Quirky Quilts

I have been experimenting with making abstract wallhangings from fabric and mounting the mini-quilts on a frame so they can be hung like a picture. I am a great fan of Marcia Derse fabrics and this dominates this series of pieces. They are machine quilting, hand stitched and beaded to create interesting texture. Each item is 42cm x 32 cm and for sale for $75 each or $200 for the set (plus P&P).

I seem to be suffering from a bit of RSI in my elbow from rotary cutting! So I thought I’d give the Amanda Murphy circular rulers a go and make my first whole cloth quilt. I started with a piece of white sandwiched fabric and a circle of tiny circles. Then a was faced with the rest of the empty quilt to fill up. I am not a good planner, so I just worked my way around the piece and filled it up. A couple of appliqué blobs and a trimmed binding and it was done. Took ages but I enjoyed doing something different although frustrated at times! The quilt is now sold!

Bojagi are traditional Korean wrapping cloths which date back to the early 11th century. Typically they are pieced together using geometric designs and form a single layer of cloth. The narrow seams when they are combined with transparency in the fabric creates a further linear dimension. One member of the Perth Contemporary Quilt Group makes beautiful bojagi and I thought I would give it a go.

Having finished 4 recent commissions, I thought I’d take a break and do some of my own work. I decided to create 3 Bojagi hangings to replace the sheer curtains on the bay window in the front bedroom. I used silk organza with French seams stitched using silk thread. This project took a lot longer and was much tricky than I though it would be. The flimsy nature of the organza made keeping things square almost impossible plus I realised that I was going to run out of the cream fabric so had to plan accordingly. I am very pleased with the result.

I had lots of fun making this playmat for a new baby in the family.