Bougainvillea

Quilt #11

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My Journal Page today is called Bougainvillea after the beautiful shrubs that grow everywhere in the Phoenix area.

My challenge was to use natural material as part of a quilt.

I picked these bougainvillea petals on the ground in my daughter's yard in Scottsdale AZ in July 2006.

(see picture of petals below)

I found out that they are actually bracts that surround a very tiny flower. They feel papery to the touch and stayed soft after being in a plastic baggie for a long time.

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I also picked some petals that were brighter colours but not completely dry and tried drying them myself but no success there. Better to let Mother Nature do her thing.

I lightly sprayed the quilt top with 505 Temporary Fabric Adhesive and arranged the petals on the fabric and pressed in place.

I chose a fine coppery orange tulle, cut some into 1½” and 2” squares and layered them over the really bright green areas of the hand painted background to soften the colour (see back for original colour). I then covered the whole thing with a piece of tulle.

I used a thick polyester batting so the leaves would puff up and quilted around the shapes. A Sulky variegated rayon thread, stitched in a very small tight stipple, flattened the background and puffed the petals beautifully. The outside edges were zigzaged

I found this very easy to work with. 

 The “bracts” haven't broken down in the quilt and I like the way the tulle keeps everything where it is supposed to be.

I also think that using the layered squares of tulle over the background was effective in softening the bright green.  

Have a great day.

Terry