Techniques for water - I am looking for ideas

[Mary K.]

I am working on a quilt that includes a beach and water. I need some ideas on how to create water and rolling waves. I am very interested in any techniques, pictures or ideas. Thanks so much from a rookie (and determined) art quilter! Mary Kay

[Annette R.]

I am not a very accomplished art quiter but the best results I have acheived or seen for water was using a blue green batik or blue to blue grey batik depeding on whether there were shadows on the water or nand then establishing a curved line that looked like waves or the shimmer of the water and then quilting somewhat parallel lines to your first line. the ones I have done myself had lines appr. quarter in spacing athough I have seen both narrower and wider
To get different effects I have used metallic threads usually slilver or blue but I have also used a rainbow colored variaged metallic threads. I usually experiment some on a scrap of the batik but I have found that different light will also give a totally different color to the work.. I guess that is just the chance we nave to take and hope that frog stitching is not in our future (frog stitching is ripit ripit ripit)good luck hope you post your finished product. Happy Quilting, Ann

[Annette R.]

you might also try a bit of tulle, organdy or angelina fibers.

[Mary K.]

Thanks, Ann and Lori! You gave me some great ideas and I am excited to go and experiement! Take care and Happy Quilting!

Mary Kay

[Mary K.]

Mknavy90,

A few years ago a friend of mine needed some "water" fabric. She used a Kool-Aid dye (there is a technique for this, you may have to look it up on the internet). Essentially what she did was take a yard of white muslin, bunch it up into a ball, wrap string around it very tight, then immersed it in the Kool-Aid solution. (She said it took her several attempts to get it just right but since muslin and Kool-Aid are both cheap you can afford to experiment) And it really did create a beautiful water-like pattern. I have to say, I personally have never tried this, but I did see the resulting fabric. You may want to give it a try.

Drew

[Mary K.]

I use tulle. I don't lay it flat, I kind of bunch it up to give the effect of waves, ripples, etc. For fabric I use a darker blue becuase the tulle will lighten it up a bit. I have a blue/truquoise batik that makes nice water. Once I get the tulle down I quilt the heck out of it using metallic thread (I hand quilt and take pretty long stitches, leave threads hanging, etc. so the sparkle shows up nicely. When I make a piece with a running stream or waterfall I like to add small beads that look like stones.

This is one of those things you just have to play with till you get a look you like.

[Mary K.]

I suggest that you paint your sand and water. Mickey Lauler has a book called Skydyes and she shows you how to create these textures. I took a workshop from her and it was so much fun. I have taught several friends in my guild how to do it. Look for her book. once you start you will realize that it is often easier to paint the fabric that go shop to shop looking for just what you want. Painted fabric is best, I feel, for wall hangings or gently used quilts since they will not take the wear and tear of a bed or baby quilt. Diane

[Mary K.]

I've seen beach/ocean scenes on fabric. You could fussy cut the water and waves from it. When I see any pictures printed on fabric I buy at least a fat quarter of it. Never know when you want a specific look.

[Carla G.]

I used fabric paint on my quilt and then quilted the rippling effect of water.... turned out great

[Carla G.]

Hi Mary Kay,

I stumbled by accident on this link:
http://www.quiltuniversity.com/suppl...waterfalls.htm
Hope you like the suggestions, I do!

Greetings from the Netherlands

[Mary K.]

Hi Mary Kay,

I stumbled by accident on this link:
http://www.quiltuniversity.com/suppl...waterfalls.htm
Hope you like the suggestions, I do!

Greetings from the Netherlands

Thanks! :!: You won't believe this, but Linda Schmidt is my aunt (my Mother's Brother's wife). She is a wonderful lady and a very talented quilter! I have actually given some thought to taking her class at Quilt U, but know that it is pretty time intensive and I have just not been able to commit the time.

But thanks again for thinking of me and my question about water. I just recently saw a quilt at the Berthoud, Colorado Outdoor Quilt Show that had wonky log cabins in dark and light teals that gave me the water inspiration that I was looking for. So, one more quilt on the To Do list!

Thanks again!
Mary Kay

[Mary K.]

I meant to also mention - I LOVE you Memories of Zoran quilt!!! MK

[Mary K.]

I meant to also mention - I LOVE you Memories of Zoran quilt!!! MK

Thank you for the compliment!
Love your dog quilt too.

At the moment I'm working at the last lesson of Linda's "Filament Fantasy". Linda is a great teacher and her lessons are great fun!