Thursday, January 15, 2015

Carolyn's Modern: Argentinian Ice Sculpture

When the word, “modern,” was announced, I decided to use one of the canvases that I painted in a Katie Masopust Pasquini  2013 Quilting Adventures class called “Painted Stitched Canvas.” 

In that class, we used acrylic paints to create designs on light-weight canvas, then cut the designs apart and sewed them back together in a complex design using zig-zag machine stitching.  The next step was to use Acrylic Flow Release to add fabric.  After drying, batting was added to the recreated canvases and our painted canvases were machine quilted. 

But, for “Modern,” I chose to use a blue and green canvas to which no fabric was attached. I wanted to see if I could use typical fusing products to add fabric to my canvas. 

My painting reminded me of the deep blue and turquoise water that my husband and I saw on a trip this past November to Patagonia, the lower range of the Andes in Chile and Argentina.  One of the highlights of our trip was visiting two massive, 180 ft. tall glaciers.  The giant glaciers sparkled with irregular spikes that resembled pieces of broken crystal.  When the glaciers calved, a large piece of iceberg broke off and floated in the turquoise water.  They looked like blue sculptures bursting forth with towering mountains in front and behind.

To create my quilt, I first decided to try adding a piece of patterned, pale green tulle to the entire canvas using Misty Fuse. I lightly ironed Misty Fuse onto the back of the tulle.  After about 15 minutes, I pulled the backing off of the tulle and laid it on top of the canvas right side up.  I covered it with a pressing cloth, and carefully ironed it.  Much to my surprise, the tulle adhered to the canvas!

Next, I tried laying a shimmering silver piece of fabric in the same tulle pattern onto the design, but when I placed it on the quilt, the silver faded into the background.  So I decided to fuse the silver onto 2 pieces of regular blue tulle.  This added the color and depth that I was looking for.  I fused them together with Misty Fuse, cut out the “glacier” and “iceberg” and fused them in place.I prepared the batting and backing with Timtex and began quilting.  I outlined the glacier and iceberg with an icy green Aurifil thread.  Then I used zig-zag stitching to highlight the jagged lines in both “sculptures” and added simple free motion quilting to the “water” areas.  I used a blue and green polka dot batik in a wavy, water-like pattern for the back and binding.  This was an experiment, but one that I enjoyed!


13 comments:

  1. Carolyn, this quilt is gorgeous! Even though I was in that same class with you and remembered (I thought!) the pieces you made, never would I have dreamed that you used a part of one for this quilt. It is totally transformed. The photograph is breath-taking, and your quilt is a lovely, modern, interpretation of it!

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  2. Beautiful colors and texture. Stunning composition. I love this!!

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  3. Beautiful piece. I love the texture. I have not used tulle yet. It works really well. What an amazing trip you must have had.

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  4. You truly caught the essence of your photograph! How wonderful to use some of your painted canvas to depict this beautiful scene. I love the composition and colors. When we get together sometime this is one you'll have to bring for show and tell.

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  5. What beautiful colors and a great interpretation of the photo.

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  6. Carolyn you amaze me. I can just feel the chill! You should do a series on this! Great color and stitching. Nothing more to say!!!!!

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  7. What a fantastic piece ! Your use of so many different techniques, products, and combining art / photography / quilting is wonderful. Your narrative about the glaciers, their colors, the shimmering ice, and the glacier calving brought back many wonderful memories of my 35+ years in Anchorage, Alaska :-D

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  8. I agree with Alice. I thought I was in that class but ... I love the texture you achieved and the wonderful palette you used. I would love to see it in person to better understand how you accomplished this as I can't visualize the fabrics. I think you accomplished a great thing that the individual fabrics form such a harmonious composition that they don't shout their own presence. We are headed to Anartica next month - I may get to see some ice too

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  9. What a beautiful quilt and wonderful interpretation of your photograph. I agree with Gail, a series would be wonderful!
    That class changed my quilting life! Most important was meeting people like you and Alice and Sara. It opened up a new world for me.

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  10. Carolyn and I were in the class with Gail and Jane--meeting them for the first time! Sara was in it, too, as she's been in several (many!) classes I've been in at QA. What wonderful additions all of you have made to the MM group--all you QA Alumnae (or is it Alumni?); I have forgotten my Latin! Alice

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  11. This is an amazing quilt, both visually and technically.
    Very appropriately named, I think my jaw dropped a bit when I saw it! Stunning.

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  12. Oh Carolyn! I must see this in person! The texture is awesome, as are the colors which perfectly capture the wonderful photo. This is beautiful!

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  13. Wow!!!!!!!!!!! What unique piece this is! So clever and gorgeous! Would love to see this in person! Great interpretation

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