Projects and line art designed by Judith Baker-Montano.
Crazy quilts document history by weaving in bits and pieces of various fabrics that demonstrate the life and times of the era in which the quilt was made. A story can be told from a quilt by observing the artist's combinations of such materials as silk, velvet, satin, ribbon, lace, and various sorts of memorabilia. Throughout history, crazy quilts have been adorned with silk cigar ribbons, embroidery, small oil paintings, and souvenir ribbons from campaigns and special events. Crazy quilts serve as scrapbooks and are often embroidered with dates and or initials.
Guest Judith Montano illustrates the crazy quilting method in the Weeping Heart Pendant-a large heart pendant that affords a fair amount of space for embellishments. The weeping heart can be traditional or contemporary. The finished size of the heart is 3-3/4" x3-1/4".
Materials:
two, six-inch squares of muslin
five to eight scraps of fancy fabrics including solids, prints, and textures
five-inch square of leather*
5" x 15" piece of Pellon Fleece
ribbons for embroidery - optional
embroidery floss or silk buttonhole twist
beads
Nymo thread
#10 sharp needle
buttons and doodads
1- 1/4 yards each assorted cords for neck cord
12 inches of rattail cording or other trim for edging
tassel - optional
aluminum Indian dance cones - optional
six-inch square of heavy art board
nine-inch square of milky template plastic
large darning needle and heavy thread
Aleene's Original tacky glue
water-soluble pen
* Be sure to include a dark solid for texture
Steps:
For punch needle and fabric photo, work these in advance:
- Trace the heart template onto the template plastic and cut out the heart shape.
- Using the window template as a pattern, mark and cut out one piece of muslin, three fleece, one art board, and one leather. Cut on the actual line and do not add seam allowances. The remaining muslin square is the base for the crazy quilting.
- From the dark solid, cut a small center piece with five angles and position it on the muslin (refer to the Montano Centerpiece Method below).
- Working clockwise (counter-clockwise if left-handed), sew down five fat fabric rectangles (figure A), in turn.
- After all five pieces are sewn down, cut them into smaller, irregular shapes and begin the next round. Work until the muslin is covered. Press.
- Lay the heart template on the crazy quilting and move it around until you find a design placement that you like (figure B). Mark with the water erasable pen.
- If you elect to do the silk ribbon work, put the crazy quilt piece in a small hoop, then make two concertina roses and sew them in place (figure C). Work the rest of the silk ribbon embroidery design.
- Embroider each seam with decorative stitches, and embellish with French knots, beads, buttons, and doodads (figure D).
Assembly - Measure 1/2 inches beyond the heart outline. (This allowance is turned to the back.) Cut out the heart design along with the 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- Starting from the bottom, stack the muslin, art board, three pieces of fleece, and crazy quilt heart (which will be a bit larger than the others). Turn the stack over.
- With the large needle and heavy thread, whipstitch the crazy quilt heart around the fleece and art board, and sew the heart it into the bottom muslin. Go around twice; on the second round, stitch deeper into the muslin to pull the assembly taut and even.
- Twist (or braid) the neck cords together, then cut the rattail neck cord to a length you like. Tie a slip knot at each end, leaving a 1/2-inch tail.
- Spread a heavy layer of glue across the back, and affix leather backing. While the glue is still wet, insert the tails of the neck cord between the heart and backing, 1/2 inch from either side of the heart center.
- Press tightly. Expect some glue to ooze out. Starting at center top, lay the rattail cording along edge and press.
Optional: For a different look, add a tassel or aluminum Indian dance cones.
Australian Photo Method
Materials:
clear photo, card, or magazine picture
natural turpentine
ink blotting paper
large spoon
cosmetic puffs
silk organza or cotton batiste - must be thin
Steps:
- Make a clear copy of the photo or card.
- Lay the fabric on top of the blotting paper.
- Lay the photocopy face down onto the fabric.
- Soak a cotton ball in the turpentine and rub it across the back of the photocopy until the paper becomes translucent.
- Rub the back of the photocopy firmly with the spoon, rubbing evenly. Lift up the paper.
- Cut the transfer into a center piece with five angles for your pendant.
Piecing: The Montano Centerpiece Method
- Begin with a dark-colored fabric centerpiece with five angles (figure E).
- Attach a piece of fabric to the centerpiece by sewing right sides together. Fold the seam over and press (figure F).
- Working clockwise, maching sew the next piece of fabric along the next angle, covering the previous piece (figure G). Continue in this manner, attaching each previous angle to the next. This technique is quick, easy, and works well for the heart pendant. However, it can also be used for larger projects such as quilt tops.
Tips:
- Camouflage the dark centerpiece by gluing or sewing on cluster of beads and buttons.
- Refer to Baker-Monsanto's book, The Crazy Quilt Odyssey for ribbon embroidery and punch needle techniques to stitch onto the centerpiece.
Weeping Heart PendantThe Photo Weeping Heart Pendant (
figure H) - To transfer a photograph to fabric, refer to Australian Photo Method instructions. Any photograph can be transferred to cloth. The outer edge of this heart is embellished with beads strung on colored thread. Twisted threads are used to make the neck cord.
The Punch Needle Design Weeping Heart Pendant (figure I) - Punch needle design is done first on a full piece of fabric using an embroidery hoop. Then, the design is cut out into a five-angled piece of fabric and sewn into the pendant shape. The outer edge of the heart is trimmed in antique ribbon or lace. The ribbon edging is tied in bow and tacked along bottom. The ribbon is also attached at the top of the heart and used for a neck cord. The attachments are hidden by beads.
Silk Ribbon Flowers Weeping Heart Pendant (figure J) - Embroider silk ribbon flowers across the crazy quilt heart. Embellish the design by stitching on buttons and beads. The outer edge of the heart is embellished using silk thread to stitch on two twisted rat tail cords. The neck cord is also made from two rat tail cords.
Resources Elegant Stitches: An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book of Inspiration
by Judith Baker Montano (ISBN: 091488185X)
Click
here to order this title.
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
fleece - Pellon
Freudenberg Pellon Nonwovens
Website:
pellonideas.com
Crazy Quilt Odyssey: Adventures in Victorian Needlework
by by Judith Montano (ISBN: 0914881418)
This title is out of print. Consult local libraries, used book stores or click
here for Amazon.com's book search.
Crazy Quilting: The Video Companion
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
tacky glue - Aleene's Original
Available at local art and craft stores.
Duncan Enterprises
Website:
www.duncancrafts.com
video - Silk Ribbon Embroidery: The Video Companion
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
video - Embellishments with Judith Baker Montano
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
video - Landscapes featuring Judith Baker Montano
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
Judith Baker Montano: Art and Inspirations
by Judith Baker Montano, Barbara Kuhn (Editor) (ISBN: 1571200371)
Click
here to order this title.
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
Recollections
by Judith Baker Montano (ISBN: 0914881590)
This title is out of print. Consult local libraries, used book stores or click
here for Amazon.com's book search.
The Art of Silk Ribbon Embroidery
by Judith Baker Montano, Louise O. Townsend - Editor (ISBN: 0914881558)
Click
here to order this title.
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
The Crazy Quilt Handbook Vol. 2
by Judith Baker Montano (ISBN: 1571201734)
Click
here to order this title.
C & T Publishing Inc.
Website:
www.ctpub.com
Guests Judith Baker Montano
Artist, Author and Designer
c/o C & T Publishing
Website:
www.ctpub.com
Also in this Episode
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