Clutch (recycled art)

For a long time I have rejected the idea of recycling art.

 I mean how could I possibly 'destroy' something I have been working on with all my heart and soul???

 

Then there comes a moment that you realise it is stocked up somewhere in forgotten places, while the purpose of it is to be seen...

 

 This is one of my former textile works that has been put away at the time, because there does not seem to be enough walls in this house to show my beauties and ultimately it resulted in my latest steps:

 

recycling!

 

 

I liked the idea of using it for a clutch

 

This is the front

 

(the metal thingies - don't know the English word- are taken from a commercially bought one that had its closure broken. The straps of my clutch can be taken off)

 

 

The inside. Closures made with velcron

 



and the back

 



 

The remainder of the quilted panel

 

Not sure what it will be turned into, for now I have put it away... (hah, again)

 

What do you think? Do you like my clutch??

Your feedback is highly appreciated!

 

Thanks for visiting,

 

Regina

 

 

 



In between

... in between the trips and outings we have with our children, I found time to make another fabric collage/art quilt. I am not sure in what category these little works fit, for they are made of fabric, have been quilted, but I also used paper and paint. Not that it is of any concern to me... The lime coloured fabric was dyed and stamped by me, using my own designed stamps, you might recognize some familiar shapes! The blue fabric at the bottom and the big swatches at the top are remnants of famous (at least in Holland) 'Paapjes' fabric. When living in Holland we used to go to the screenprinting facility where these fabrics were made and on certain days we could buy remnants, which of course felt like a party for addicts like me. I don't think they are in business anymore, for the last thing I heard about the lady that designed the screens was that she is into stained glass art, but I might have that wrong. I hope you also have a good time as we are heading towards the end of this year!

Closing this year

... with a little piece of fiber art

Finally working with fabrics again, after a long absence...

Happy with the result, for me it is a good end of this creative year

I wish all of you warm Holidays
and

a healthy and creative New Year

Regina

New work

Three of these squares were the design for the work below


Translation series #8
I started with plain white pfd cotton, that I painted with textile
paint and diluted acrylic, stamped and stencilled and
finally raw edge appliqued


Translation series # 9

This one came out more neutral, which was one of my goals
Normally I work in bold colours, so it was pretty hard for me to stick to
my original plan,maybe that's the reason that it has much contrast.
I was told the design looks like a bird in flight, which I can see also,
but it surely is not intended to be 'something'.
To me it is abstract, the letters are not words either, you can make your own!

Translation series # 10

The fragment with text was added by me,
because I thought the design was missing something.
This decision appears to have turned it into a tree,
with a giant piece of fallen fruit on the ground

Originally I was going to make four pieces that could be hung in a square.
The fourth did not cooperate, I tried and I tried, but it did not please me at all.
Too havy, to dark and all my attempts to bring some light in it, failed.
I then jumped to a very simple solution: "Just forget it, throw
it away!", which I did.
Having worked sufficiently outside my comfort zone for the moment, I am looking forward
to the next one which is forming in my head

Thanks again for visiting!

Morning in the studio

translating whitePFD fabric into subdued colours,

difficult for me, not feeling comfortable at all...


toning down the too 'apricoty' colour by adding stencilled
details and bits of fabric.

Slowly the fabric is giving me more satisfaction when I look at it...


Meanwhile thinking about my inner voice, do I have one?
What does it tell me, what does this piece of fabric tell me?

Listening to peaceful music by Karunesh, this morning in the studio...

such precious time!

New design

The start of a new design for a series of fiber work...

there is not much colour in it, but it has possibilities for me

after cutting the page up, I decide to go on with these four. Now to translate them in fabric!

We'll see how this evolves...

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

Regina

Inspired by this

I have made a new design for some quilts, like the ones I recently finished. The colours are more natural this time and when I was auditioning fabrics for them, I came across this long time favorite. Once bought as a skirt in a thriftstore, I made it into wide shorts and I wore these during quite some years during summer. The fabric after ca. 15 years is still in a very good condition and both sides are equally beautiful. At that time I did not have any experience with layering and I still was making traditional quilts fervently. Yet the artistic quality of this fabric must have appealed to me already, don't you think?

Another thing: the etnic vase is another example how I already could have guessed (had I known it at that time) in which direction my art was to develop... Theire resemblance is striking, the colours, the layering; these are treasures for me, maybe worthless for others.

So happy to look at the world with an artist's eye!

Have a great weekend

Regina

Abstract would be my style...

if I were a painter!

However, here I have been working with textiles following my design of collaged magazine rip-outs: the last picture shows the 6 finished 12" quilts, the first picture is of the design. The goal was to work outside of my comfort zone, well that mission has been accomplished for sure, by using these pastel colours, by the more or less organic shape of the patches and by the techniques used. Though I have never worked in this colourcombination before, I like the results and I am going to hang three of them in a vertical row in our hallway at home.

* method: all quilts started as white pfd cotton, which I painted/sprayed with textile paint first, following the design. The individual patches were then cut and laid out according the design, considering where to overlap, what to applique first etc. All sewing is done by machine, including the freemotion quilting. I don't have a plan before I start quilting, I just start and follow the needle (and the patches), if feels a bit like drawing, doodling. Finally I put on a split sleeve, in which I slip a long bamboo skewer. This works well on these little pieces that are almost weighing nothing. It appeared to be difficult to get all six pieces at excactly the same size, however, the differences are not disturbingly big. As you may see, I changed my direction in choosing colours somewhat during the process, the upper left one has been made last and the colours are way more strong than in the original design, I guess I was being 'fed up' by the pastel pink by that time ;-)

* used materials: cotton/organza/lurex/decorator fabric/recycled clothing fabric , wonder under fusible web, textile paint, acrylic paint, fray check, cotton batting and backing

*size: appr. 12.5 " x 12.5 "

Thanks for visiting today!

The Series (continued)

The original design

(collage of magazine rip outs and pastel crayon on paper)

Translations #4

My interpretation in fabric. Trying to follow the design as closely as possible, while at the same time allowing me freedom if I want to.

It is a true balancing act, for if I allow myself too much freedom I fall back into old habits and favorite choices, and the goal was to work outside my comfort zone.

The three little art quilts I made until now do look very well together, also combined with the larger panel shown in this post. I look forward to make the next three, but that will be next week.

Today is beachday!

thanks for visiting, as always,

Have a great Sunday,

Regina

Fiber art,continued (2)

In yesterday's post, I mentioned this rectangle as a possible design for a panel. There were quite a few challenges to overcome for me! Fabric choices, of course, what technique to use, what size to make it?

I decided on a cotton base, that I first painted with diluted fabric paint (wet in wet), several layers of sprayed paint were applied to achieve the depth in color that spoke to me in the paper design ...

then I prepared the ocre colored patches by fusing some

gold lame on it, representing the light yellow spots

I used a purple-blue fabric for the dark top shape at the right of the design.

The figure on it changed into more like a sun than the original flowerish form, the acrylic bronze paint was applied through a stencil I made of freezer paper

Tthe organza fabric had been in the house for several years, I bought it when I visited the lovely shops in the fabric district in New York. It appeared to be just what I needed to made it somewhat look like the blue-ish bottom in the original design.

And here it is, my first art quilt that has been made working with a design, it has not 'grown' like they usually do with me.

I liked the process immensely and will continue working on more of these for some time, as I already know that there is a lot to be learned and improved by working this way!

size: 13 x 40"

hand painted cotton, lame, organza, decorator's fabric, acrylic and fabric paint

fusing, raw edge applique, machine quilted