If you’ve been following along with my current projects, you’ll know I’ve been firmly in a landscape mood lately - this year really does seem to have taken on that theme or at least trees! And I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying the process.
This week, I’ve started building the background for my art quilt. I’m not at the stitching stage just yet, but I’m getting closer and this is one of those stages I always find both freeing and full of possibility.
To begin, I layer up a backing and batting, both cut larger than the eventual finished piece. And no, I haven’t decided on the final size yet - that’s one of the joys of creating art quilts, letting the piece evolve as it develops. On top of that, I add a base fabric to build on. I find this much easier than working directly onto the batting, even if it does mean stitching through an extra layer.
At this stage, I’m completely ignoring the foreground trees. Right now, it’s all about establishing the backdrop. I fuse each fabric piece, remove the backing paper, and then cut it into shape. The placement is quite intuitive. I loosely refer to my photo for guidance, but I allow myself plenty of freedom to work.
Here’s how things are progressing so far:
I always begin with the sky being the most distant. Layering creates distance so always start with the pieces furtherest away. In this instance, it is also the largest area so creating it helps set the tone for the entire piece. Each strip is cut freeform, no need for a pattern.
After the first initial pieces are laid, I add more to the top left section... this is where the most white space appears in my reference photo, making it a natural place to start shaping the composition. Note: White space (or negative space as it is often called) is the empty area around and between elements in a design. It isn't necessarily unused space nor white in color but rather an important design feature that helps guide the viewer’s eye, creates balance, and gives the composition room to breathe.
Next, I add in the ground along the bottom edge, beginning to anchor the landscape.
Finally, I introduced a band of trees to define the horizon line, along with a few vertical elements to suggest depth and structure.
As I was working, it struck me how much this process feels like painting. Each piece of fabric acts like a brushstroke, gradually building up the image. It opens up so many creative possibilities too. I could explore using fabric paints, pencils, dyes, or even crayons to create similar effects. Definitely something to experiment with - perhaps in the next art quilt!
At the moment, nothing is permanently pressed in place. I like to let the piece sit for a while and revisit it with fresh eyes. This gives me the chance to ask those important questions: Does it need more? Less? Something different? Since this is only the background, there’s still plenty of room to refine before moving forward.
I’ll keep checking in with it over the coming months and share more as it evolves - so be sure to follow along... or join in and stitch along with your own creation by cutting some simple shapes and adding them to a base fabric layered with batting and backing fabric. Be sure to share what you're doing!
PS: If you missed the first two posts in this art quilt series, you can find them here:
