Cosmos

“Space” is Latitude Quilts’ latest challenge.  This idea came from a workshop that I took from Susan Carlson about fabric collage.  The process was to take fabrics and cut out shapes that would be used to enhance a drawn picture on a piece of muslin.  As you build your creation, you use glue to tack down the pieces and once it is finished, the entire piece has a tulle overlay which is machine stitched down.  At the time of the workshop, the theme had must been announced and I thought this technique perfectly matched the theme.  So, my piece is simple called “Cosmos”

Cosmos

Cosmos_detail 1

Cosmos_detail 2

Katie Pidgeon

Techniques:    fabric collage, tulle overlay

Materials:       commercial fabric, tulle, beads and sequins

Date:               May 31, 2014

Dichotomy

I had about 25 things on my suggestions list for the theme of Escape. I chose to go with the theme of cages. Aside from the literal idea of keeping wild birds in cages or setting them free, it seemed like we are all in cages. Sometimes we make our own bars, by creating a home, an environment, where we are cocooned from the wildness of nature. Sometimes other people put cages around us to protect us, and sometimes we are truly imprisoned by others' desires for power and control.

When we have the chance to escape to freedom, not everyone chooses that path.

Birds are naturally free in the elements, but they then have the 'prison' of finding food, shelter and avoiding predators.

Life is never entirely black or white, and that's why I chose Dichotomy as my title.

This quilt can be hung either in the black or white orientation.

The technicalities were that I drew the basic outlines of the cages and birds on soluble stabiliser and stitched it from the white side. I then washed the quilt to remove the soluble before more stitching and applique. The advantage of the outline stitching was that I had the exact placement for both sides of the quilt. The main stitching was done with 30 weight thread, while the quilting was done with very fine thread. Even though there are little 'ticks' of fine black thread on the white side where I changed direction, I find they add a certain pattern to the stitch.