In Progress....

Still working on these placemats. Got the quilting done in the center panels and outline stitched each and every little piece around the edges. Could I have picked a more time consuming pattern??? Between the pieced edges and now the beveled and mitred binding -- I have one thing to say, @$!@#!@#$^.

I'm also working on a 10x12 Van Gogh inspired Iris threadpainting as a special request from a friend. I've gotten the base painted and have laid on most of the threadpainting. I just have to complete the black outline and bind. I think the next one I do will be Starry Night. I saw a technique demonstrated once on Simply Quilts wherein you slice up little bits of fabric into skinny little slivers and use them to paint the surface of your design, securing the slivers when you are done with tulle and quilting. I think the very nature of Van Gogh's impressionistic brush strokes on that one will lend itself perfectly to the "sliver" technique.

Has anyone ever tried this technique or something similar? I'd love to hear from you if you have. I'm tempted to try this one on a really large scale -- but am leaning toward trying a tiny one to begin with and, if successful maybe doing something like 24x36 which is "large scale" for me.