Life Line

I got this idea from the book "The Complete Photo Guide to Art Quilting" by Susan Stein. It is an accordion folded booklet with a continuous line of stitching making the pattern. I did some quick sketches on paper then divided my fabric into six 6" sections by 5" tall, I used black thread and free motion stitched my design over a disappearing ink. I used a heavy stiff iron on stabilizer behind the muslin. It was quick and fun, then I added watercolor pencils to roughly add color, and went over them with a wet Q-tip, extra color in the sky and grass added more color.

Then one day I decided to paint the backing fabric, just to have fun and add color and texture. I used several base colors, just swished the paint on with a foam brush, then printed several large flower stamps and a bird on a branch. Texturizing the rest of the fabric with sequin waste stencil, rubber grid prints, and large plastic grid added lots of detail and filled in the background. I used some silver metallic acrylic paint last to give it a little shimmer.

To finish it off, I folded the front and back together, with no batting, and stitched the page brakes top to bottom. Then I satin stitched with variegated rayon thread around the entire edge, and finished it with a button clasp and a scrunchi loop. It was a fun quick project and I really like the playful way the stitching looks and the colorful backing.