Today we reveal another project for this wonderful quilt group, this time on the theme of "Raindrops keep falling on my head", what a brilliant theme that has been to work to!
My piece is entitled "Reflections in the Rain" and is made up of 4 pieces of slubbed silk which were quilted, appliqued and beaded before being joined together and stuffed to create a raindrop.
As soon as the theme for this quarter was announced I knew that I wanted to create a 3-D piece for the reveal. You can read about my inspiration for this piece over on my blog at
Celtic Thistle Stitches
My initial intention for creating the faces for my raindrop was to make several stumpwork heads and stitch them around the base, but when I came to it the scale was all wrong and as I had never tried stumpwork before I was wary of attempting it on an even smaller scale!
A rummage through my craft books unearthed this unused gem which provided the ideal means of applying the heads that I needed to the bottom of the raindrop. Another rummage through my stash uncovered an assortment of "heads" for the applique too!
The technique involves coating the reverse of your fabric with Mod Podge and then cutting out the desired shapes when dry. The book states that the resulting applique shapes will adhere to the fabric when ironed but I didn't find the adhesion particularly strong. I had always intended to stitch the applique down too, so it wasn't too much of a problem. The author suggests using invisible thread when there would otherwise be lots of thread colour changes, which I did but the bobbin thread does show through in places, however, I can live with that!
I quilted radiating lines from the top of the raindrop and finished them off with hand stitched seed beads, then joined the raindrop shapes together and finally stuffed the raindrop to give it body.
Once again I have had great fun putting together my project for this quarter and I am really looking forward to seeing the amazing pieces that I am sure the rest of my fellow Endeavourers have come up with!
I love your raindrop with the reflections, Fiona. It's beautifully put together. I also very much like your stumpwork head although you didn't use it in this project. I will visit your blog to see more :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Janine I enjoyed this challenge so much and it made life so much easier when I knew from the outset what I wanted to do, no procrastination for a change :)
DeleteOnce again I'm so impressed with your inventiveness and the way you rise to the challenge :-) - this is amazing! I love the way you've made it a rainy scene *in* a raindrop, and the bead raindrops are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI use bondaweb for applique because you can cut the shapes while the paper backing is still on and the adhesion is good, but I should imagine you get less fraying round the edges of the shapes when you use Modpodge.
Thanks Catherine, the Mod Podge technique is supposed to produce fray less applique even when washed but I noticed a little bit of fraying at some edges but I think that might have been due to being a touch light-handed with the Mod Podge in places rather than a fault of the technique.
DeleteI used the Mod Modge in mine too and found the only fraying I got was if I stitched too close to the edge. I did get the bobbin thread coming up a bit too no matter the tension but like you it doesn't bother me! Great interpretation I love the result is an actual raindrop!
DeleteThanks Ruth, I wondered if you had used the same technique when I saw those fiddly little feet on your quilt!
DeleteFiona, your 3-D interpretation is a blast with the reflection of life teeming in one little drop of rain. It is quite moving to me.
ReplyDeleteSmiles, Maureen
Thanks Maureen, I really enjoyed searching out all of the different heads to have in my raindrop and was so pleased that I was able to come up with such a diverse group!
DeleteI love how you took this theme beyond the usual choices, and also used it as an opportunity to experiment with new techniques! Creative and inspirational!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gwen, this theme was such fun to work to. I am loving seeing all of the different interpretations they never fail to amaze me :)
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