This quilt started as an idea for a mixed media piece that was to go on a 16 x 20 canvas. I drew out the picture and realized I needed to make this into a quilt which I would staple to an art frame for an upcoming exhibit at an art gallery. I thought it would be more gallery ready if it had no binding and was mounted on a frame. The design took up a lot of the 16 x 20 space and I added extra for the roll over of the stapling process. I then put the mixed media project on hold. So I get to the point were I feel I'm done with the quilt and ready to mount it to the frame and decide, ever though I used fleece (thinner) instead of quilt batting, it was too bulky to staple to the frame. I was getting used to the extra background when I looked at it and stared at it for two weeks and decided I was a quilter and make it a quilt with a binding and utilize the extra fabric. I still like a binding that is hand sewed to the back of the quilt instead of a machine or fused binding. I added coloful beans to the binding edge and some glitter on the yellow highlights, green eyelids and the lips. I added two wool flowers and a wood button for in the hair. My design is similar to my "Hera and Aphrodite" quilt I did last year with the mosaic fusing technique. Several people thought "Hera" was too stern so on this piece I softened her by changing her brow position, gave her pouty lips and "Barbie Doll" eyes. I named this quilt "Rainbow Avatar." The mixed media piece is still on hold because I really like to fuse fabric to fabric and sew and not glue things to things. I had an a-ha moment where I realized I love my sewing machine and there is a reason I do what I do and not paint on canvas. Hug your sewing machine if you have one!!
