More fabulous quilts from readers and fabric collage enthusiasts—people just like you! It’s another vibrant batch with not a realistically colored version of critters or kid in sight, such as Nan Sorensen’s portrait of her son (detail above). I think many of us in northern areas of this world are a little color-starved at this time of year. March seems to be the longest month, teasing with the warmth of the sun one day, inviting me to enjoy lunch on our deck—followed with a 50 degree (Fahrenheit) drop in temperature and another 8 inches of snow to shovel the next day.
Our trees are grey, the grass is brown, branches are bare, except for being occasionally outlined in snow—which, with the right mindset, can truly be quite magical. So best to look on the bright side of things—the (seasonal) beauty of snow, crisp and “refreshing” air, and the fact that in just a couple weeks the Spring Equinox and the First Day of Spring (at least on the calendar) will arrive.
But the best and brightest thing for today are the tantalizingly saturated hues of the following quilts in this Fabric Collage Finish Line. Grab a warm cuppa, find a comfy spot in the strengthening sunshine, and let the colors of these quilts soak into you and brighten your day. Enjoy.
Thanks to these ladies and all others who submit their finished collage quilts to share with all of us. If you’d like to submit your quilted collage, please click on the button below. And thank you!
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Cher Olsson
Cher Olsson of Surrey, B.C., Canada, is an avid reader of this blog and recently attended my January 2022 Live Online Class, in which she tackled a friend’s dog, Kona. But before that, she worked through my Fabric Collage Master Class, getting feedback from those in the Master Class private Facebook group to help her complete her pup, Pugsley.
Pugsley glows with warmth and radiating folds of fur, created with an engaging variety of printed fabrics. Cher draws the viewer into her collage with the variation of prints she’s used to create this portrait. Be sure to seek them out, including the animal and rhinestone hidden in Pugsley’s pudgy little foot in the quilted detail below. The complementary color scheme of yellows and purples give visual energy to this otherwise sedate pose of a well-loved Pugsley.
From Cher:
This quilt is named “Pugsley is a Girl.” She’s a 17 yr. old Pug with a very sweet disposition. Staying with my mother in law during the pandemic they have become very close and a support for each other. We miss her but being able to see her likeness in the quilt will hold us between visits. I love that this format allowed me to add fabrics of food and animals and they blend enough that you don’t notice them right away. Red toenails and a few rhinestones were fun to add too.
Sandra Tavel
Sandra Tavel of Oyonnax, France used her recent confinement as an opportunity to take my Sea Turtle eWorkshop. She says she enjoyed it so much she signed up for the Online Fabric Collage Master Class as well. I’m always thrilled and honored that through the magic of the internet, I’m able to reach collage artists that I otherwise may never be able to connect with. And here we are, sharing the technique of fabric collage—one continent to another.
“Subdued,” is the word Sandra uses to describe her color scheme. I’d describe it as “infused”—of cool and watery tones—a richness of color that this fellow, Victor, exists within. As I gaze at him, I get a sense of ease and calm. Lovely job, Sandra.
From Sandra:
My colour scheme is quite subdued as I have mainly blending colours in my stash. I started with the idea of a realistic background, dark moving up to light, suggesting the turtle swimming upwards, but on the forum I found the answer that liberated me and continued with the idea of a fantasy Turtle ( which didn’t tie me down so much). So I separated the dark squares and this gave me the final result. I did get a little sticky in the process, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Nan Sorensen
Nan Sorensen of Buckeye, AZ, started this childhood portrait of her grown son at my June 2021 Madeline Island School of the Arts class. What impressed me at the start was how readily Nan embraced color in her son’s portrait—jumping in with both feet. She was more than prepared with fabric prints to create the movement and contours in Eric’s face and hair, plus having on hand a wealth of children’s novelty fabrics (as she mentions below) to work into his portrait.
Nan has captured a sense of wonder in the young Eric’s face, and surrounded him with sights and experiences that fill a child’s world. What a great story she’s created. Be sure to look close at the details on this collage as well.
From Nan:
I could not have done it without the in-person help. At the end of the week, I had the features done and a start on the hair. Very important start! This is based on a photo of my son Eric when he was two years old. I wanted to try a portrait. I embellished the quilt with some fun fabrics, like Ninja Turtles, Scooby Doo, Star Wars, and Sesame Street. I used images from things Eric liked as a child. I loved the process, and love the result. I look forward to my next project, my younger son! Thank you Susan!
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