Our Galaxy

This is my first Fast Friday challenge and creation. I used a photo from the Herschel telescope as my inspiration. The photo has an "open copyright". It can be seen at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8284650.stm. I was attracted by the layering and luminoscity and wanted to try using Lutrador which is new-to-me.

I used black Kona cotton, which was painted with a mix of Stewart Gill, Jacquard and Setacolor paints (I rapidly learnt that Setacolor transparent does not show up at all on black without being mixed with white.) I had black heavier weight and white very light weight Lutrador to work with. I painted the Lutrador with Mettallic Jacquard and Steward Gill paints, and then used both a textile tool and an embossing heat gun to melt the Lutrador to make it look "airier." I quilted the background with monofilament and metallics, and tried facing it (the first time I have done a facing) before stitching on the Lutrador. I wanted a slightly 3D look. I know I need a lesson on how to do facings. If you have any comments or suggestions I am open to them. I mainly did this to try the materials and to see if I can work fast. I found I still thought about the project for almost 3 weeks before getting down to it---something I need to change, which is why I joined the challenge

In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

This is my second challenge quilt and I really enjoyed this subject matter. I learned alot too. I discovered "Smart-ease" tm. and it really helped with the planet circles. I also got to try some thread blending which I learned about in a Carol Shinn class. This quilt is approx. 18" by 24" inches. The background is a hand-dyed batik. I loved playing with the embellishments of Swavarski chrystals, Angelina fibers and hand beading. I learned alot about composition and had alot of fun playing with my planets ! I was really inspired by the beautiful photos from the Hubble telescope. Donna of Sea Ranch

Pluto is gone

Here I am late with the very first one since I came back.

My piece is 22-1/2" x 24-3/4"

The planets are flying willy nilly through the sky.

Fabrics uses were: the old stand by - cotton, soft wool, a paper towel that I used to wipe up some spilled tsukineko inks a long time ago, netting, etc.

One of them was done on my embellisher and saturn's ring was made from a silver bag that was inside a box of peanut brittle.

The little dog is saying "They took Pluto away. WHY?"

Good to be back

Betty

Challenge 37, Pam Clark

This is my first fast friday challenge. I chose to use some new products that I hadn't tried before. I started with Angelina film. I layed strands of fibers between two layers of film and ironed to hold the fibers in place. I cut the film into a half moon shape and stitched it onto my dark background. I had never tried fiber painting before, so I painted around the planet to look like reflections coming off the surface. I also painted a small moon and a swirling nebula. I couched decorative fibers around the planet, across the planet and throughout the piece. I quilted with metallic threads to add glitz, added some Angelina fibers to the surface of the planet, and sewed on a few beads. I'm not really happy with the outcome, since I feel that my planet is too shiny, but I did learn how to use the Angelina film and how to fiber paint. Your comments are welcome.

Challenge 37 - Seattle Moonlight

OK - so it took a little bit - but I think you'll understand.

My piece is Seattle Moonlight - I had to do the Space Needle with a full moon. The final piece measures 8 1/2 x 13 1/2 - it is not intended to be an exact skyline - the windows are beaded.

Lisa
In Sunny Seattle

Challenge #37 - Blue Moon by Candy Farmer

Close to home and closer to heart, the moon has inspired the folklore and poetry of the ancients and helped us mark the passing of time and season. The full moon is especially potent and magical and speaks of the feminine.

The features of this moon were free cut from a remnant of polyester chiffon in hombre blues and applied to the surface with a single strand of silk sewing thread to keep it floaty and something of a suggestion. The background, or
black-ground, is cotton velveteen with black paisley jacquard applique. I used a polyester bat for loft and to add dimension to the moon. Everything was hand stitched.

This is my first larger-size piece, 16.5"x 21.5" approximate, and I would really like your feed back. Thanks, everyone.

Challenge #37 - full mOOn reflections by Wen Redmond

Photo that amazed me to create my piece 'full mOOn reflections'. Note the symmetrically of the centered moon. This is taken at sunset, North Pole. Just had to share it.

Going crazy getting ready for Fall shows and itchin' to participate in this challenge, I realized I have a piece that fits the 'bill'. I hope this isn't considered cheating but that's what I'm goin' do. My piece is called Full mOOn Reflections. I hope you'll give me feedback. Happy Fall All!!Full mOOn Reflections has several layers, and a circle was cut directly in the main piece. I used this elsewhere in the piece, repeating the circle motif. Medium was used on sections to see how it affected the transparency and texture. It was mono-printed, painted and dyed using silk noil, and organza. Mounted on painted rayon and poly stabilizer. Stitching

27hx18wx.50d

I wrote text in the bottom that I forgot to add, it says "Awaken! It comes to you, Extraordinary!"

WEBSITE http://WenRedmond.co
BLOG http://fiberartgoddess.blogspot.com

Genesis 1:16

18" by 8"
Painted cotton with Tempera Paint, sea salt
Commercial Fabric
Metallic, Rayon thread
Fusible gems

I originally created a background with Dyn-na-flow paints, but found it boring and too light for my needs. My 12 year old daughter, Tessa made this background at the same time using her washable tempera paints and sea salt. When I saw how great it was, I asked if I could use it for the challenge. She agreed as long as I gave her credit (grin). After heat setting and cutting up the background, I added a commercial print from Paula Nadlestern's collection and embellished with Glitter thread. Because I truly believe that less is more when it comes to embellishing, I just added a few fusible gems at the end to give it a little twinkle-twinkle. I finished the edges just with a free motion scribble of green and orange thread.

Cosmic Fire

This was inspired by the batik fabric background. I try to to use what I have on hand so it was copper Angelina and Misty Fuse. Also quilting and beading. There is so much inspiration out there. I find I am limited by my expertise in using some of the embelishments. Some things just didn't work! Thanks for the great challenge and a chance to try something new. Your comments helpful and welcome.

Elaine Koenig

Fires of Arnica

Ok my apologies, I could not get this posted as an edit and wanted to share. Thank you all for the critiques. In my hurry to do my 1st FFFC I forgot the very basics of art. So this is the result of cutting the 1st one down and I do like it much better.

PERSPECTIVE

12" x 16"

commercial fabrics

beads

angelina fiber

metallic thread

This piece is recycled from a couple of years ago. I've never posted an "oldie" before but I hope it will get me back in the swing of Fast Friday. I don't know why I stuck this piece away on the "experiments that didn't grow up into real quilts" shelf.

Now I hope to spend some time looking further at all the wonderful work I've noticed for this challenge. Your comments are always welcome.

Cosmos

"Cosmos" Is a Mixed media piece. I started with Black canvas and used paper towel with SPaint stick rubbings, decorative rice paper, cheese cloth, metallic paint, beads. I had fun playing with this piece and using some mixed media that I am not used to working with. I think it may be to crowded but still enjoyed the process. Coments welcome

Rita Legere

www.mooseandcrow.com

www.gracefulspirit.blogspot.com

Leaving Home

24½” x 16¼”, Satin, Polyester, Angelina fiber, beads

Update 10/13/09: I had comments that I should add some flame to the rocket, both in comments and from my husband, so I did. The new picture also has the border sewn on to the foam core so it's somewhat trimmer.
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There are only two fabrics that I used in this piece. The black satin shouted to me for the background, and the polyester piece, scraps from a blouse I just finished, had even the basic shapes which I only smoothed out. The rocket shape came from one of the copyright-free photos, and I used metallic foils for it. Then Angelina, with paper foil stars embedded in it, an experiment that only partially worked, because if the Angelina is thick enough, the stars don't show up, and if it's thin, they aren't held in very well. I added beads in part to help hold the Angelina on.

The earth came from another photo from the NASA pictures, and printed on photo transfer paper. It was when I put that in that the title became obvious.

I quilted the piece lightly with metallic thread. It is mounted on foam core, and I still need to sew down the edges and will probably stitch around the rocket, at least, to hold it down more smoothly. Comments welcome as always!

Kalahari from Space

I decided to do something a little different for this challenge and use a photo of earth taken from 400 miles above the surface. I'm posting the photo here as well as my attempt to interpret it. As someone on the internet said, from that distance, Earth is abstract art. I have to admit that I'm not terribly happy with this. I'd like it to have a little more 'fire.' But at least it's a little different. I started with a plain yellow background and then added lines of color with almost everything in my arsenal--crayolas, ink pens, Sharpies, pencils, etc. Stitched on top of all of that. The photo on the right is the original satellite photo.

Thanks for a fun challenge! Comments and suggestions welcome!

Saturn

Saturn 16" x 16"
Discharged black cotton. A little bit of paint and a lot of thread. Metallic threads in the rings and black thread on black background don't make for good photography!
Thanks for another great challenge!

Fires of Arnica by Jeanne Knudsen

I live just 50 miles away from Yellowstone National Forest and last week as the "Arnica" fires raged to over 9000acres the air and sky outside became smokey. This is from a photo I took outside our front door. It was mid day, but the sun was red/orange. I used felt I melted for the tree branches, silk leaves, and put a brown tinted tulle over the piece and then quilted it. Not exactly "outer space" but it is my space looking out. I encourage critique!

Challenge 37

After about 30 tries I finally figured out that I have to accept terms of service in order to post my photo. Sooo here it is. I used hand dyed and commercial fabric, including velvets and sheers. I used raw edge applique, and free motion and satin stitches.

Exploding Star

With a very full calendar this month, I only had a short time to devote to FFFC. I love the challenge, and all those wonderful Nebula Photos, but when looking through my stash to start my entry, this fabric that I had hand dyed got my attention. It seemed to say exploding star to me. Using Angelina fibers, I made a slurry of various colors and created a 8 x 10 mesh of fibers. From that I cut some strips and sewed them to my background. Next I used some set-a-color pens and drew some of the wispy lines, then used embroidery to complete my design. The quilting is intended to accent the flow of the piece. I’m not sure it looks very “starry”, but I love the colors and the sparkle. I’m pleased with its general appearance, but wish I had more time to make it special…. Maybe later. Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Challenge #37

Here's the Two Moon Junction piece I did for Challenge #37- Outer Spaces. Its also my first entry into this group. The piece is only 8 1/2 by 11 inches. It was fast if nothing else.

Ganymede Trumps Jupiter

This is my first group challenge, and it was a blast! The piece is 18x20" (I can never remember--do you list height or width first?) and I think I'm going to call it "Ganymede Trumps Jupiter."

I ran across a NASA (copyright-free) photo of Ganymede, one of the moons of Jupiter, and was fascinated by its textures and colors (I'm sure it was color-enhanced), so I decided to replicate it by stitching painted Tyvek to fabric and shrink-melting it. It looked a little lonely on its own, so I found a picture of Jupiter and used hand-dyed fabric and acrylic paint to recreate it. I took some artistic license with this piece; Ganymede is MUCH larger, proportional to Jupiter, than it should be, but I like it that way. The photos are a little misleading; they show a sparkly (star-filled?) background because I used clear invisible thread for the quilting, but it's not nearly so obvious in the real piece.

This is the first art quilt I've created in a VERY long time, and I'm thrilled that the challenge pushed me toward creativity. This was exactly what I was looking for when I joined the group! Please feel free to offer critiques.

Michele

Black Hole

15 x 20
This has been a fun challenge producing great results! I chose to do a black hole, no particular one as I was working with colors I had on hand. Background fabric is commercial. For the different materials (black hole), I used Angelina Fibers and painted, twisted cheesecloth. Both materials/techniques are new to me. Embellishment is beads in the center of the black hole and some metallic thread quilting.

Thanks Cherie for a fun challenge and great websites for inspiration. Comments are welcome and appreciated.

Pam

Flamboyant Galaxy

Like Chris, I've had this piece and have been agonizing over next steps. It started as an abstract drawing which morphed into a small 8x11 piece and then I enlarged it to the current size - 45x36. In the pictures, Galaxy 3 has the black/white trim on two corners; Galaxy 2 has more black/white trim in the body; and in Galaxy 1 I also added some more moons in the lower right corner. I've looked at this piece for so long that it's become difficult for me to separate what works and what doesn't. So I'm posting it to this challenge. Thanks for you input!

Spiral Galaxy by Cynthia Ann Morgan

Cool challenge...lots of beautiful images from space to choose from. I chose a spiral galaxy called the Whirlpool Galaxy some 25 million light-years away. My different technique was discharge. I sprayed and brushed on diluted bleach to a piece of green hand dyed cotton, to get the general spiral effect...then I added highlights and shaping and some metallic thread quilting.

Update: I added a few minor elements - the photo on the left is the revised piece. Had some advice about some darker contrasts and some sparkly, so decided to do some subtle changes...which I like! Had a mishap with the foil glue and the foil looked like globs plopped onto top. Mother of invention...I found I could "reshape" the foil with quilting around it, plus it looks more integrated that way and less of the afterthought that it was.

Comments and greetings welcome!

Cynthia

Thanks to Cherie for an exciting challenge!

butterfly nebula

This was a great challange. Thank you Cherie. I loved all the great sites to
visit. I chose to recreate the Butterfly nebula from the Hubble site. I felt
this waS a good chance to try silk hankie. It seemed the perfect material for
this nebula. I also included angelina fibers. The planet is made from two
different brocades - one a poly stretch. The entire piece is covered with
charcoal gray tulle, then hand quilted and beaded. What a blast!
Pat Havey

Many Moons

I am having a very stupid day. I have done this post about four times and each time, I push one wrong button and it disappears into that outer space continuium we are attempting to show in this challenge.

This is hand painted with thickened dyes....first attempt. Fun and maybe again sometime.

Comments are very welcome.

Sea Ranch Carol

Starship Enterprise

Thank you Cheri for this fun challenge.  I used two new products for the first time, Lutradur, and Transfer Artist Paper (TAP).   I found free pics of the starship on-line and added the lettering USS Enterprise in Photoship, then printed to TAP, and heat transfered the image to Lutradur.  Next I took some blue fabric and discharged it with bleach to make the galaxy.  The starship was added to my galaxy, and netting and sequin-stars were added.  This piece is 11" x 12 1/4".  Linda Mac in WY

Sun Storm 12"x19"

For this piece I got brave and actually used my new Babylock Embellisher! I have had it since July and hadn't even plugged it in...haa

The sun is entirely created on the embellisher, and then zapped with heat to bubble and create 'holes' into lower levels of fabric. I don't even know how many different fabrics and fibers I felted together, maybe 20 or more, organza, chiffon, metallic lame, tulle, metallic studded net and chiffon....it was so much fun I didn't want to stop LOL.

The background/'flames' are done with silk hankie in several colors and white, chiffon, metallic etc , then thread painted and quilted with different metallics as well as monofiliment.

The sun is appliqued onto the background and a very deep burgundy metallic and fuzzy textured yarn is couched along the edge to create a sense of depth.

Your comments are as always welcome and appreciated :-)

Cherie

Nebula

This is my first post ever....! Joining Fast Friday has given me the creative freedom to challenge myself.

I used wool roving, painted tyvek, beads, and lots of free-motion, also my first ever!!!!

I need lots of help and practice, but for a first attempt I am thrilled!

Hope I did this posting correctly. Thank you for allowing me to participate. Jane Stricker

Challenge 37: Somewhere out There

This quilt is about 28 by 30 inches. All the background fabrics were painted or dyed on white fabric by me.
I "globbed" on different colors, sprayed a little water, then shaped the fabric into a ball and let it dry outside. I used three different pieces of fabric prepared in this way. After they were ironed, washed, and ironed again, I cut them into four inch squares. The white irregular area was partially in the fabric, but I extended it with white fabric paints. The circles I had painted on initially using a lid dipped into white paint to create open circles. Then I filled the circles in with metallic paints, hoping I created dimension in the circles as moving heavenly bodies of some sort. I quilted over the surface in lined star shapes using different variegated and metallic threads. I had no idea how this would end up when I started, but this is my preferred method of working. Just begin with some fabric and see where it takes you.

FFFC Challenge #37

Hostess: Cherie Brown

Nature Theme: Outer Space
This can be any interpretation of space or from space you choose.
Here are some inspiring photos and artists renditions of stars, nebulae and planets, as well as astronauts and spaceships.
This is a fun interactive space site from Hubble: http://heritage.stsci.edu/2007/16/images/i0716bw.jpg
The Hubble website: http://hubblesite.org/gallery
Black hole: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/black-holes-gallery.html
Copyright free photos : http://gimp-savvy.com/PHOTO-ARCHIVE/NASA/page1.html
This is my favorite site : http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
Be sure to get permission to use any copyright images. I have had good response from all I have requested. Most are more than happy to grant permission.
Here’s some links to see Art based on outer space:
http://www.outer-space-art-gallery.com/galactic-gallery.html
http://www.spaceprime.com/spaceart.htm http://visionafar.spaceart.org/

Techniques: Different materials and embellishments
The sky’s the limit (pardon the pun). Let your imagination roam and try different fabrics (sheers, velvets, suede cloth, and metallic. How about foiling, beading, crystals? Perhaps try some heat altered and painted Tyvek or Lutradur?
http://www.joggles.com/lutradurtutorial.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7gebEy2XXc
http://judyperez.blogspot.com/2006/05/lutradur.html http://www.sewfunpatterns.com/tyvek.html
http://wildonionstudio.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/umbria-roof-fibertiles
This is a great site with many different techniques:
Fun With Embellishments: http://www.greatamericanquilt.com/pdffiles/embellishments.pdf
Have fun with this and play with some new materials and techniques.

Conception

Hi All. I am posting a work fitting challenge 36, transparency. I love to work with transparent silk organza. This piece experiments with a free layered collage. You can lift each layer to discover a new concept on each page. I'm not sure whether I will leave it as is or place it on stretcher bars- which will mean it will be fixed in place.

What do you think?

Conception    Transparent multi- layered collage. Dyed, painted, mono print, script, sewn. Silk organza and cotton .   15hx14w     

Stained glass

This stained glass sits in my basement window and offers a lovely altered view of the outdoors. I used three layers of sheers - one for the jug, another for the glass in the stained glass window and another for the glass in the actual window (behind the stained glass). I sewed them all to water soluble stabilizer and later added the background. This was a lot of fun!

Blue Ridge Sunrise

As a brand new member, this is my first challenge. It's just 4x6, but it's my first experience using sheers, and I'm also just learning to quilt by machine. I was inspired by two things that have always fascinated me -- the delicate coloring of an early morning sky, and the magical Blue Ridge Mountains in NC, where my parents used to live. I used layers of organza to try to capture the look of the mountains. /Jill Williams

Morning's Moon Set

This piece was my first attempt at using sheer fabrics. The photo underneath was taken as the moon was setting one wonderful morning. I was trying to capture the rosy-apricot still calm of the morning. I used organza overlay and silk transparent ribbon. There is some novelty yarn at the horizon line which provides some texture. The piece is 9" by 11". This was a good exercise for me to get over my "fear" of Sheer.....LOL. Your comments are most welcome. Clearly I need to do a better job of taking the photo straight...Donna

drop in

I started this quilt for the July challange. Due to family problems I never had a chance to finish it. Yesterday I finally had a chance to think about it and it seemed to me to fit both July and August so I finished it and am entering it now.
I started with four layers of fabric and cut away layers for the right effect. I edge stitched all the pieces because they had no other way of staying in place. The leaf is cut from printed fabric and painted with Sheva stix. The leaf shadow is net. It is very unusual for me to work with blue anything. I have a lot of blue pieces in my stash but never seem to use them. This piece has blue faille, dark blue chiffon, silver lame andice blue chiffon. It was a great challange. Thank you! Pat Havey

Tern and Flags

I have chosen to work from a photograph from a recent vacation. The fish are under layers of chiffon that is quilted with both holographic thread and sliver thread.

"Bend Don't Break" (10"x16")

Skeleton leaves on a discharged homespun with stitch. I haven't done a quilt in months, so this was a good challenge for me. Went for a high horizon with somewhat transparent leaves. More dimensional in person!

Beach at Sunrise

(Renamed from Beach Sunset)
19 1/2" x 21"
Polyester, rayon, cotton,plastic mesh, Angelina fiber, Polyfil batting

I began by pulling out all my gauzier fabrics and a bag of plastic mesh from food packaging, and began laying everything on a yellow background until something clicked that it should be blue. It was all pretty delicate until I dug further and found the black and white fabric and tucked pieces of that in and around the scene. The water is the same fabric as the sky, but overlaid with blue plastic mesh and some wavy thread-painting.

I added Polyfil clouds and Angelina fiber for the sunset, and finally overlaid it all with a fine white gauze. I used clear thread for all the stitching; this was one piece where I didn't want to add any other color with the thread. I was planning for less sky to show, and hence have a higher horizon, but it seemed to want to expand upward with the clouds.

9/7/09 Update. I've got this mounted now, and used my Tsukineko ink technique to do some shading at the top and upper sides for a better sky. Comments welcome!

Challenge #36-Misty Valley by Elaine Koenig

I used some purple fabric from a scarf and misty fuse on cheese cloth. Layered the fabric to get darker colors and stitched edges. It needed "something" so tried foiling it and then added green "trees" with paint stick. zigzagged the birds. I had to put it on a white back in order to see it. Transparent fabrics have unique problems but I want to try this again and make a true transparent piece. I have a lot of ideas! Critiques are welcome. Elaine