Samples from Balancing Act
Workshop Details for Balancing Act
Let's return to the original concept of patching a hole with a roughly square or rectangular piece of cloth and explore the fascinating world of Balancing Act art quilts.
Start by cutting fabrics into strips and sewing them together to create a dynamic composition. Continuously cut more strips from the new piece and sew them together until you achieve a balanced arrangement.
Use contrasting fabric to create thin outlines that add a unique character to the quilt. These linear elements beautifully contrast with the patchwork shapes. Various options exist for adding linear embellishments, such as threads, tapes, ribbons, and quilting stitches.
Embrace spontaneity and work with gusto and speed. Perfection is not the goal here. The contrasts in colors, sizes, shapes, and lines create a captivating rhythm that will make the viewer's eye dance over the finished piece. Each effort becomes a study in abstraction, guaranteed to catch and hold anyone's attention.
Balancing Act is the perfect choice for quilters who seek a departure from the strict discipline of piecing perfection and are ready to explore new horizons. It's worth noting that these quilts are particularly effective when made from silk fabrics. Get ready to embark on a creative journey like no other!
Start by cutting fabrics into strips and sewing them together to create a dynamic composition. Continuously cut more strips from the new piece and sew them together until you achieve a balanced arrangement.
Use contrasting fabric to create thin outlines that add a unique character to the quilt. These linear elements beautifully contrast with the patchwork shapes. Various options exist for adding linear embellishments, such as threads, tapes, ribbons, and quilting stitches.
Embrace spontaneity and work with gusto and speed. Perfection is not the goal here. The contrasts in colors, sizes, shapes, and lines create a captivating rhythm that will make the viewer's eye dance over the finished piece. Each effort becomes a study in abstraction, guaranteed to catch and hold anyone's attention.
Balancing Act is the perfect choice for quilters who seek a departure from the strict discipline of piecing perfection and are ready to explore new horizons. It's worth noting that these quilts are particularly effective when made from silk fabrics. Get ready to embark on a creative journey like no other!
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Supplies for Balancing Act
Fabrics for this workshop can be made from cotton or silk fibers. If you work with silk, expect greater distortion in the shapes due to the slipperiness of the fabrics. If you want to use silk, make sure you buy SILK, not silky satin, acrylic, or polyester! Fuse all the silk fabrics to lightweight spun polyester interfacing before attending the workshop.
Whatever the fiber content, the fabrics you choose should include a few prints (2-4), and the rest should be solids. Hand-printed and hand-dyed cloth imparts a unique character to the designs. Include one very dark color and one very light color. Otherwise, all fabrics should be loosely coordinated to the prints.
Whatever the fiber content, the fabrics you choose should include a few prints (2-4), and the rest should be solids. Hand-printed and hand-dyed cloth imparts a unique character to the designs. Include one very dark color and one very light color. Otherwise, all fabrics should be loosely coordinated to the prints.
- 8-12 pieces of fabric, fat quarters or larger
- 1 large piece of fabric (2 yds?) for the backing and binding; this should be the same as any single face fabric
- 1 piece of batting up to 36" x 36"
- Rotary cutting equipment: mat, cutter, ruler
- Sewing machine and kit (needles, pins, thread snips, etc.)
- Thread to match for piecing; contrast or decorative thread for quilting
- Embellishments to coordinate with the fabrics (may or may not be used)
- Irons and ironing boards will be needed