Challenge Myself For Cactus Monday & Go To The Movies

Today I gave myself a challenge for an art piece...an art quiltlet. This piece is 8" X 15" and the challenge was to only use scraps of fabric from either my floor, design table, or next to the sewing machine. Nothing new on the front.

I wanted to use both my embellish/felting machine and my sewing machine. I had no design or plan in mind. I picked up the scraps and they consisted of: recycled green dyed by me drier sheets (2); orange felt, pieces of brown, dark green and yellow felt. And one strip of cotton green/brown fabric. I did take a new sheet of golden felt as a background from my stash.

As I turned and twisted the drier sheet strips (I also denied myself the use of scissors...I had to use the pieces as they were unless I could tear them by hand)...so I tore strips of green dryer sheets and as I twisted the drier sheets it became apparent that I was making a cactus. Okay tomorrow is Cactus Monday so this needed to be completed by late tonight so I could post it on my blog by tomorrow.

I invented a cactus modeled by none I'd ever seen. I machine felted all the scraps onto the golden sheet of felt; I added some threads from my thread nest that sits by my machines, but they are hidden now by other pieces of fabric; and the brown strip of felted felt twisted itself into a large long snake. More felt pieces elongated the piece and added depth, some plant life and rocks.

I allowed myself to pull a new fat quarter from my stash collection for the backing and I brought it forward for a frame around the whole picture. I top sewed the whole piece using variegated thread. I then added multi colored sequins to the cacti and one plant. I used metallic gold thread to hand embroider stitches to add interest and quilting by hand. And used burnt orange embroidery floss to make French knots to the bottom right area for more texture.

I found a piece of brown ribbon in the bag of threads I was using and added it to the bottom and adhered it into place using embroidery floss. I only broke a couple of my own rules for this challenge. I started it around one o'clock today and finished it a bit before eleven tonight.

The colors are more vibrant than the photos show.

Click on photos to enlarge to see details if you want.

I had fun.

Happy Cactus Monday.

Monday night I added another piece from the backing fabric to the back to cover all the embroidery stitchery giving it a nice clean smooth back and more bulk. I hand sewed it in place with nearly invisible stitches. **************************************

And if you missed my first movie yesterday go to the post below this one and watch it. Admission is free. Bring your own popcorn.