If you're thinking that quilting is not a form of art, think again. Many picture elderly women, perhaps grandmothers, sitting on a porch in a rocking chair with a country setting in the background when they think of quilting.
Well, yes, some grandmothers do quilt, and it seems as if they are always doing the same thing because this art form takes much time and effort unbeknownst to many.
If you do not know what applique quilt work is, it is the technique in which a particular design is made by cutting pieces of fabric into different shapes and sizes. The pieces of shaped fabric is then applied to or sewn on a larger piece of material.
The application of the smaller top pieces, as opposed to the large material that makes up the body of the quilt, is done by stitching, by using glue, or in many cases both stitching and gluing as some types of designs require many small and intricate touches in order to be made.
Think of the application of layers of fabric and material when you think of the art of applique quilting. The shaped pieces play the role of embellishing a plain square block.
This technique can either be applied to a single square block in a quilt where often times many different designs are featured on the same piece as a whole, or across the whole span of it covering the majority of the quilt.
Whole Span Floral Applique Quilt
Floral applique quilts are rather popular nowadays, and the picture on the top of this page is one of an applique covering the whole span of the quilt. This is a picture of an abstract floral quilt design.I see the plants and floral ornaments, and it seems as if the core of what looks like a flower is the sun. The birds are flying towards the top right corner of the quilt. It looks as if the birds are ready to fly off of the quilt and into real life.
If a piece of art contains the ability to tell an amazingly interesting story without you even knowing the history or background behind the artist, it is truly a masterpiece...but these are just my opinions, and in this case it is true that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. What do you think?
Single Square Block Applique Pattern Design
The photograph above is one of an applique done to a single square block. Granted that this is not a picture of a floral applique quilt, it is an applique quilt nonetheless.
At first glance, this may seem like a plain and ordinary blanket. But look closely at the intricateness of this single patch.
How many different fabrics do you see that make up the whole of the design? I can point out more than ten different fabrics. Much effort and consideration was taken before even starting to cut out the design.
Granted some applique quilts are made be using a ready made pattern mold, many are done strictly by hand from the artists imagination.
Some factors that are taken into consideration include the choices of fabric that are applied as the design on the top layer. How many different color materials with different designs do you intend on using?
What about color coordination? A color scheme has to be chosen simply because you want the piece not necessarily to be color-coordinated, but all colors, fabrics and designs, patterns, must be in complete harmony for the whole of the quilting work.
I believe that stitching and craftsmanship can absolutely be taught, but creativity and idea generation comes naturally.
If you have got the latter, you have just got it. If you don't have it, then chances are you never will.
Both pictures of applique quilts were handmade and handstitched. Handmade floral applique quilts take a substantial amount of time, so to develop this art requires much patience on your part.
No comments:
Post a Comment