I love to sew for children, so I decided to make a quilt for a grandchild whose birthday was coming up. After looking at my sewing journal for ideas, I created my fabric art design on graph paper. Because I have so many scraps in my sewing basket, and after a month or so of thinking about it, I started on a quilt. The journal of collected ideas prompted my design.
Sometimes, however, just color and texture create a nice quilt. For example, I recently made a rag quilt from flannel. Simply cut out squares of flannel for the top and bottom, and sandwich in a square of batting. You can also change the shape or size of the squares and come up with something unique. Then, cut out your squares, and sandwich them together with batting and another square of material. Next, sew an X, or whatever quilting design you choose on each square. When you are finished, sew them all together. https://youtu.be/L8iwWA-VeXE The quilt I made was a soft and cozy gift for a small grandchild. My son told me that his little girl rolled herself up in the quilt.
In my sewing journal, I have added patterns from nature, from books, materials, and ideas from other artists to enhance my fabric art. Nature has provided ever-changing colors, shapes, and designs. In addition, another rich source of inspiration comes from artists all over the world. Mixed media and fabric artists always catch my interest. Thankfully, some are showing and publishing their work. I am building my own library from my favorites. One example of beautiful fabric art is Annemieke Mein’s designs. Her textile works are detailed creations inspired by nature. They are gorgeous.
https://indulgy.com/post/EdKgGcVRZ1/annemieke-mein-textile-art
But she is not alone. The art in the world of fabric and mixed media has exploded, and because of the internet, we can see the work of artists from all over the world. There are women like Ruth McDowell and Jane Dunnewold who are also adding to my collection of fabric art.
In conclusion, it is important to seek out other artists and experiment with new techniques. It keeps art alive in all forms. Developing and recording ideas in a journal will give you a great reference for future ideas. It will grow your creative side, and keep your fabric art alive.