Fiber Obsession

Garden Buddha in the Grass with Peony

2011-12-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

Last summer I took a class on landscape quilts, and the teacher requested that we bring a photograph to class. Normally I work from my own photos, but being pressed for time, I snagged a picture off a blog posting about peonies (June 15, 2009) written by Valerie Easton (www.valeaston.com). I initially took that picture to class figuring I would just use it to learn new techniques. But then I fell in love both with the photograph and the project. So next I thought it prudent to ask Ms. Easton’s permission to use her photograph before I proceeded to completion. I offered to give her full credit for the photograph that was the inspiration for my work if I displayed the piece anywhere. She graciously gave me permission for its use.

Posted are: 1) the photograph by Valerie Easton; 2) my interpretation of her photograph in cotton, silk, paper, & paint (18.5 x 25 inches); 3) detail of the Buddha; and 4) detail of the peony.

The Cat--A Portrait in Fabric Strips

2011-12-10T15:29:00.001-08:00

Last year, I took a class from Esterita Austin at Empty Spools Seminars near Pacific Grove, CA. Students were supposed to bring to class a picture of a person to use as a template for a wall hanging. Instead, I brought a photograph I took of my female cat, "PT." It was a lot of work to cut all those fabric strips for her fur and to sew each one to a background, but I love the results. This piece, which measures about 35 x 22 inches has won two ribbons at quilt shows in Georgia.

Fabric Mandala--Tropical Vacation

2011-12-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

Like the two previous mandalas, this one measures about 2 feet in diameter. A long time ago, I crocheted the gray lizard and heavily beaded it. Then I put it in a drawer out of site for several years. When I started making mandalas, I thought this guy would be perfect for the center. I surrounded him with bright tropical colors, both in woven fabric strips and chunky acrylic beads. I like to think that he is the one taking the tropical vacation as opposed to a tourist seeing him on his/her vacation.

Fabric Mandala--Swampwise II

2011-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

The alligator was made by English paper piecing. The foundation for this mandala is fabric strips wrapped around clothesline and zigzagged together. There is an overlay of woven fabric strips plus lots of applique motifs. Also some lace, some tulle, and lots of beads. This is the second in a series that pays tribute to Okefenokee Joe, a popular host of a show about the swamp on Georgia Public TV quite a few years ago.

Fabric Mandala--Astral Projection

2011-12-10T15:10:00.000-08:00

This one measures about 2 ft in diameter and is made of fabric coiled around clothesline with surface treatments of applique (mola style) and lots and lots of beads plus paint.

Fabric and Button Mandala

2011-07-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

This fabric plate measures about 10 inches in diameter. In low light the buttons glow. I sold this plate at the Empire Quilt Guild show in Manhattan last March. Yay!

Fire Princess Mandala

2011-07-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

This fabric plate measures about 10 inches in diameter and is available in my Etsy shop. Plate stand included.

Black & White Cookie Fabric Mandala

2010-09-20T18:16:00.000-07:00

I am embarking on a new series of art quilts--mandalas of common objects elevated to divine status. The subject of my first mandala is New York City's black & white cookie. This high-calorie treat is one of my favorites, and eating one makes me immensely happy. What an ideal object for contemplation!

This mandala measures 24 inches in diameter. It is made of batting-stuffed coils of fabric attached to each other with zigzag stitches. The cookies, yin yang designs, and the Buddhas are paper covered with tulle netting and appliqued. Beaded crochet and sequins lend the final touches.

Wrapped fabric wall hanging--Aqua Vortex

2010-09-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Susan Breier's book, It's A Wrap, I have taken her basic technique to construct a firm base onto which I created a design with applique, beads, and paint. This piece is titled, "Aqua Vortex" and measures 24 inches in diameter. It has been accepted into "Celebrating 10 years of Art Excellence" at the Bowen Center for the Arts in Dawsonville, Georgia, Sept 3-October 2, 2010.

Wrapped fabric Elvis bowl

2010-09-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have spent July through August working on a technique that is new for me--wrapping fabric strips around strips of batting and then sewing them together with a zigzag stitch to create a background/platform for design and embellishment. This was inspired by a workshop I took in late June based on the book, "It's A Wrap" by Susan Breier. My first efforts were inspired by projects in the book, bowls and vases. Of course, I added my own twist and made a bowl dedicated to The King.

Evil Eye Fabric Postcards

2010-07-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

These quilted postcards are meant to be charms against evils of the world. They measure 4.25 x 5.5 inches and are backed with card stock. Each can be sent as a postcard through the US mail as long as it is hand-metered first for non-machinable postage. I have successfully sent dozens of these for less than a dollar each throughout the United States. Recipients are always surprised by the intricacy of the work and have expressed pleasure in receiving them. As they are essentially miniature works of art, each card has a small tab attached to the back for hanging.

The back of each postcard reads:

Dear

Because of:

Oil spills/global warming/wars all over the place/hostile nations/volcanic eruptions/serial killers/talk radio morons/fundamentalists/earthquakes/corrupt politicians/bad cops/drivers who text/medical errors/terrorists/defective merchandise/corporate greed/food poisoning/sexual predators/ telemarketers/home invasions/rabid animals/escaped lunatics/vengeful ex’s/abusive caregivers/crazed gunmen/crooked mechanics/shady lawyers/early-onset Alzheimer’s/high cholesterol/the obesity epidemic/gang initiations/that guy who gives you the creeps….

You need evil eye protection for your family, friends, and yourself.
Hang this card in your home, office, or keep it on your person at all times.

Sincerely,

I have them for sale in my Etsy store.
http://jbbroaddus.etsy.com

Needle-Felted Devils

2010-05-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

These wool devils measure approximately 20 inches long. They can sit or they can be hung from a ring that is attached to the neck. Because so many artists make angel dolls, I thought I would make a couple of devils for balance.

GuardDoll No. 1 "Gwydion"

2009-10-22T08:09:00.001-07:00

This is the first in a series of what I have titled, GuardDolls. I wanted to create soft sculptures of empowered older women. They dress age-inappropriate because they don't give a damn what anybody thinks. And they carry a weapon or two to stick it to anyone who crosses the line.

A GuardDoll's purpose is to protect and watch over her owner's valuables. With a ring attached to the back of her head, she can be hung on a wall in an auspicious place.

Gwydion, the first GuardDoll, measures 16 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool & acrylic yarns, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, thrift shop cutlery, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 2 "Agasaya"

2009-10-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Agasaya is friendly to whoever gives her a home, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Agasaya measures 20 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, metallic tulle, thrift shop cutlery, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 3 "Anouke"

2009-10-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Anouke is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Anouke measures 17 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, fabric paint, costume jewelry pin, thrift shop cutlery, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDolls 4 & 5 "Menhit" and "Zroya"

2009-10-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Menhit and Zroya have found homes to protect. They help their owners by watching over and protecting their valuables.

GuardDoll No. 6 "Nanaja"

2009-10-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Nanaja is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Nanaja measures 15 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, fabric paint, costume jewelry pin, thrift shop cutlery, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 7 "Oenone"

2009-10-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Oenone is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Oenone measures 11 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, metallic tulle, welded stainless steel, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 8 "Octavia"

2009-10-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

Octavia is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Octavia measures 13 inches and is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, metallic tulle, welded stainless steel, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 9 "Oriana"

2009-10-22T07:31:00.000-07:00

Oriana is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to intruders. She will watch over and protect your valuables.

Oriana measures 12 inches and is constructed from the following materials: needle-felted wool yarn & acrylic yarns, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, organza, welded stainless steel, fabric paint, beads, fabric bead armature.

GuardDoll No. 10 "Ocyate"

2009-10-22T07:26:00.003-07:00

Ocyate is friendly to whoever gives her a place to stay, but is hostile to any intruders. She will watch over your valuables.

Ocyate measures 23 inches long is constructed from the following: needle-felted wool yarn, commercial cotton fabrics, lace, fabric paint, costume jewelry pin, welded stainless steel, beads, fabric bead armature.

Permian Tide Pool Party--Mixed Media

2009-06-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

This is a series of mixed-media, mostly fiber artworks I made for a show at the Bowen Center for the Arts this September (http://www.dawsonarts.org/events.htm). I started with a series of quilted, complex cloths (see March post) and sewed them onto various armatures--sponges, Styrofoam blocks, and jewelry display boxes. Then I embellished them with weird little creatures made from felt, crochet, twisted wire, beads, etc. The end result had sort of a seascape look, if the sea was on another planet. Then I thought about Earth's primeval oceans. That led to the idea of these odd life forms chilling out together in a tide pool, which led to the title of the series: Permian Tide Pool Party I-X. The average piece measures about 8 x 6 x 3 inches.

Mixed media wall hanging

2009-04-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

This piece measures 8 x 11 inches. The background consists of a warp made from a crocheted chain of wool yarn; the weft is batik fabric strips. The figure is crocheted and needle felted. The attachments are the faces of six, cheap watches that died premature deaths. Other items in the mix--decorative yarns and beads.

Soft sculpture lizards

2009-04-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

These two lizards were crocheted and heavily embellished. They were then mounted on fabric covered sponges. The purple cover consists of woven batik fabric strips. The orange cover is one piece of fabric that is enclosed in beaded wire crochet. Both pieces measure about 8 x 12 x 4 inches.

Red Devil Doll

2009-04-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

This doll measures 4.5 x 13 inches and is made of felted wool tubes and strips of fabric.

Hairy Red Monster Doll

2009-04-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest addition to my doll collection. This one measures 6.5 inches wide and 18 inches long. I plan to take it to Artomatic 2009 this May. The body was knit on a circular loom and has a toy baseball for armature.

Complex Cloth

2009-03-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

These examples of complex cloth were made by creating a collage of hand-dyed & stamped fabric scraps over a foundation fabric such as an old linen napkin, a piece of hand-dyed fabric, or a commercial batik. Sometimes I add pieces of Angelina fiber or short lengths of novelty yarn. Once I achieve a composition that pleases me, I pin a layer of tulle on top and secure the "sandwich" with free-motion quilting. The piece of complex cloth then becomes part of my fabric stash collection to be used later in a specific project where it gets cut up and incorporated into the design, whatever that may be.

A gold doll and an old lady doll

2009-02-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

Update: I sold the old lady doll at Empire but not the monkey-faced dandy.

The gold doll is made of fabric beads joined together with buttons. The face is needle felted. I wanted it to look like a dandy from the 1700s. Unfortunately, it looks like a monkey-faced creature in a very peculiar outfit. "It" measures about 14 inches.

The white doll is made of satin fabric beads with a knitted dress. I wanted her to look young and springlike, but she ended up as an old lady with an attitude. She measures about 9 inches.

I hope to sell these two at the Empire quilters guild show in Manhattan this March.

http://www.empirequilters.net/pg/eqshow2009.html

The Abominable Madonna

2009-02-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

If there are abominable snow men (or Yeti), then there must be abominable snow women and their babies, too. The mother here measures about 16 inches and is made of knitted, crocheted, and felted wool. The baby is needle felted.

Two weird pink dolls

2009-02-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

Update: I sold both of these dolls at Empire.

I made these two dolls for the Empire quilters guild show this March (http://www.empirequilters.net/pg/eqshow2009.html). The cross-eyed doll measures about nine inches, and the one with the long neck, about 18 inches. My friends tell me the the bigger doll has a face that reminds them of a chicken! The head and limbs are made from Knitted wool tubes that were felted in the washing machine. The hair consists of crocheted wool also felted in the washing machine. Buttons and beads form the joints.

Mostly blue yarn & fabric dolls

2009-02-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

I sold the doll with the knobby hands & feet and the light blue hair at Empire.

These dolls measure approximately 18 inches long. Their hair consists of crocheted chains of wool that were felted in a washing machine. One has fabric beads for its appendages; the other two have knitted and felted tubes. I plan to offer them for sale at the Empire quilters guild show this March (http://www.empirequilters.net/pg/eqshow2009.html).

Fiber & Yarn Dioramas

2009-02-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

Here are some dioramas that started as 6 x 6 x 2 inch boxes that were then covered and filled with knitted, crocheted, quilted, & beaded elements. I am hoping to display and sell them at Artomatic 2009 in Washington DC.

Three weird green dolls

2009-01-31T15:49:00.000-08:00

Update: I sold all three dolls at Empire.

I just finished these three weird green dolls to sell at the boutique for the Empire quilters guild show in Manhattan this March (3/21-22/2009). The main construction consists of fabric scraps wrapped around sections of drinking straws. I also knitted tubes, using a wheel loom, to fit over some of their limbs. Lengths range between 9 and 12 inches. Why green dolls? I was working on a quilt challenge with the following rule: Make a 3-D study in green where the focal point must rise at least one inch off the surface of the quilt. I thought some small green dolls would work. But, after making these three, I decided to let them hang on their own. I'll figure out something else for the challenge later.

One-Foot-Square Art Quilts

2009-01-29T10:41:00.001-08:00

Last year (2008) I entered a quilt in the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) online auction of one-foot-square quilts. It was titled "Forbidden Love" and it featured my fabric bead snakes. I'm happy to say that it sold, so I was encouraged to submit another one for this year. I call it "Itsy Bitsy." This one was the result of a challenge with several quilting friends: Make a 12-inch quilt where the viewer can guess the name of a nursery rhyme. Well, not too many people could guess what my quilt depicted, that is if I didn't tell them the title!

Fiber Bead Dolls

2009-01-29T10:33:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've taken a break from traditional & art quilts to make fabric bead dolls. The beads are made by wrapping drinking straws with fabric strips and gluing them into place. The fabric beads are then joined by threading them onto buttons/beads to create the doll body. The fun part begins when it's time to dress them and give them a personality. Here are several examples.