Friday, June 08, 2018

Art Quilt Collages with Florabunda!

RJR Fabrics, Quilty Box and Melanie Testa are hosting an Instagram Florabunda! introduction and fabric GIVEAWAY and Blog Hop running June 7 through 16.

I was delighted to create a series of small art quilt collages with Melanie Testa's beautiful new fabric line, Florabunda! RJR sent me this selection of fat quarters. So inspiring, right?


I started by fusing everything then cutting, slicing, tearing, combining, mixing and layering these beautiful prints with a few other fabrics from my collection including some of Leslie Tucker Jenison's Urban Garden line. I added a few lines of handwriting for visual texture and interest -- and because it's one of my go-to details for my creative style and voice.

Then I had this wrinkly collection waiting to be fused.

Fun, right? I was really excited to add stitching both by hand and by machine. The stitching always elevates the work and adds interest and texture.

Here's one of the pieces all flat and fused... waiting for stitching.

And here are the finished pieces. They are all 5x7 inches and finished with a tiny line of stitching and a painted edge. You can barely see that bit of color, but I love it as a finishing method. (It's described in my book, Art Quilt Collage: A Creative Journey in Fabric, Paint and Stitch.)

See!? The stitching brings it all together.
Spring Sprout

This one is probably my favorite. I love the messy French knots I nestled in amongst the leaves.
Graceful Greens

A fussy cut leaf and a stitched leaf!
Floral Fusion

This charming bud is perfect for a focal element.
Blushing Bud

These last two I actually mounted and framed. Don't they look great?

I'm loving this pink and black color combo.
Rising Rose

Here's a little closer look at the frame...

And the title notation on the mat.

I loved fussy cutting those pink shapes and turning them into flowers. (They could be birds too!)
Floral Flutter


Florabunda is such an inspiring collection for art quilt collage. Every print and colorway talks to each other in interesting ways. It's perfect for fussy cutting, layering and mixing with other tone-on-tone prints or original surface design patterns. As an artist, I love using botanical shapes in my work and the leaves, flowers, vines and patterns in this collection are beautifully realistic but have a true hand-designed quality about them. You can see the movement of the dye and paint Melly must have used in the original designs. The subtle chevron print may be my new favorite fabric. It's perfect to ground a design and the colors are familiar but slightly unexpected. You'll definitely see bits of Florabunda pop up in my work in the future!


Blog Hop Details and Chances to Win!
Visit and like all Florabunda! blog hoppers on Instagram, including @RJRFabrics @QuiltyBox @MellyTesta to increase your chances to win swag! RJR Fabrics will post chances to win Florabunda! Swag daily June 11 through 16. 

You can also check out Melanie Testa’s blog each day. She'll be posting highlights and interesting knowledge nuggets about each participant! With pictures! (I wonder what she'll write about me?!)

June 8: Deborah Boschert http://www.deborahsstudio.com/
June 11: Kathy York http://aquamoonartquilts.blogspot.com
June 11: Teri Lucas https://terificreations.com
June 12: Leslie Tucker Jenison http://leslietuckerjenison.com
June 12: Heidi Kelly http://www.hkellydesigns.com
June 14: Debby Brown https://www.debbybrownquilts.com
June 14: Susan Brusker Knapp http://wwwbluemoonriver.blogspot.com
June 15: RJR Fabrics Social Media Event
June 16: Melanie Testa http://www.melanietesta.com

4 comments:

Rachel Parris said...

I love all of these. Mely’s fabric is so happy

Anita Jackson @ Domestic Felicity said...

Wow, your projects look like gorgeous little post cards!

Leslie Tucker Jenison said...

I really love how you interpreted these pieces using Floribunda, and equally delighted that you opted to include some Urban Garden. These are such interesting compositions. Your lyrical use of script always draws me in. Love!

The Joyful Quilter said...

While Floral Fusion and Floral Flutter are my favorites, I really like them all. What a pretty series!!