A few more details on the making of the geese...

Linda Friedman asked some questions in a comment about some of techniques I used to make the geese. I thought it would be good to give that information in a post, so here it is:

I did not use patterns or paper templates to cut out the individual smaller fabric pieces that I used to make the collaged geese. I laid the paper diagram of the goose showing my value areas on a light table, and then laid the fabric on the paper diagram.  I used a marker to mark the outline of the shape I wanted to cut out on the fabric. I could easily see through the fabric with the light table, and this saved me the time and effort of cutting out a bunch of freezer paper pieces.

After marking on the fabrics, I used a small rotary cutter to cut out the shape. Some fabrics were just cut free form with my small rotary cutter. I like a small rotary cutter for jobs like this because I can make turns easily. I also avoid using scissors if I can because it’s easier on my tendonitis plagued wrist.

The fabrics were all fused on the back. I cut out all the collage fabrics for a goose, got them in place on the brown background fabric, and then fused them down once I was satisfied with placement.

I used a machine appliqué raw edge technique for the geese fabrics. After the pieces were fused to the brown fabric, I stitched them to the brown background fabric using my sewing machine. After the collage pieces were stitched to the brown background, the entire goose was stitched to the sandwiched background, batt and backing. I used a curving free motion machine quilting design within the geese to secure them to the quilt.

Thank you for the questions, and visiting my blog!

Making a Gaggle of Geese!

Today's post is about the method I used to make the geese in my "Gaggle of Geese" art quilt. This piece was made for a Flying Geese Quilters Guild challenge - "All Creatures Great and Small".

detail of "Gaggle of Geese"

I used a fabric collage technique for the geese, with a little blending between the fabrics using colored pencil.

Fabric collage requires the use of several fabrics to depict value changes and create interest in a subject. My first step was to create piles of light, medium and dark valued fabrics for the geese.

dark valued fabrics, mostly

light valued fabrics

The challenge had a couple of required fabrics that were tan and brownish, and those drove the colors that I made the geese.

challenge fabrics

These fabrics have tan, brown and blues. 

Each goose had it's own paper “pattern” that depicted the shape of the goose and the major value areas on the goose, ie: light, medium and dark shapes within the goose. 

Each goose also had its own solid brown fabric shape for a background. Here is the brown fabric with the geese patterns on it. Each brown goose shape was cut out. I used brown because it blended with the goose colors well. If the collage fabrics didn't cover every last bit, the brown showing through would be fine.

The collage pieces were placed on the brown background in a trial and error fashion until I got the look I was after. Here are some pictures of the geese showing the fabrics used in them:

My favorite goose is the one on the right. I think the expression on the face is great, and the blending with the colored pencil added a lot on this one. Thanks for visiting my blog!