In the Indian workshops, block printing tables are covered by a piece of cotton cloth in order to absorb any excess of paint when block printing. When visiting one small factory we were given a piece of this cotton cloth, filled with layers and layers of paint and prints.

I’ve decided to use it as a background for the challenge “Seasons” because the dark red colour looked like foliage during the fall. I’ve used distressed felt for the leaves because the way it shrinks reminds me of the damage caused by acid rain in forests.

It was really challenging to use the unpredictable effects of the prints on the cloth to create this quilt.

Material :

Printed cotton cloth from India and hand dyed fabrics – acrylic felt coloured with transfer dyes – metallic wax – gold thread and beads.

Wooden blocks from India; Gold powder + clear binder to make the gold paint – Soldering iron and heat gun.

Techniques :

For the dead leaves : acrylic felt coloured with transfer dyes and distressed with soldering iron and heat gun.

I’ve tried to highlight the blue stripes with block printing with gold paint. All the other prints were already on the fabric when I got it.

Free motion quilting and hand quilting with gold thread.

Close up view:

Sketchbook: