SAQA Technique Smorgasbord
Yay, I spelled smorgasbord correctly!
But, on to the good stuff. I belong to a wonderful organization called Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA.) With over 3000 members worldwide, this group is a WEALTH of information and resources. Here in Florida, we’ve divided our state up into regional “pods.” Yep. That makes us pod people.
Our pod is really awesome. It’s filled with talented and enthusiastic women who love to share with and advise one another. During the summer we had a meeting in which everyone brought an example of their favorite technique. It was really interesting! You’d think we’d all know these tricks by now, but there were several unique things, as well as others we wanted to learn more about.
Mary Dyer reminded us about painting on paper-backed fusible web. (She used Wonder Under.) The moisture makes the paper dry crinkly, which produces a neat effect. Once dry, the paper can be peeled off and the fusible web fused to fabric. It gives a subtle coloration. There are lots of cool results shown around the web.
Click any image for a better view
Kay Smith showed us a very cool fabric manipulation technique. Not sure of the name. Poofs?
She even showed us how to do it. I don’t remember the details, but the photo pretty much explains it. Once “poofy” a lightweight interfacing is ironed on to hold the shape.
Several of the presentations had to do with finishing or displaying our quilts. Sherrill Pryor showed us how she’s been mounting finished work on deep painted canvasses.
I explained how to understitch a facing. It’s not very glamorous, but it really helps the facing turn to the back. (Of course, I use it on quilt facings, not garments. Who has time to sew garments after discovering quilting?)
Mindy Marik got creative with thrift store yarn, leftover thread, and her cording foot. She twisted up to five yarns together and zigzag stitched them. This produced a lovely thick yarn.
Which she uses as an edge finish on small quilts. And to make baskets, coasters, and all sorts of things.
Kathryn Robinson has become quite adept at manipulating images in her computer and printing them to fabric. She showed us a couple of examples.
These small samples started as photographs, but she has greatly altered them with Photoshop.
Gabriele DiTota makes up new ways of doing things as she goes. Her dragon was painted on black fabric, cut out, padded, and placed onto her quilt.
Wow! Do I have talented friends or what?
Ellen Lindner
P.S. Learn how to face a quilt with instructions on my website.
