Watercolour Quilting is the media of choice for those of us who would have liked to have become watercolour painting artists, but never quite "got around to it". We developed a passion for textiles, sewing and quilting before our passion for painting developed....or perhaps the painting passion led to textile arts....
My first exposure to watercolour (watercolor) quilting was in flyer in an American Fabric store showing award-winning quilts. #3 was a watercolour quilt. I had to make one!!!! (and I had never even quilted before).
We celebrated our silver wedding anniversary on a trip to New York City. The feature exhibition at the METROPOLITAN MUSEUM was the wonderful ANNENBURG collection of FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST ART. How exhilarating to see original MONET, RENOIR, VAN GOGH and the other French Impressionists in a private collection. Two years later the BARNES COLLECTION was displayed at the ART GALLERY of ONTARIO. The impressionist paintings capture the beauty of nature and the special effects of light and colour values on canvas. In Watercolour Quilting, we combine these effects plus the skills of quilting leads us to "paint with fabric". Hence, the name, watercolour quilting.
Watercolour quilting is a sophisticated evolution of Scrap quilting. Watercolour quilting gives us, textile collectors, an excuse to showcase the fabrics we have so lovingly collected, hoarded, traded, swapped and purchased and received as gifts on gift registries. Very few watercolour quilts contain more than 6 or 8 pieces of fabric from the same bolt.
There are three main methods of watercolour quilting.
1. 2 inch squares.....arranged and rearranged according to colour values as developed by Dierdre Amsden of England (called colourwash), and presented by Donna Slusser and Pat Magaret of Pullman Washington, and Gai Parry. All of the above have written books on the subject and have web pages.
2.Watercolour Strip Piecing as developed by Deanna Spingola of Chicago, Illinois. We have read books by Deanna Spingola, viewed her web page regularly, have a copy of one of her patterns to make as soon as I finish collecting the 30 different pieces of fabric necessary. Deanna uses 2" strips, pieced together. I attended an all-day workshop with Deanna Spingola and learned so much from her.
3.1" strips is a relatively less known, but very interesting technique, mastered by Vicky Wells of St Cloud Florida. Her work is AMAZING. Currently, I am experimenting with this technique, hoping to integrate it into some of my quilting and Judaica.
A blending of fabric colour values is more interesting than creating contrast. Impressions of colour emerge. Specific colours do develop but they are less important to the overall effect of the "picture".
Watercolour quilts (watercolor/colourwash/colourwash) bring emotional responses to most who view them. They are suitable and adaptable for use as wall hangings, wearable clothing, home decor items, religious and liturgical textiles and garments and wall hangings.
By its nature, watercolour quilting is a puzzle. The textile artist arranges, sits back and rearranges the pieces of fabric until the picture you have created is "right". Fabric can be arranged vertically and horizontally or "en pointe".
The pieces of fabric are arranged, rearranged, and switched with other pieces of fabric from the collection until it "feels good" to the artist. Once the artist is "pleased" with the total picture, The artist takes the squares down from the design wall, and starts sewing the rows together, being careful not to change the arrangement so that the picture will develop as planned on the design wall. While planning, the artist must keep in mind that there is a one quarter inch seam around all sides of each square which will not be seen when it is sewn together.
In a watercolour quilt, finished measuring about 16" square, pieces of approximately 60 or 70 different fabrics will be used. It is inappropriate to place two pieces of fabric from the same piece next to each other. Rarely, will more than 3 or 4 pieces in a piece be from the same piece of fabric.
Please feel free to look at my other pages containing pictures of my work, both watercolour quilting and other techniques.
Click here for my latest watercolour liturgical art
If you are a quilter or sewing person who thinks they may be interested in learning more about watercolour quilting, please check out
www.quiltropolis.com, and click onto "lists". Join us on the WATERCOLOUR QUILTING LIST. For fabric selection suggestions, click onto the Quiltropolis site, click onto PHOTO ALBUMS, and check out WCQUILT FABRIC SELECTION and REACHIE SELECTION albums. Also, please check out our "LINKS" on the homepage for other samples of wcquilts and fabric sources.
The above aquatic scene is a quilttop, which was started by MARILYN LEVY, then worked on by VICKY WELLS, CLARA BASKIN, PATTY KATZ and ARLENE FRANKS and returned to MARILYN LEVY. This is called a "ROUND ROBIN". Created in 1998.
All work shown is the property of the artist and may NOT be reproduced without permission
watercolor watercolour colorwash colourwash quilting ideas for all. watercolour quilted / pieced tallitot, tallit tallis talis talit bags are lovely to view, wonderful to hold and a pride to the owner
kipot kepas kippot kippos yarmulkes can be created with wcquilting as well as other piecining techniques.
This page was last updated: October 27, 2015
Marilyn Levy, a custom textile artist from Hamilton, Ontario Canada, is known as the TALLITmaaven. She creates hand made Tallitot/ Tallis/ Talis/ Talesim/ talis katan and talit gadol. She creates coordinating Tallit bags, Tefillin bags, shofar bags and kippot/ kipas/ keepahs/ yarmulkes to complete the TALLIT/ talis set..
The TALLITmaaven's challah covers are treasured by their recipients for their personalization (matching decor, fine china, user's personalities, matching theme for weddings or B'nai mitzvot.). The TALLITmaaven prides herself in creating beautiful items that will be cherished for generations to come.
When it's HANDMADE it means that it comes from the HEART "
My first exposure to watercolour (watercolor) quilting was in flyer in an American Fabric store showing award-winning quilts. #3 was a watercolour quilt. I had to make one!!!! (and I had never even quilted before).
