what if

what if # 170: blurry dot with reverse applique

i have asked myself before (1) what if (?) i cut windows in a fabric to expose a print below and  what if the repeat of that print is large so only part show here and there. and that gives a random appearance. and i have asked myself (2) what if (?) i paint dots on wet fabric and that gives a nice soft stained effect. and so i decided to ask myself what if (?) i combine those two question. a nice hard edge of turned reverse applique filled with random hard edged motif against a blurry soft halo like ground. and a nice 3D effect.

i have shown the print from the back here.

and a detail that shows the stitches which were not match on purpose (3) . it is nice to layer thoughts one on top of another.

related what ifs:  1 , 2, 3.

what if # 162: empty dot mask

i suppose i was continuing with this idea...when i asked myself ...and what if the cutout was a dot and what if the collage was just a machine free pieced striped base?   i sewed the stripes crazy style, every which way, and prepared the dot mask by tracing the bottom of a glass on a cotton linen solid and shading with a crayon for the shading.  i cut out the centers ( which i saved of course) and  ironed the crayon in and washed and ironed again.  now what if i stitch the layers together?

what if # 160: reverse collage applique

i have been thinking a lot about positive negative lately and building an image in reverse and so today after playing with the idea of a reverse applique star i thought what if the reverse applique was placed over some crazy collage to give the image more interest. random scraps and fussy cuts arranged on a backing and then covered with a star cut out. and what if i add some dimension to the mask with crayon. regular crayon, scribble on and ironed into the fabric, between the pieces of brown paper to absorb the wax. i have done that before. it fades slightly with washing but work fine for shadowing.
crazy reverse quilting? maybe this falls into cqr? shall i try this with dots? i think so.

what if #139: crazy couched grid with dots

yay! i'm back.! what if the lines of a crazy quilt can be considered some kind of skewed grid? i thought i could emphasize this by laying a crazy grid over a regular one (playing with the ideas behind patchwork seams but not using seams)... and then i asked what if i cut reverse applique dots out over the intersections of the bottom grid to isolate one grid element (and expand on the idea of the dot as a point of intersection)?  the center block is 7" square and the crazy grid was drawn with laundry marker and stitched (using this method) to a sheer yarn dyed window pane cotton. 
dots were cut and turned, all stitched to a muslin backing using white embroidery floss in a combo of back stitch and running stitch following the gridded second layer which faintly showed through the top and served as a stitching guide. whew.

another example of marker couching

what if #132: pattern play overlay

.....so i suppose i am revisiting this. and this time i am asking what if i play with 2 different patterns. and what if one is static and the other flowing. and what if i use dots as windows and use a spool to trace perfect circles....what if the circles don't need to be perfect? what if i use the cutouts as applique but what if i just darn them on with a quilting stitch, will they just melt into the web of the surface. what kinds of patterns can i create by tilting the pieces? what if i use the stripe as a stitching guide and play with the thread color a bit?
....well then... what if i write all my questions on the back as a document of process? cool...
now the last and craziest what if today.  what if....this could be a bookmark. a bit big you say? ( 4" x 12"). nah... a "book mat" perhaps? nah... i think it will work fine and i will call it a .....'question mark' !!!!!  a new series with a function. place keepers.  keepers of the evolution of creative thought. oh yeah. my new format for what-iffing 2009.

what if#79: see through reverse applique

....of course after doing sheer patchwork, i started wondering if i could execute the same idea with shapes.
cotton print on top of linen sheer. fairly simple but a little more difficult on a commuter train.
cut the star out first. and baste well to avoid shifting.

applied over here.

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 #33: blacks and whites-cont'd

experiments in contrast and stitching are random, trials in technique and motif.

i am particularly liking this effect using embroidery in combination with other texture levels.
the printed dot is a nice clear contrast against the drawn black.
the raised split stitch is nice against the kantha stitch on the dark lines and also gives a sense of dimension to the whole motif. cont'd from

continued here....

what if # 33: blacks and whites

what if i just fool around with black and white, mola style. ragged. small.

6" x 6" study in edges and contrast.

permanent marker on loose weave linen

3 layers, linen, dotted cotton, white slub linen

in process while thinking about the different levels of intensity of the circles and the different levels of contrast between dark and light.

continued...

what if #32: part 3

after the third layer was exposed i wasn't sure what to do about the next one. there were so many organic shapes... the only thing i could imagine was a grid of some kind. my desire for order always surfaces. i just drew in an angled grid to soften the effect, a harlequin type diamond pattern ( a sort of cut-away patchwork) is what i envisioned. the lines are stitched with a single strand of variegated floss doubled back on itself to shorten the repeat of the color change and the cutting, although confusing to follow, shows signs of pleasing me.

another layer of soft lightweight cotton has been added with no intention other than stabilizing layer 4. all other what-ifs will be additive.

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