How to Create a Tile Quilt Mosaic

Create a beautiful piece of artwork for your home by making a tile quilt mosaic. Time and careful craftsmanship will be rewarded with a distinctive piece of work for your home. This is an intermediate art project.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old brass headboard
• Chicken wire
• Metal wire
• White Portland cement
• Grout
• Grout float
• Damp sponge
• Tile pieces
• Latex paint
• Wire cutters

1. Begin by sculpting the chicken wire into the shape of a quilt being draped over the headboard. You may need pliers for tight curves or details. The headboard can be replaced by any metal frame stable enough to hold the final project, so it is open for creativity.

2. Use the metal wire to tie the chicken wire to hold the sculpted shape in place. Trim off excess length of wire with wire cutters.

3. Mix the cement and use your hands to push the cement into the chicken wire. Sculpt the cement into shape, creating a smooth surface.

4. Place the tiles in place before the cement dries. It helps to have the design planned and laid out well before beginning the cement.

5. Grout around the tiles using a grout float. Fill in the edges to make a smooth surface and seal in the tiles. When the grouting is complete, wipe off the excess from the tiles with a damp sponge.

6. Create dimension with a shadow created with latex paint applied on top of the tiles. This gives depth and movement to the quilt.

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on 10/10/2008 A photo of a completed one would be really helpful. I'm having difficulty visualizing this....