I featured my good friend Karen Azevedo this past August and showed her just completed boutis quilt. Seems there has been a lot of interest lately about this type of work. I have several boutis books and love them because of the incredible paper patterns that I trace on vintage linens and free motion quilt. Karen does the traditional boutis by hand.
Karen came up with the idea to do a challenge...we agree on a pattern, give ourselves a deadline, and we each do our piece as we wish. She will do hers in the corded whitework method of boutis and I will do mine free motion quilted on a vintage linen.I will give instructional updates as we go along but wanted to start with Karen first as this is where the interest is!
This is the book that Karen gifted me...LOVE it!
This is the pattern we agreed to do.
This is a brief description from Karen on supplies, etc.
1. A pattern-either traditional or you can make one up yourself.
2. Batiste-white, both for the back a well as the front.
3. Marking pen.
4. Hand quilting thread.
5. Quilting Betweens needles. I use a size 10.
6. Embroidery scissors.
7. Yarn for cording. I use Lily's Sugar'n Cream 4 ply 100% cotton.
8. Fine pointed tweezers.
9. Embroidery hoop.
10. Patience!
***Karen has a full page explanation of the history and a lot of GREAT information on the supplies. It was just too much to add to this blog post. If you would like a copy of that please email me and I'll send it your way.
After gathering the necessary supplies, the first step is to trace your pattern on to one piece of the batiste.
After the tracing is complete I big baste the two layers of batiste together so they can't move while stitching.
Once the basting is finished it's time to hoop your project and start stitching. I usually use a running stitch although I know that some like to use a backstitch in areas. I just happen to prefer the look of the running stitch on both sides of the boutis since you will be seeing both sides and I like to have them look exactly alike.
When starting to stitch I place a small knot in the end of my thread and travel between the 2 layers of batiste and pull the knot through to the middle. I end off the same way when reaching the end of my thread length. I start in the middle of my project and work out to the edges. I also remove my basting stitches as I stitch. I usually just clip what is in my hoop as I am working and keep the remaining for stabilizing anything outside of the hoop.
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I will do another blog post in a few days of the piece I'm working on...it's still in the tracing stages but I'm VERY happy with how it is turning out.
Cindy :)