Van Gogh Inspired "Poodle in Sunflowers"

"Poodle in Sunflowers" 12" X 12"

This is my latest STAT quilt interpreting a famous artist's style in fabric with an emphasis on texture.

I am part of Alida's Art with Fabric blog hop. Please visit the others after you've seen mine!



this is my reference photo for Van Gogh's sunflowers. I research my chosen artist and try to decide something to reference. Spirals, bold use of primary color, strong lines and his words were my inspiration.I also have tried to include a poodle in each of these 17 quilts! Just for fun. Just so they reference ME!

I start with a 12" piece of peltex. I wanted to keep it simple and bold, but textured so I first put a cotton background, then added a sheer with glittering spirals on top

to form the background to my composition. I brought the overlay to the back, encasing the cotton, and basted it as I knew I didn't want a binding this time.

I chose fonts and printed three quotes as well as an image of Milo to print onto the printable fabric and cut out

The fabric is pre-mounted for the printer and coated to make it permanent once heat set.

the white fabric was too white, so I dabbed these paints onto the quotes using a sea sponge.




An easy way to soften the look and continue the color palette
Then I start cutting and placing fabric with pins

Quick, free form cutting and layering. Overlap some dark fabric for shadows, take away so many flowers from Milo's mouth.

Go to machine with it held in place with a few pins and start stitching. Some buttonhole, some spirals, some free motion, some echo quilting with straight lines.

stitched in curls on the poodle

Quickly as if I am painting brushstrokes. I know the thread color and weight will add dimension. I want to mimic brushstrokes. The photo fabric is dense to sew through. The sheer is sparkly with glitter that must be contained or will migrate into the machine.

The applique is held on with stitching only, no fusible, allowing it to curl and fray a bit, which I like.

 Immediate, approachable, momentary like a chalk painting on a sidewalk.I think it gives texture and energy to the piece. I could plan, and make a mock up, draw out lines to follow and follow them carefully but what fun is that? It's not my artistic desire to be so careful, it's my goal to enjoy the trip. Careening into the grave with a martini glass in one hand and a sewing machine in the other!

Note the crystals ironed on around the flowers to add a highlight. I might have hand beaded if I'd had more time.

The back holds one more quote, and shows the stitching. I used black bobbin to look more sketch like.

The sunflower print was short so I added a strip of yellow that I wrote the quilt's info onto.






Before quilting, I pressed under the backing edges all the way around and placed it over the edges already turned to the back. This allowed me to keep glitter from migrating to the machine.

A quick hand stitch and edges are finished off.

I think van Gogh would have laughed, and liked this tribute to him. He loved nature, was awed by what he saw, and sought like I do, to capture a bit of it in his art! 


Hope you had fun, please visit the other artists on this blog hop, finding the complete schedule at
 Art with Fabric blog hop
http://www.quiltfabrication.com/
http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/