Surface Design StudyTechniques used: Hand-dyeing, painting, stamping, resists, scrunched, hand and machine stitching.
After years of teaching surface design, I had lots of samples lying around. Late last year I decided to turn several of the fabrics I'd created into a small wall hanging. The study was originally framed. It looked okay, but not great.
After looking at it for a while, I changed my mind about the framing. I felt the glass over the stitching detracted from the tactile qualities of the piece. I also didn't like the fused binding I'd used. I knew as soon as I'd started to fuse it that it was not the look I wanted, but it was too late. Using a fusible is not an easily reversed decision.
The piece is now out of the frame where it can breathe! Here are a couple close-ups of the quilt's more textural areas.
I often leave frayed edges of fabric as a textural element. I'm also a fan of loose threads and the combination of machine and hand stitching in the same piece. 
A resist of Elmer's School Glue formed the white lines of the wavy half spiral above. Once dry, the fabric was painted with diluted Setacolor transparent paint and sprinkled with salt. 
Elmer's School Glue Gel makes a wonderful resist. Its pointed top is great for writing and drawing. The glue takes a long time to dry, so plan ahead. BTW - our drug and grocery stores carry this product. Look for the blue stuff and make sure it is the No Run Gel.
Deka Silk paint was used for the pinkish-rose colored stitched Shibori. Using a variegated floss, I accentuated the resist lines with free-form embroidery. Triple wavy lines of multi-colored orange threads accentuate the hand-dyed purple fabric.
Caran D'ache Neocolor Crayons are a favorite tool. I like them for coloring a whole piece of fabric. Sometimes the fabric is damp when colored; other times it is colored and then spritzed with water and "finger-painted."I've put this piece aside while I ponder the next step. I may keep it just as an example of a less than desirable fused binding!
