quilting

Lutradur Forest Workshop….

/ Karen Lane / 12 Comments
A Walk in the Forest art quilt by Karen Lane

Walk in the Forest

Today was day one of a two-day Lutradur Forest Workshop at the Simply Stitch Studio, Wetherby.  Using my “Walk in the Forest” design as a starting point, eight ladies have begun the day designing their own “Forest” art quilt which will consist of several layers of Lutradur fabric.  Today the Lutradur has been cut out and painted and tomorrow we will begin layering and stitching the fabric in place.  As you can see from the photos not only is each design unique but also each student is displaying a distinct style of their own.

The ladies start by drawing out their design ideas on paper

The Lutradur is cut out and painted

Cutting out foliage using a soldering iron

This is where we are at the end of day one…..

Tomorrow we will bring all the main elements together and stitch them in place before adding any foreground detail and hand stitching.  I’m really looking forward to seeing how these pieces develop!

 

Tall Trees Workshop….

/ Karen Lane / 4 Comments

We’ve just come to the end of day one of my “Tall Trees” art quilt workshop at Simply Stitch near Wetherby.  There are thirteen ladies taking part, over two days, working with paint and stitch, layering sheer fabrics and netting to create beautiful backgrounds for their painted Vilene trees.   We have some fabulous quilts taking shape, this is how they are doing so far…….

Even our host, Nicola, is making time to join in with this workshop!

The Big Textile Show…..

/ Karen Lane / 11 Comments

I got back home from Leicester last night after two wonderful days exhibiting at The Big Textile Show at Leicester Racecourse.  Although I’ve previously shown work as part of a group this was my first stint at having a stall and exhibiting in my own right.  I wasn’t too sure what to expect but it turned out to be an amazing experience and the two days just flew by.  I met lots of lovely people, stall holders and visitors, and it was great that so many folk took the time to stay and chat.

A big thank you to the Leicestershire Quilters for the loan of the quilt stands and to my friend Sandra who very kindly put me up over the weekend, helped set up the displays and stayed all day to help on the stall…..much appreciated!  Here are just a few more images from the show…..

Lutterworth Stitchers

Visualise

Convivia

Local Spinning Group

Part of the Sea & Sky IFA Members Exhibition

 

 

Mini Art Quilt Workshop…..

/ Karen Lane / 4 Comments

On 3rd November, at the Alford Craft Market Studio, I will be running a workshop using the techniques and materials which went into making my Three Tall Trees art quilt.  This will be a one day workshop so in order to get the piece finished (or as near as possible) we will be making a mini version.

To create a beautiful forest scene we will be painting, layering and hand/machine embroidering. For the foreground trees students can choose to work entirely on their own design or I can provide templates.  This workshop is suitable for all abilities including those who have not yet tried free machine embroidery.

I will provide all fabrics but students will need to bring: Colouring medium i.e. fabric paint, Inktense blocks or acrylic paint plus brushes.  Sewing machine with a normal foot and free machine foot.  Basic sewing kit.  Selection of different coloured machine threads including black, grey, cream and greens.

The studio in Alford is small so workshop numbers are limited.  This makes for a lovely friendly atmosphere and means I get to spend more time with each participant.

For more information on classes at Alford, or to book a place, please see their website http://www.alfordcraftmarket.co.uk/alford-craft-market-centre.html or call Lynne on 01507 463341

 

Inspired by Sir Isaac Newton…..

/ Karen Lane / 2 Comments

LINQS (Lincolnshire Quilters) will be exhibiting their latest body of work, 22 art quilts inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, at the end of this month.  Our first venue will be the beautiful Alford Manor House.  Built in 1611 it is thought to be the largest thatched manor house in the country.

I’ve finally finished my Newton quilt.  It’s 30″ x 40″ and the design is based on the fact that Newton spent a lot of his time studying and practising alchemy.  It consists of appliqué commercial fabric, Tyvek and painted vilene applied to a background of tea stained cotton fabric.  Other materials used include oil pastels, Inktense, permanent marker pen and metallic foil.

Inspired by the life and works of Sir Isaac Newton

These are just a few of the other fantastic quilts that will be on show……

Gravitree by Jean Proud (30″ x 40″)

Gravitree detail

The Mind of a Genius by Mary Jackson (30″ x 40″)

Snapshots of Isaac by Joan Plummer (30cm x 40cm)

This next quilt Is called “Wordsearch” and there are thirty words to find, all relating to life of Isaac Newton.  An ingenious way of stopping visitors in their tracks and making them really scrutinise your work!

 

Louth Panorama Update…..

/ Karen Lane / 10 Comments

All the Louth Panorama quilts, being made by textile group Meridian, have now been handed over ready to be sewn onto a black background.

The individual quilts laid out prior to being sewn onto the black background.

Sheila had photographs of the two original canvases, painted by William Brown in the 1840’s, reduced in size and printed onto cotton fabric which she then quilted using free machine stitching.  These two panels will form the centre of our collaborative quilt with the rest of them being grouped as shown above.

 

Centre two panels free machined by Sheila

Click on each of the images to see the detail that has been put into the quilts, they really are beautiful pieces of work.

Quilt created by Pat Cave

Quilt created by Sue Jackson

Quilt created by Gill Lewis

Quilt created by Eileen MacKenzie

Quilt created by Gwen Harlow

Quilt created by Sandra Goldsborough

Quilt created by Margaret Fulwood

Quilt created by Karen Lane

 

 

 

Sir Isaac Newton…..

/ Karen Lane / 2 Comments

The handover date for the latest LINQS challenge, to produce an art quilt inspired by any aspect of the life or works of Sir Isaac Newton, is fast approaching and I’ve still got a lot to do!  When I began my research I was surprised to learn that Newton had been an Alchemist (obvious really given the age he lived in) and spent a lot of his time and effort in pursuit of the Philosophers Stone.  I used this fact as my starting point and designed my quilt along the lines of an Alchemy illustration using a limited colour palette.  Materials used so far include oil pastels and transfer foils on cotton fabrics and pelmet vilene.  As I said, still a lot to do so back to the sewing machine!

My Sir Isaac Newton inspired art quilt is still work in progress

A Tribute to Three Worlds…..

/ Karen Lane / 10 Comments

Between Christmas and New Year I began work on a new art quilt which I have called A Tribute to Three Worlds.  This 44″ x 27″ quilt is my textile interpretation of a lithograph by one of my favourite artists, Maurits Cornelis Escher (1892-1972)

Black and white etching titled Three Worlds by artist Maurits Cornelis Escher

The original lithograph version of Three Worlds by Maurits Cornelis Escher.

I have been an admirer of Escher’s work since my art school days.  During a recent visit to Barter Books in Alnwick I bought “The Life and Works of Escher” by Miranda Fellows and felt inspired by this particular design to create my on take on it.

The first stage of the art quilt A Tribute to Three Worlds....trees and fish are painted and in position.

Background work in progress…..the trees are done and the Tyvek fish are painted and roughly placed in position.

I wanted to recreate the three different perspectives i.e. the trees above the water seen as a reflection, the Autumn leaves floating on the water and the fish swimming below the water, all of which make up Escher’s “three worlds”.   It took a lot longer to complete than I had imagined it would but I’m very happy with the result.

Three Worlds Art Quilt

A Tribute to Three Worlds