How to Start an Art Quilt
Quilting is the traditional method of utilizing fabric scraps into practical and beautiful sewn blankets. According to "Quilting Arts Magazine," art quilts are a contemporary textile art which uses the same elements of traditional quilting. Artists use a multitude of materials, such as beads and yarn, in addition to fabric to start an art quilt. Art quilters are free to create any type of design they choose, and most beginning sewers can craft an art quilt with a few basic tools.
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Things You'll Need
- Sketch paper
- Colored pencils
- Fabric
- Boxes
- Thin cotton fabric
- Cotton batting
- Small fabric shears
- Fabric glue
- Iron
- Sewing machine
Instructions
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1
Draw your ideas onto sketch paper with a pencil. Since you are starting an art quilt, which focuses more on the design rather than the function of the fabric, you need a plan. Sketch out a detailed drawing and color it with colored pencils of what you want to create with this two-dimensional medium.
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2
Organize your fabric or fabric scraps into boxes according to colors. Art quilts are made up of mostly fabric, and you need to keep track of all the colors you have to piece your quilt together. Fabric for your artwork can be purchased from the remnant section of a fabric store or from thrift stores.
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3
Place thin cotton fabric down for the backing onto your work table. Ideally the fabric should be the same size as the art quilt you want to construct, and it should fit onto your work table. If it is larger, place two tables together, or work on a clean floor.
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Lay one layer of cotton batting over the entire thin cotton fabric. Batting is what gives the thickness inside a quilt. One layer is enough for this project since it is the design you are working on rather than its functionality as a quilt. If you are planning on using the quilt in the winter, add two layers of cotton batting.
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Cut out a chosen color of fabric into a specific shape for your art quilt. Use your drawing as a guide and start from one of the corners. It is easier to work your way from the edges inward. Cut the fabric out in whichever shape you need it to be.
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Position the cut fabric onto the batting in your desired position. Continue cutting out pieces of fabric. You can layer fabric over each other collage style. Once you are satisfied with the cutting, place the piece onto the batting.
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Observe the overall design you have created with the fabric pieces. Rearrange any pieces, and cut more fabric if necessary. Carefully glue down all the fabric pieces with fabric glue and iron to set the glue quickly.
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Sew the art quilt with the embroidery setting on your sewing machine.This allows for free motion sewing over the entire quilt.
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Tips & Warnings
An art quilt can start as a photograph or photograph collage instead of a drawing.
Use straight pins to keep fabric pieces in a particular arrangement before you glue them down.
Add beads and yarn by hand-sewing them onto the quilt after the fabric is sewn in place.
Cover the quilt with a thin sheet to prevent any pieces from flying off when you're not working on it.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
