Fabric + Art + Collage = #Cre8time Harmony... Rebekah Meier Fabric Elements™ Bloghop

Hello everyone! Today the Designer Crafts Connection takes on a new challenge featuring quilted mixed-media creations using Rebekah Meier Fabric Elements™ mini paper quilt kits. If you like to paint, collage and sew... then you are in the right place.

For this challenge, Rebekah Meier provided each of the Designer Craft Connection designers with one of her fabulous mixed-media kits. I received the Fabric Elements™ Mini Paper Quilt Kit with Stitch-N'-Tear Technique. Upon review of the kit, contents and instructions, I decided to make the project and follow instructions as it is. This will be my first attempt a mixed-media art quilt. This project is easy to follow and doesn't require more than basic sewing skills.

Fabric Elements™ is a culmination of Rebekah Meier's experiments, favorite materials, and techniques combined into a collection of her stencil and fabric designs with pre-packaged fiber goods — such as batting, felt, gauze, Lutradur®, and many others.

"The collection is designed to work together with my techniques and instructions, creating endless mixed media and fiber art and projects. I love to take the ordinary — like quilt batting and interfacing — and combine them with paint and inks to elevate them into something extraordinary." ~ Rebekah Meier

Everything you need is included in the Fabric Elements kit except for a few staples: acrylic/fabric paint of your choice; scissors; needle/thread; sewing machine; a favorite photograph; and any additonal trim or ephemera desired. The hardest part here was selecting a photo I wanted to use to make this project. I printed out many photos and decided upon one of my hubs and I taken on a trip to NOLA celebrating my 40th birthday.

I gathered an assortment of acrylic paints - some neutrals and a couple different golds, then set off adding a bit of color to my elements, embroidered trim and tissue fabric. This domino pendant I had in my stash and I wanted to use it with this project. All I need to do is add a bit of color to the bright white engraving of the game piece to tie it in with everything else. After letting paint set a couple minutes, I gently wiped excess away leaving color in the recessed areas.

Included in the kit was this embossed piece of craft foam. With my selected colors, I dry brushed a heart shape onto it and kept building up layers of color until I was happy with how it looked. While that was drying, I dry brushed a scrap section of embossed cardstock with a mini square grid pattern that I happened upon gathering my supplies. It goes nicely with the embossed foam heart and will be used to add an extra frame around my photo.

Lastly, I dry brush the tissue paper with the same colors and set off to cutting out all the fabric sections and layers. I followed the instructions which had all the measurements for all pieces needed for buiding the quilted layers. This made assembly come together really quickly. I ended up deciding not to iron the pieces as instructed because I used acrylic paint and my photo was a color laser print. I layered my tissue fabric with matted photo and tacked down with a bit of glue stick to keep from shifting as I sewed edges down.

I stitched around all the edges of the photo, then repeated around edges of matted frame. Pretty simple, right?! My hands are all painty and now I'm sewing... this is FUN! 

The backside isn't really pretty, but my wonky sewing is adding to the charm of this quilted piece. I took pleasure in not even really being concerned about measuring and such like I normally would be and enjoyed sewing the layers together.

I cut out the heart from the painted embossed foam and rubbed gold paint around the white edges and around the backside. I hand stitched a section of embroidered trim and the pearl beads provided. I'm really loving how this project is coming together!

The other embroidered trim was more white than creme, so I needed to go back and dry brush it to match things and tone down the "brightness" of white. A little OLD PAPER distress paint matched up the color quite nicely. On both the heart trim and this freshly stained lace, I finished off with a light brushing of gold on the high points. These are ready to go.

In my sewing box, I happened upon some self-adhesive velcro dots. These will work in adhering my heart to the finished art quilt and it will give it some dimension too.

To finish off, I punched a hole and set a matching gold eyelet in the bottom of the heart to accept my domino charm. This is ready to adhere once I finish up the sewing. 

I put the layers together: fabric base layer, batting, with quilted tissue fabric and photo on top. I sewed around side to seal the layers together and then went across and down in the leftover space between edge and photo. 

It was nice that steps were included to make a nice framed edge as it came in handy to add stability to the piece and cover up my messy wonkiness on one side since I skipped the step of pinning layers together. Next time I will pin things together and use a photo that I've transferred to fabric so my image will be fabric as well.

I really love the texture and details on this small art quilt I've created. This project was a nice introduction into art quilting and I really enjoyed combining fabric, mixed-media collage and sewing. I plan on getting more of Fabric Elements™ supplies and scaling this project down to make some ornaments with family photos for Christmas.

Artful quilt of LOVE!

CLICK HERE to jump over to the beginning of the Rebekah Meier Fabric Elements™ Bloghop at the Designer Crafts Connection blog. Over there you will also find instructions to enter a giveaway for your chance to win some of these fabulous Products.

To learn more about  Rebekah Meier Fabric Elements™

visit http://rebekahmeier.com/fabric-elements/ 

Visit Rebekah's Etsy store (RebekahMeierDesigns)

to purchase Fabric Elements™ products.

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Thanks so much for visiting! For more mixed-media quilted inspiration visit Designer Crafts Connection "Rebekah Meier Fabric Elements™" bloghop HERE. Sb :)

** This is a sponsored post. Rebekah Meier has provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions. My ideas and opinions are my own.