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STITCHING ON QUILTS

© Barbara Mullan

Ozquilt Network Newsletter Issue #35 MARCH 2000

I am writing this article after reading the December Ozquilt Network Newsletter. Thanks to all the writers for the inspiration to do so. The relative peace and tranquillity of a spell in the country, away from the activities and distractions of city life, allows time to reflect on the more creative aspects of our quilting.

All quilters experiment with fabrics and designs. At present I am exploring the many possibilities of the stitches which hold the layers together. I am working through the Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia with Meg Douglas who has generously offered time to ponder queries together, and to make suggestions from her enormous storehouse of knowledge and ideas in order to develop my embroidery skills and knowledge which was very minimal until about three years ago. I have discovered that the straight stitching technique which I have been using for years, holds many possibilities.

On one quilt I recently used straight stitches and hand dyed thread to create a completely textured background giving a seeded effect by randomly running stitches back and forth by hand over the area in runs of chosen colours to give the colour effect desired. Larger stitches in wool were used to order these stitches into groups. The stitches not only held the layers together but were an important part of the overall effect. I have discovered size, grouping and colours play an important part in this technique. I am exploring straight machine stitching to give an embroidered effect adding to the already 3D effect of layering. This technique is very suited to art quilts. Couching, satin stitch and other embroidery techniques hold other worlds of possibilities.

© Barbara Mullan 1999
 

Goods and Services Tax (GST) For art quilts purchased in Australia, a Goods and Services Tax (GST) is applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST".

For international purchases, the GST is only applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST" and where a quilt is purchased and not delivered within 60 days of the date of purchase.