I was very late with my "Home" piece for the final challenge of the group 12 Connected that I committed to two years ago. Honestly, life just kept getting in my way...work, family holiday plans and illnesses. I know it's the same for all of us...I chose to live by the saying, "better late, than never".
As always when the new word is announced I have to mull it over for awhile, ideas and thoughts need to ferment. Having always felt that home was wherever my family is, so began my thoughts for this piece. With that in mind I knew that somehow this house photo and a collage of vintage family photos would be the "heart" of this piece...just like a real home.
With that in mind I didn't know how to achieve the look I was after, so I printed each on pre-treated inkjet cotton and on ExtravOrganza. Then I auditioned them on the background fabric and decided that the first layer would be the house printed on the cotton. The next layer is the family photo collage on the ExtravOrganza, shown by itself below. Doesn't look like much does it?
But look what happens when pinned over the house print....very ethereal...exactly the affect I was trying to achieve. Yes!!! The background fabric is called Etchings by 3sisters for Moda...absolutely perfect.
I then removed the ExtravOrganza print and machine quilted the piece. including the house. Once that was done I fringed the edges of the family photo, which is easy to do with organza..because it is silk I could have burned the edges but I thought that might give it too hard an edge. Layered it back over the house and hand embroidered around the edges using a simple featherstitch.
Then I simply embellished with my Grandmothers' mother-of-pearl buttons, tied at the corners, added a small key and a Habitat for Humanity charm that says, "Bless this House", exactly the right concept for this challenge quilt.
When I read what the final word would be..."Home", my musings were that it seemed so fitting...our first word was "Sanctuary" and now our final word is "Home". Many times I've said, "my home is my sanctuary" and I've always hoped that I've created a "home" for my family that gives them that warmhearted feeling.
If you would like to see the groups work please check out the blog, www.12connected@blogspot.com
As always when the new word is announced I have to mull it over for awhile, ideas and thoughts need to ferment. Having always felt that home was wherever my family is, so began my thoughts for this piece. With that in mind I knew that somehow this house photo and a collage of vintage family photos would be the "heart" of this piece...just like a real home.
With that in mind I didn't know how to achieve the look I was after, so I printed each on pre-treated inkjet cotton and on ExtravOrganza. Then I auditioned them on the background fabric and decided that the first layer would be the house printed on the cotton. The next layer is the family photo collage on the ExtravOrganza, shown by itself below. Doesn't look like much does it?
But look what happens when pinned over the house print....very ethereal...exactly the affect I was trying to achieve. Yes!!! The background fabric is called Etchings by 3sisters for Moda...absolutely perfect.
I then removed the ExtravOrganza print and machine quilted the piece. including the house. Once that was done I fringed the edges of the family photo, which is easy to do with organza..because it is silk I could have burned the edges but I thought that might give it too hard an edge. Layered it back over the house and hand embroidered around the edges using a simple featherstitch.
Then I simply embellished with my Grandmothers' mother-of-pearl buttons, tied at the corners, added a small key and a Habitat for Humanity charm that says, "Bless this House", exactly the right concept for this challenge quilt.
When I read what the final word would be..."Home", my musings were that it seemed so fitting...our first word was "Sanctuary" and now our final word is "Home". Many times I've said, "my home is my sanctuary" and I've always hoped that I've created a "home" for my family that gives them that warmhearted feeling.If you would like to see the groups work please check out the blog, www.12connected@blogspot.com
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