Three-Dimensional Art Quilts

Simply Quilts : Episode QLT-1134 -- More Projects »

Instructions provided courtesy of quilt artist Esterita Austin.

PDF
Simplified Siena Pattern

The major objective of Esterita Austin's imagery is creating the illusion of depth. She finds inspiration in the drama created by a strong light source. The bright highlights and dark, rich shadows created by a single light source create this sense of drama. She achieves this by juxtaposing very light fabrics against very dark in at least one area on the quilt. This technique creates the visual "Pop" and the illusion of depth. For the highlighted areas she generally uses warm colors (which come forward) and in her dark shadowed areas she uses cool colors (which recede).

Materials:

pattern
black background fabric, (larger than pattern)
3-groups of fabric fanned out by value*
freezer paper**
8" x 10" sheet of white Saral® transfer paper
parchment paper
Misty White® or Misty Black® fusible web
ballpoint pen
craft knife
rotary cutter and mat
iron
transparent tape
flower head pins
painter's tape
*Three groups of fabric fanned out by value include: light, medium and dark, and values in between for complementary values.
**Tape freezer paper together if necessary to match the size of your pattern.
Note: Your materials will depend on your image and finished size.

Preliminary Steps:

Choose an art pattern or create a pattern from a photo
Choose a photo with strong lights and darks
Trace the photo onto an acetate sheet (available at art or office supply stores)
While tracing make sure you have completed shapes (no lines floating in space).
Label the values in each shape: dark, medium or light, according to the values in the photo. Choose as many color values as desired—medium light, very dark, etc.
Number each shape
Take the acetate tracing to a copy shop; have them make a printout enlarged to your pattern size

Figure A

Figure B

Steps:

1. Tape the black background fabric to a table or other hard surface.

2. Pin the pattern, taken from a traced photograph onto the fabric (figure A). Note: The pattern should have numbers and letters as guides for placement and value selection, d=dark, m=medium, l=light. Value is the key.

3. Freezer paper is pinned on last, shinny side down (dull side up) (figure B). The templates will be cut from this paper and are the puzzle pieces, which will be reassembled according to the tracing guide you will be tracing on the background.

4. Create both the templates and traced guidelines in one step.

5. Slide a piece of white (yellow) Saral® or other transfer paper between the pattern and fabric, making sure the chalk side faces the fabric.

Figure C

Figure D

6. Trace the outline of the pattern underneath onto the freezer paper with a ballpoint pen with firm pressure (figure C). Bare down hard to ensure a clear tracing on the freezer paper and a crisp tracing on the fabric. Reposition the transfer paper when necessary to ensure it's always under the pen carefully. Note: Include all numbers and value letters as you trace.

7. The transfer tracing on your background fabric is your guide to re-placing your fabric puzzle (figure D).

8. Fan out fabrics in piles of dark, medium, and light these will correlate to the values labeled on the quilt.

Next >>

1 | 2

Also in this Episode

Simply Quilts : Episode QLT-1134
•	Three-Dimensional Art Quilts

Crafts

Three-Dimensional Art Quilts

Tools

MOST POPULAR

Crafts

Three-Dimensional Art Quilts

Tools

MOST POPULAR

Home and Garden Ideas from our sponsors