Carol Fagan 27/05/2023 Carol Fagan 27/05/2023

Collage on a Theme

We have a batch at Mokau and I love to wander round the bush and seashore taking photos and just soaking up inspiration. this small collage is a mixture of prints, paper, fabric and stamps laminated with gel medium top and bottom onto a felt base and quilted in a pebble stitch to make the whole cohesive.

The only image that is definitely Mokau is the bridge at the bottom left - it is from a pamphlet that advertised the small community. All the other images are found bits and pieces that evoke that feeling of being at the seashore. If you look carefully you will see where I have stamped the word Mokau in the middle with small paua embellishments on either side. There are some beads in a grid just above this. The godwit was added as an impact image but I have never seen these birds at the shore. It doesn’t really matter if the focus is on the art collage and not specifically documentary correct

The whole idea is to create something unique in a creative way without it having to cost very much money

Carol Fagan 06/05/2023 Carol Fagan 06/05/2023

Packaging Paper as a Substrate

Woven packaging material used as a substrate on needle made lace

In the above project strips of various packaging materials were cut into random strips and then joined by placing one on top of the other (to create a flat seam) and machine stitched to create long strips. Be sure to clean the packaging material well before you commence.

These strips were then woven together (over one, under one) to create a background. The edges of the weaving were pinned together and a sheer overlay from a recycled skirt was placed over the top and some cotton fabric placed underneath for stability. This sandwich was then free machine quilted in a cobblestone pattern.

The Queen Anne’s Lace was created with free machine embroidery on water soluble fabric. Once the water soluble had been washed away just the lace remained and this was slightly padded under the flower heads and appliqued to the quilt top

I used random packaging but a more coordinated effect could be achieved by colour selection of the packaging material, In the finished quilt it is quite difficult to identify individual packaging but I know there were hand wash soft packaging, camembert cheese. coffee and egg paper from a tray of eggs to name a few.