Thanksgiving is a time to pause and take account of all the good things in our lives. While counting blessings is a calming and uplifting activity, it is worthwhile also to incorporate them into a piece of art work you can view the whole year ‘round. This so-called “quilt” requires few supplies and zero sewing. It can be finished in an hour and will be a lasting reminder of all the people and things we might sometimes take for granted.
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 2:
Preparing to Create Your Quilt
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Count and list your blessings in a sketchbook. No two people will value the same things, but there are universal things. Happiness, family, friends, comfort and peace are good examples. Make a list, but allow space to draw simple visual hints, too. Try to create a simple image of what each means to you.
- For example: happiness can be a smiling face, family a group of people, even stick figures. Comfort can be represented by an overstuffed couch or a soft bed, while peace can be a hand forming the peace sign or a dove.
- Remember, you can use words as well as pictures to tell your story on this quilt.
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Assemble your supplies. You will need sets of many colors of fine line markers other types with a broad drawing end. Use the big ones for coloring in large expanses, smaller ones for lettering and drawing. Find (or purchase) a set of ordinary colored pencils or watercolor pencils.
- You will also need; a regular pencil, an eraser, a set of watercolors (any type) and brushes both small and pointed and flat ones. Find a water vessel, paper tissues or napkins for controlling runs and designate a table and a chair as your work space.
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3Find drafting supplies. Quilts traditionally can be comprised of assorted geometric shapes. A ruler, protractor, circle template, etc. Dollar stores have cheap plastic rulers and drafting sets, but, if you prefer, find small boxes and jar lids to use as templates.
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4Look up quilts on the internet. This is just for ideas, but try to keep your quilt pieces fairly large since you will fill each one with a written or drawn “blessing.” If keeping to rigid patterns isn’t your thing, do a “Crazy” quilt. This is random patches of varying colors and patterns stitched together. No two pieces will be the same.
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5Choose watercolor paper that is rectangular. Since this art piece is representative of a quilt, work with it held vertically, as in a quilt for a bed.
- Size is up to you, but not smaller than 9” x 12”, to allow plenty of space for listing and illustrating your happiness and joys.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:
Drawing and Painting
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Plot out your pattern in pencil. Fill the entire sheet with lines, be sure to include borders on all sides of the design. Often times, a quilt will have a main center piece with the theme or subject represented on it. Your choice, there are no rules about what to do. Suit yourself and have fun.
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Wet your watercolors and tint areas of the “quilt“. This under painting should be allowed to dry thoroughly before attempting to work over it. If it is more convenient, use colored markers in pale shades of color to lay out the colors of your design.
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3Return to your ordinary #2 pencil to draw details on each quilt square or piece. You might find as your confidence grows, you will not need to do preliminary drawing. If you make a mistake in a non-erasable medium, consider it a challenge to make it work. Color over it with deeper shades, lift some of the color off using a magic eraser, a white, dense, sponge used for cleaning off marks on walls and for other kitchen applications. These are available where cleaning supplies and sponges are sold. Cheap ones can be bought at the dollar stores.
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Draw and paint until you feel satisfied with your “quilt.”
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Let it dry, distance yourself from it and look at it with fresh eyes the next day. Make additions, changes, etc. at that time. Pull the piece together by outlining all or parts in narrow black or colored markers. Add patterns, such as flowers, checks, stripes, polka dots, etc. to parts of it. Enliven it further do a tromp l’oeil series of stitches that “fool the eye.”
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Let your marker make the stitches, in lieu of a needle or sewing machine. Various stitches are: running, satin, basting, zig-zag, etc.
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Hang the quilts on a cord stretched horizontally to represent a wash line. Small, clip clothespins are available at craft stores in all sizes. Hang your work and share the richness you possess. By showing it to others you might be surprised at what conversations emerge, seeing your innermost thoughts and happiness displayed.Advertisement
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