Auditions Today

I am auditioning quilt blocks, ribbons, scraps and pieces of brocade material for touch quilts today.

 

One of the late Rachel Johnson's hand appliqued butterflies.

 Earlier this morning it was shocking to read that Fidget Quilts should not be pretty --I'd noticed that they often are not-- because it makes them tempting to theft from facilities where they're donated.

To make my quilts less attractive for larceny, I started machine embroidering the initials of the facility in 2" letters along the front edge through all layers. One would have to be really adept with a seam ripper to take out 3 layers of close zigzag without destroying the quilt. So sad it's necessary.

 

I think of my Touch Quilts as art. Maybe it isn't fine art, but I want them to look pleasing to the eye, so I have try-outs for fabric combos, complimentary colors, and ribbon trims.

 

Cabbage roses from this strip of upholstery

fabric can be turned in trapunto-style roses

with great touchable texture.

 

The orange color in the upper wing of this 

butterfly compliments some other pieces I may use.

 

A closer look. Note the fine hand stitching.  

I may zigzag over the stitching with monofilament 

thread to insure the vintage stitches stay in place.

While I'm auditioning colors and textures, I am also reviewing which trinkets and trims were successful in previous quilts. From left: 1) couched heavy knitting yarn, 2) crochet thread wound on a bobbin and machine stitched using a fancy stitch from the reverse side, and 3)lighter weight yarn, couched.  At the top are reverse applique 'fish' in different textures with ribbon trims.

The machine bobbin work is pleasing to the eye, but the touch factor is not nearly as good as the softness of couched yarn. 

Old Farm with Truck

These are my latest Touch Quilt. Vintage Cows Print fabric with added features. Backed with Lime fleece.

 40x35"

 Red Corduroy truck with satin windshield, stiped fabric grill, ribbon bumper

Set-in pocket pulled up so you can see; and a microfiber square left to the imagination as to what kind of crop it represents.

 Tucks stitched into a piece of cotton fabric with tiny flowers indicated rows of something. It really was what I found of a size to finish out where I started the road and ran out of flannel. Ends up with two kinds of tactile stimulation: flannel on the road and the tucks forming rows.

Prairie points are one of my favorite additions These are folded toward the center.

The Prairie points below are folded to one side, forming a larger pocket to explore.

 A piece of Pony Paradise fleece adds yet another tactile experience.

 Microfiber fun.

The backing, green fleece, shows where the pocket, microfiber block and truck are stitched in place. I realized that it was not necessary to closely quilt everything. There is no batting for quilting to hold in place. Some of the embellishments have more than one layer. Minimal quilting makes a softer blanket.

Elephant Walk

When I ordered off for fleece and flannel, a piece of elephant print velour was the best bargain I found. It was the only print of its kind and the only juvenile print that I bought.

I cut off a piece to use for backing for a future quilt and cut the rest into squares to alternate with other touch blocks. This quilt is backed with khaki colored flannel.

 

Shallow pocket for exploration.

Prairie Points in blue are among my favorite

trims. They can be explored from the open 

side and have no raw edges.

 

A good view of the little elephants and my 

applique elephant with ribbon ear.

 

Not a real pocket, just a corner to explore.

 

Ribbon loops 

 

A real pocket on yellow fleece.

 

 Another look at the elephant.

 

The darker red square is fine-wale corduroy.