AAQI supporter Terry Switzer Chilko (inventor of the Fast Finish Triangle method) had always wanted to make a mosaic out of tiles and broken pottery.
Julie Hirota’s recent article in the January 2011 issue of American Quilter magazine called “Constructing a Mosaic Art Quilt” inspired Terry to try a fabric mosaic instead: Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilt #6604-Mosaic Butterfly. It’s up in the May Online Auction. Click here:
https://www.benefitbidding.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=988656689
(To bid on the other 25 quilts, click here:
http://www.benefitbidding.com/listings/categories/index.cfm?category=965774286
Julie has graciously allowed Terry to share her technique on the AAQI blog. For more information visit Julie Hiro’s web page at www.JHiro.com.
(Click photographs so that you can see a larger image and more detail.)
Draw a simple design onto the background fabric with a chalk marker, or other easily removable marking instrument. The background fabric will be the “grout.” Black is a good choice.
(Julie uses light, medium, and dark fabrics for grout with great results.)
Fuse fusible web to the wrong side of lots of different fabrics. I prefer Lite Steam-a-Seam II, because the fusible is tacky. It’s easy to move applique pieces around during designing, AND it stays in place when you want it to. Rough cut some pieces to start.
The fabric I used for the body of the butterfly already looks like a mosaic. I drew two lines around the outside to mark the outside edge of the quilt and the inside edge of the binding. I wanted the outside edges of my pieces to extend under the binding.
Don’t forget to keep the work within the 9″ x 12″ size restriction, that includes binding.
I started in the top left corner, placing pieces on the background. Leave space between pieces so the grout shows.
Trim pieces as you go to make them fit.
Even the tiny pieces of the antennae look great!
As a beginner, this might have been easier if I’d used a design without curves.
Can you see how my shapes get more interesting, less rectangular, as I worked my way across the quilt? I’d still love it if they were all rectangles, but I can see how my “style” changed as I got more comfortable with the process.
When all the pieces are in place, fuse them permanently.
I layered with batting and backing and free motion quilted along every raw edge. If I needed to travel from one place to another, I quilted in the grout where it wouldn’t show.
I used a fine black thread for the quilting. I chose a black-on-black fabric for the backing, so my backtracking wouldn’t show on the back. This is the finished piece with binding.
Have fun trying this technique for one of YOUR Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts. Please mention Julie’s method in your artist statement when you register your quilt. (“Mosaic technique by Julie Hirota as shown in the AAQI Update blog by Terry Switzer Chilko.”)
Additionally, add “Butterfly pattern designed by Terry Chilko” if you would like to use her butterfly pattern below. (Click to enlarge.)
Please leave a comment for Julie and/or Terry below.
This technique is SO MUCH FUN! I’m so grateful for Julie’s article. I can’t stop thinking of ideas for mosaic quilts – I want to make about 100 more!
Lovely Terry, can’t wait to see more.
Beautiful! Thanks for adding the directions. I remember doing this kind of artwork using construction paper in middle school. I look forward to trying it to construct a quilt!
I love the butterfly and your technique. Thanks for sharing.
Love the technique, Terry, and thanks to both of you for sharing! This sure looks like a fun technique to try – my mind was buzzing with ideas as I read your process. I’m sure lots of quilters will give this one a try!
Thank you, Julie, for showing us how you make your pretty butterfly and thank you, Terry, for allowing Julie to share your technique with us! I’ll be eagerly waiting to see more of these little bits of mosaic art show up in the AAQI auctions and sales.
Hi. Thanks for sharing your experience. It looks like lots of fun. If I could just find enough hours in the day to do all I want to do.. Sonia Callahan
Thanks, Terry, for giving us a peek into the process. When I saw your quilt come in and read you got the idea from Julie Hirota’s article I immediately dug that magazine out of my “to do” pile. What a wonderful idea for a Priority Quilt!