Buddha Quilt
I have been busy to prepare some new quilts, patterns and designs, that I intend to share with you here the next few weeks.
I am still fascinated with Buddha sculptures, so I had to make another quilt or two...The idea was to create some texture, that is sculpture like, so I looked for some textured fabrics. I found some very nice ones, some of them were like stone, some more like metal, dark and light, but the one, that stood the best in front of a dark background was this batik, that I chose. If you look in your stash with the eye for "Buddha face" you might be surprised to find something you have never suggested.
I tried two backgrounds, black and dark brown silky velour or velvet kind of fabric, that has a wonderful, soft touch and a nice texture.
On this one I used fusible web to cut out the pieces. I ironed them on through another layer of cotton, for the background does not like iron very much. I cut out the larger shadows (chin, eyebrow, eyelid, under the nose) from a darker batik fabric. The rest of the lines and shadows were sewn with a dark brown thread, the hair with satin stitches, the mouth with straight free motion stitching.
The other one was made differently. Again I used fusible web, but I cut out all the areas, that are darker, I cut out small lines of the hair, the eyebrow, the nose, under the lips, so that the background fabric would show and create the shadows itself. The chin is a darker brown batik fabric. This one was stitched down with straight stitches in free motion sewing, some more shading was put on the face. Actually the edges of this one is a little less clear, but it is question of execution, not necessarily the method. You might be able to make it nicer, perhaps try both methods for yourself or combine the techniques to find out which result you like the best.
The lotus flower and the leaves are made of silks and satins on the first one, the second has batik cotton leaves. I used one white satin, one pink satin, two different pink silks. The satins shine, the silks have a wonderful silky glow. I love the way they reflect light differently from every angle you look at it. I made the flower separately on a piece of interfacing, to reduce the distortion of the backgound fabric, that all the free motion stitching causes on the flower. I cut it around afterwards and place it on the background as an applique piece.Here again you can decide, if you would like to attach it with satin stitches or free motion straight stitches. Both of them look great, depends on what you prefer.
The text is done with fusible web and gold satin. I used a very light weight satin, for the letters are quite small. The text says OM MANI PADME HUM with Tibetan letters. All the edges are satin stitched.
The quilting design, that I chose reminds me of the hair of many Buddha sculptures, little circles with a curve in it. I found it suitable to cover the background evenly and thoroughly. The effect I wanted to attain is to push the background down, so that the face, the flower, the letters may camber, emerge more.
This pattern is going to be available on Craftsy.com at quilt patters in a couple of days.
Kits will be available on my wesite soon, keep looking if you are interested.
Happy quilting.