Layers Upon Layers Upon Layers…..ETC

1. I used to say I would never dye fabric as it was too much work.
2. I couldn’t imagine adding a second layer to my dyed fabrics and covering up what I had already achieved.
3. I thought if you didn’t like your dyed fabric the best use of it was to cut it up into strips and use it for piecing.

BOY WAS I EVER WRONG ON ALL COUNTS!

Today I ‘m sharing some exciting fabrics resulting when I realized how fabric could go from ugly to a beautiful swan with as many layers as necessary to make it happen. I have even shared a before on the first one.
NO rules….just opportunities

NO COMMENTARY ….JUST GREAT FABRICS!

























It can be something as simple as adding one more line or detail.
It can involve as many layers as necessary to achieve great results.
It can be done with dye or paint.
Do you remember seeing any of these in a piece of my finished work?



And when all is said and done it can be quilted for a final LAYER!

I hope this will give you some ideas with fabrics who weren’t totally pleased with.

My One Of A Kind Art Cloth–Will It Be For Sale?

I AM THINKING!
I just finished about 30 new pieces of my original art cloth.

Most of them have at least 3 layers of pattern on them which means I have invested a lot of time in each one. Some have more, some less. Layers create rich complex  fabric.

I am realizing I will never be able to use each and every one of them.

I am considering setting up a pop up shop for a week to 10 days on my blog to sell just a few special ones.
Let me know if this interests you.

It will be the first time I have ever sold any of my art fabrics.

I am thinking I would offer them to you at rock bottom prices of $50 to $100 for each one depending on complexity, size, and design. Sizes will vary from smaller than a fat quarter on up.

You could edge finish and hang as they are as ART,  add a backing, quilt them or whatever else you choose to use them for.

You could also just collect them. Each piece will be signed by me.

If you are interested respond to me at   kay@kaysorensen.com
with your email address.

If there is enough interest to make it worth my time I will pursue this. It not, I won’t.

A Newly Finished Quilt

This started out trying to use some scraps of fabric I was not pleased with, yet not ready to throw away. They were odd shapes and sizes.
My friend Robbie Porter Payne had a Thermofax screen that was interesting and fit the size of my scraps so I printed 4 identical designs. I believe these are some sort of diagram from the auto industry.
Next was the challenge of trying to make something with them. I trimmed each of them to the same size and found the burgundy dyed fabric I had created earlier. The little circle design was also from one of her screens but I messed it up. No problem, cut out the good part and used it for the center.
It needed something more so I pulled out more of my dyed fabrics and added Thermofax printing from one of my original design screens to create the border fabric.
I had very little of the burgundy fabric left to bind it. I figured out mathematically how to get enough for a narrow binding. WHOOPS! I cut it a quarter inch too wide.I found some very small scraps of the fabric and was able to stretch it to fit.
What a relief to finish it and it only took about 2 years.
My journey from start to finish is never a straight line!

My Eclipse Quilts

With all the interest in the eclipse several people posted eclipse quilts.
I didn’t think I had any.
Today a friend visited me and she said two of my quilts WERE eclipse quilts. I had to agree with her.

SECRET CIRCLES

Like the sun yesterday you can see the pictures of the sun and also can see when it is hidden or partially hidden. Most of the fabrics in this quilt are ones I painted, although there are a few hand dyed fabrics. If you have not seen this before you may have a hard time finding all the circles I pieced into this one.

AND THEN THE CENTERS FELL OUT

This quilt was made with some of the fabrics and pieces from the above quilt. It does relate to the movement of the eclipse even though that is not where I was heading on this either.

I find it interesting that another pair of eyes can see what we don’t see even though we are looking at the same thing.

So thanks Eileen for your observation!

Strips Waiting To Tell Me Their Secret

These strips have been sewn together for a little while.
I used a lot of my really wonderful hand dyed and painted fabrics.
The fabrics that were TOO precious to cut and use…mostly created by me but some I purchased for big bucks.
Yet what enjoyment does one get from fabrics that are folded and put away??? NONE.
I know eventually I will be slicing (and maybe dicing) this strata.
It measures approximately 40 x 80 inches with some longer sections at one end.
Several ideas have come to mind, but I have not fully accepted any of them yet.
Time will tell.

Another Finished Quilt…

When you look at this quilt do you see anything familiar? I am not going to tell you and I want to see how many of you can figure it out.
My middle child was here and gave it a name that is under consideration. What would you name this?
This is one of those quilts that I like so much better when it is quilted and finished. Often as I work on a quilt I am not sure what I think of it. It also was fun to make this one with the bright cheery colors.

Just A Few Small Fabrics I’ve Created

I sometimes try different things or products on a piece of fabric. Often they get put away in a drawer and taken out at a later date and I do more to them.

This is a small piece. The detail is a little lighter than it looks in the photo.

This actually started with a boring piece of a commercial print. I think I have 3 or 4 layers of pattern added to it.

This is another piece that has at least 3-4 layers of pattern. I used one of my original design thermofax screens for one of the layers. Two of the images were my own rubber stamps I made.
All of the pieces I have showed you on this post are relatively small. I have no idea how or when I will use them. That is true with both these small pieces and the larger pieces I create.
I have always let the fabric inspire me. That has held true whether I was sewing a garment or making a quilt. ( OK, I admit, I did make some poor choices of fabrics for 9th grade sewing projects.) But I learned a lesson and didn’t repeat the same mistakes.

Designing With Images

I cut out each of the images from the piece of fabric I printed all these designs on.
Now the fun begins. I will be trying different ideas to use all of these to create a cohesive piece of art. I have many options and a collection of possible fabrics to use.
Wish me luck.

The Circles On The Quilt Go Round And Round, Round And Round…..

It’s FINISHED!!!!!!
This started years ago looking like this:

Then it morphed into this:

I cut it into 4 equal strips with no idea what I would do with it.
I figured out how to use them as the border. Next I found this piece of rust to fill in the center.
Finally I found the perfect purple for a design for the center.
I chose to quilt the center motif in a way I had never done before.
The rest of the quilting was done using styles I felt fit the design of the piece.
I tried to carry the circle idea through as many of the layers as possible.
I’m pleased with the completed piece.
Stay tuned as there will be more in this style later!

The Quilt That Grew Up

I finished piecing this from the simple piece I shared on my previous post. It looks amazing hanging on a wall. This is one where the picture definitely doesn’t do it justice.
It is almost finished and I LOVE it.
 
This is what I started with. It took less than a day with this hanging on the wall to realize it needed more so I took it up a few notches.

Selecting Possible Fabrics To Add To A Quilt

When I am starting a project or adding to an already started project I get out a grouping of fabrics that relate to what I have in mind or what I have started.

This is the group I selected to hopefully finish this quilt I showed you recently. I have used some of these fabrics in previous compositions so there may be just a little of some of the fabrics. Being limited this way can be a good thing as it makes me use my critical thinking to solve these opportunities…something some of you might consider problems.
All of the fabrics I chose have either been hand painted or hand dyed by me, Some have layers of pattern, both painted and/or dyed. The group also includes some fabrics I consider failures or ugly fabrics. Almost any fabric is a success as it can be cut up and when seen in a smaller strip or section can be very useful.
As I work on a project like this they no long are all neat and organized like this. You might even call it a “mess”! Having them in this mess style lets me see the possible combinations and when I open a piece of fabric I see things I may not have seen when it was folded neatly.
This is one way I work. I know some of you want the answers before you cut your fabrics. If I knew what it was going to look like before I started to me there would be no reason to make it as it had already been done! I also never worry about wasting a piece of fabric as if it doesn’t work in this composition it might be the perfect piece for the next one.
I hope this will not only give you an insight into how I work, but possibly rethink your ideas on how you work.

Waiting For Inspiration On A Quilting Design.

I had painted this fabric some time ago and until now had no idea how to use it. I put together this small quilt and hung it on the wall. I was pleased with it but puzzled as to how to quilt it.
Spent the day looking at it and hoping for inspiration. Inspiration came….although it was not about quilting. It told me this was only the beginning of a larger quilt. How large will it be? It hasn’t told me yet. I have one piece ready to add as of now.
I have a big pile of possible fabrics to use to finish this one.
I am excited to see where it goes.

A Studio Is Never Finished–Part 3

Finding studio space for me can expand into any and every part of the house.
In this picture you see some fabrics I have recently dyed or painted as well as some from previous times.

When I play with fabrics like this I often find combinations of fabrics I would have never thought of putting together like these. They do have similar colors.]

Here is a very assorted group of fabrics that I am considering using, not necessarily all together.
Fabric is the thing that has been the starting point for me in my journey. I loved fabric as a child and have used it every since in one way or another. It fills my studio and inspires me to keep on creating and drawing my inspiration from it.
YES, it all starts with fabric, my own, commercial fabrics or some created by others.
And that my friends is WHY I need studio space!

Circle Quilts Installation

I am sharing the installation photos of the final two quilts in the guest room

Secret Circles – How many circles and you find?

………And Then The Centers Fell Out

These have been hung on the opposite sides of the bed!

Migration

This is another one of my recently finished painted quilts that started with a piece of white silk.

I used various techniques on this, including at least 3 of my original design Thermofax stencils.

It is another multi year creation as I was waiting for it to tell me what to do.

Of course it is always a good feeling to complete a piece.

I love using this stitched edge finish when it is appropriate to the piece.

Branching Out

Branching Out

$100

Another quilt finished!

This one is  8 x 10 inches and has the impact of a much larger piece.

Layers and layers of pattern.

Beautifully stitched edge finish.

Is It Done Yet?

I have been working on layering pattern on fabrics these last few days.
I consider some of these finished and I know I want to do more with others.
YESa

Although the surface design is done on this piece I do now know what else will be done to it.

The birds pulled it all together and gave it movement.

Two different pieces that are each finished.

Three layers worked on over several years!

Three similar strips ready to use.
NO

Needs something but I don’t know what!

I’m not even sure I can save this one, although anything that doesn’t work can usually be cut up and used in piecing!

I have a pretty good idea what I am going to do with this one but haven’t decided on what color to use.

I’m debating whether or not to put these two in a shibori dye pot.

These also could end up in a dye pot.

• There are other pieces I didn’t photograph but this gives you a pretty good idea of what I’ve been up to.

Playing With My Paints On My Fabrics - Again

I have been rolling fabrics on poles getting ready to do some fabric dyeing. Many of the pieces I am using were previously dyed and needed another layer.

This was in that group but I decided overdyeing was not the way to go so I got out my paints and added some stamping to it.

It had previously been dyed twice. I think it is finished, but I will let it wait and see if I think it might benefit from another layer of pattern.

The fabric I started with for this piece had been previously painted with thickened dyes. I thought it was dull and boring.

I added two more layers of design with stamping. As I look at this I feel it still may need something else.

I am going to hang both of these on my design wall so I can study them and wait to see if they need anything else and what they need.

By the way, I started working on these late last night and worked until 11:30 p.m. – sometimes that’s the best creative time for me.

I'm posting this puzzle to keep your brain sharp on this lazy weekend!