Painting + Stitching Geraniums
Geraniums are a favorite flower of mine. I have a couple of quilting projects in progress (or more accurately languishing... just like the garden, coincidentally.) Below is one of many photos I’ve taken in Winter Park, Florida, where the flowering containers along the city streets rival those found in England and other countries.
Below is a close up detail of a much larger WIP. The plum color is the base fabric, while the painted part is done with acrylics (Golden liquid matte) directly on it. On the left are ivy leaves pinned in place, awaiting glue-basting or possibly rearrangement. The whole large work (around 40" X 60") is temporarily attached to 1/2" foam core. The idea is to add more pieces of fabric, then stitching. I’m not sure whether any fabric needs to be added to the geraniums because they look pretty good as is. But that’s one nice aspect of fabric collage; you can put pieces on, move them around, try something else, until it looks the way you want it to.
A tight close-up of the painting. I was trying to keep it loose. How the stitching will go is a bit of a question mark at the moment. Follow the brush strokes? Zig-zag around? Ovals? Curvy-swervies? Lots of possibilities. One thing about stitching through relatively thick acrylic... the needle leaves holes, so you have to be happy with the first attempt or be able to fashion some kind of cover up with added fabric perhaps. You could use paint as spackle over the needle holes, probably. Then there are always beads(!) 
I do have this more finished piece to refer to, also featuring geraniums, but with no painting. This one is stitched with a variegated thread in flowery shapes.
So, we’ll see what happens after my current deadlines are over. Do you feel like making flowers in spring? 
Below is a close up detail of a much larger WIP. The plum color is the base fabric, while the painted part is done with acrylics (Golden liquid matte) directly on it. On the left are ivy leaves pinned in place, awaiting glue-basting or possibly rearrangement. The whole large work (around 40" X 60") is temporarily attached to 1/2" foam core. The idea is to add more pieces of fabric, then stitching. I’m not sure whether any fabric needs to be added to the geraniums because they look pretty good as is. But that’s one nice aspect of fabric collage; you can put pieces on, move them around, try something else, until it looks the way you want it to.
A tight close-up of the painting. I was trying to keep it loose. How the stitching will go is a bit of a question mark at the moment. Follow the brush strokes? Zig-zag around? Ovals? Curvy-swervies? Lots of possibilities. One thing about stitching through relatively thick acrylic... the needle leaves holes, so you have to be happy with the first attempt or be able to fashion some kind of cover up with added fabric perhaps. You could use paint as spackle over the needle holes, probably. Then there are always beads(!) 
I do have this more finished piece to refer to, also featuring geraniums, but with no painting. This one is stitched with a variegated thread in flowery shapes.
So, we’ll see what happens after my current deadlines are over. Do you feel like making flowers in spring? 
4 comments:
Actually Loreeen, what you have pictured is what we understand in Australia to be geraniums, and here in Uruguay the same - pelargoniums are related but different - yup[ - these are geraniums to I am guessing most people everywhere. Out in the Outback towns of Australia they grow with amazingly little water and are very hardy - in one area they are known as goldfields roses for these qualities.
Thanks, Alison. Somebody told me about this one time, but either they were mistaken or I’m misremembering. Anyway, I’ll correct the post.
I like your flowers! Of course, I've flowers on my mind as well as the design wall these days, too.
What a great idea: acrylic paint as spackle to cover up the needle holes! I've always wondered what to do when I'm not happy with my first machine quilting attempt. I just love your geraniums!
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