Explorers Challenge

One of the groups I'm in is the Explorer's.  We challenge ourselves with experimenting with different techniques.

This year we are doing a monthly challenge.  It contains three parts, a color, a technique, and a subject. We all contributed to the words and put each group in separate jars.  Each month at our meeting we draw one word from each jar and then create a small quilt using and interpreting the three itmes.  The size of the quilts can be anywhere from 4"X6" up to 8"X12".

For April:  Our color was red-orange; the technique was multimedia; the subject was grief.

This was a challenge!

I took a white piece of fabric and started to paint, stencil, etc.
This is a part that I did not use.  I did three items.  Two using the painted fabric and one using
a framed canvas.

I started with a framed canvas that I had stuck a bunch of fabrics to and never liked
what I did.  So I took white gesso and covered it over.  Now it was lumpy bumpy.. good!  Then I painted
a light yellow red and kept adding layers to a darker red. Stenciled, screened etc.  Added a faint picture of my parents
and a very faint picture of my mom's obituary.  Kept adding sketched my face (at about age 40)  Then continued to add.

This is one of the fabric pieces.  I printed my mom's obituary and photo of my parents
on silk organza.  You iron silk organza to freezer paper and put it through your printer.
To stick the organza onto the fabric I used a gel medium.  

This is another fabric piece.  this time I printed the same items out on
silk haboti.  They are not as transparent.  I used the gel medium  to attach the
printed silk to the painted fabric.

Here on the organza embellished piece I've added a raw edge applique piece in silk.

I'm stitching it down as well as adding in some lines.

This is the completes one with the silk haboti.

Completed one on the canvas.

This is the completed one with the silk organza.

 I had started with a basic idea and it was going to be generic.  However, once I got going, the projects took on a life of their own.  I called them a "Tribute to my Mom".  

Sew see you later

Bette