from here but i used wet fabric and no stencil. and then i sliced and re-pieced, because i was thinking what if (?) i did that, probably left over from some other thought. at the same time i was wondering what if (?) i pressed the seams outward instead of to one side. i did that and now i am wondering if (?) this side wouldn't be interesting to work with.

what if #68: burned fabric

today i was wondering ...what if i burn holes in fabric?
6x6"
smoked and burned muslin over muslin.
washed.
amazingly the smoke and char stays fast.
i've already started playing with the idea of sliding printed or drawn images between the layers. something ancient about it. what if i use this technique for february's TIF?

what if #67: working over an existing pattern

reviving some old doodles (even though it is not wednesday) and wondering what if you make your own prints? diluted textile paint and micron pen over an existing dot print. cotton twill. i don't know too much about tossing repeats or motifs, but who cares?

what if #61: quilting with dots- evaluation

the question: what if quilting is done with dots?
the reasoning: like tying without the tails. points of color. tacking the layers without lines of stitching. a new kind of texture. a short cut to combine embellishment with quilting.

the texture is very fun.

the process is very simple.
the back is clean and acceptable.(picture 2)

designs and shading can be accomplished with different color dots or combining different strands of color.

4 strands give a nice bulk .

i learned that threading the needle with 2 strands and using them double gives less bulk at the needle eye and it is easier to get through the fabric. threading the needle with 4 strands is difficult and  is like 8 strands at the needle eye when sewing.

freehand dot placement and varying the stitch repeat gives nice variation.

the drape of the final product depends on how close the dots are.

it is easier to stitch the dots farther apart and then go back and fill in if you want them closer.

after catching both layers several times, the thread from each complete dot is carried in between the layers to the next dot so the stitch is a dot on both sides.

this post is continued from here

what if # 61: quilting with dots

the answer to what if quilting was to be done with dots(?) is you get a very interesting texture and tack the layers together very securely.
6" x 6"
linen sandwich, thinnest cotton batting
9 patch sampler
dots embroidered with 4 strands of  cotton floss.
reversible
in process

continued here

what if #60: small dot study

dots formed with thread, ombre pattern to soften a woven stripe. 2" x 5". cotton on cotton. small stitched study for FEVER quilt.

what if #59: part 3-quilting up a storm

there is nothing quite like stitching to transform a pieced textile into a unified  tapestry. i stuck with ' what if i just do a straight kantha style stitch? ' no fancy stuff. just varying the thickness, 2, 3 or 4 strands of floss, random neutrals. each piece treated separately. i also quilted in between the embroidered dots (tiny invisible stitches) to give the whole piece an equal tension and prevent bubbling.  if i had embroidered the dots after adding the muslin back i probably would have prevented the tension difference but sometimes when you are what-iffing, instead of planning, you have to take the thoughts as they come and deal with each step as a new challenge. the floral pinwale corduroy on the right remains un-quilted because it has something special that i have not yet identified . 
the piece now has a life and i am thinking what if i name it "the longest night" and add some story elements against that thought?
the sunlight has inspired the feeling of ghosts and i am wondering if i can use this wonderful sheer i received as a gift from mary....maybe sun  ghosts from solstices past.  transparent appilques?  what if i cut them out and try that?

of course then there is the question of where to put them. i like the right side of the window ...there is that lovely strip of raw silk from stephanie, the rough texture seems a perfect contrast to the fine sheer so i thought what if i just pin them there and see?

i like them there and the printed corduroy is organic and sprouting somehow. this can work. what if i just work those ghostly suns into the surface with more stitches? lots of them. if you missed part 2

what if #59: stitching snow

an old drawing inspired a patchwork window. i used the free piecing machine method i just learned to block it out quickly. the sky is indigo, the snow drifts are white linen. i thought first about painting the snow but then i wondered what if i use thread beads for snowflakes on both the sky and snow areas. the raised white especially on the white is a nice effect. it works for snow and also fits into my nature of dots studies. the window with just the dimensional snow is so interesting i am thinking what if i leave the other details out. to be continued...

what if #51: discharge dots

i have this fabric which is a yarn dyed check.  indigo and sulfur dyed green. both discharge easily in different ways. there is also a mock leno dobby dot motif woven to this check. so i thought what if i play round with discharge dots on this fabric? as part of my dot series.
i was thinking that the texture of the open weave as well as where the colors cross could add interest to the discharge area.

1.a big dot that spanned the different areas of the pattern (leaving the fabric wrinkled and un-ironed),bleach, painted on with a q-tip.
2.smaller dots placed in different areas of the pattern, bleach, painted on with a q-tip.
3.a splatter ...bleach splatter done with a toothbrush .

what if #47: continued

some progress from where i started here, i have added a 'dotted line = running stitch' concept and also i wondered what would happen if i create  contrast between stitching and appliqué for the dot fillings. the different shades of indigo are working nicely here.

in process for side by side.