In my earlier weblog submit, I delved into the artwork of making picket tapestries that I affectionately name “quilts,” utilizing wooden scraps. In that preliminary installment, I mentioned quilt patterns and elucidated craft quilts from thicker items of scrap wooden, leading to stable panels able to bearing substantial hundreds. Building on that basis, I’ll information you thru a simple method to create a quilt by securely affixing thinner wooden segments onto a steady substrate. The structural stability of the quilt depends on the substrate, normally constructed from MDF or plywood. Doing this provides extra flexibility as a result of the quilt primarily options ornamental components that don’t require a stable load-bearing connection. Imperfections within the glue joints are acceptable, and a few artists even deliberately introduce gaps between segments, which may later be full of putty or epoxy.
There are numerous strategies for attaching the quilt segments to the substrate: utilizing nails alongside yellow glue, utilizing scorching soften glue or epoxy, making use of stress to the glued segments with weights, or using a vacuum bag to carry the items in place till the glue units.
For quilts that show distinct geometric patterns or are constructed from a central “tile” assembled in several orientations, start by reducing the components and arranging them with out adhesive. Depending on the sample, resolve whether or not to work from the middle outward or from the underside upward. This resolution ought to observe a dry-run glue-up trial, after which you’ll proceed to use the adhesive.
I had the privilege of studying from Rose Vickers, a British artist who expertly crafts charming quilts from reclaimed picket rulers. She generously shared a few of her insights and strategies with me.
“My process involves selecting the necessary components and cutting them to size. As I assemble and sort by color and tone, creative decisions unfold organically. Often, I don’t finalize a design in advance; instead, I place each piece on the marine plywood and make choices as I progress. This entails rearranging elements multiple times, swapping, adding, and removing sections until satisfaction is reached. Many iterations might precede the emergence of the final piece.”
“At this juncture, meticulous alignment and piece fitting take center stage before transitioning to the gluing phase. Each piece is lifted individually, and PVA-based adhesive (yellow or white glue) is applied before repositioning it with care. This meticulous process demands swiftness, accuracy, and unwavering attention to detail, which is why I ensure minimal distractions. Affixed pieces are marked with a scrap of tape as a visual cue, preventing loss of track.”
“While some might perceive this as a labor-intensive process, it’s essential to note that I find as much joy in the physical crafting as in the creative aspects—it’s a holistic experience for me.”
Some artists undertake a whimsical method that entails quilt segments of various sizes. After securing the preliminary items, they measure, minimize, and incorporate new components into the present ensemble.
As Victor Valencia’s desk within the photographs beneath exemplifies, one other commonplace quilting methodology begins on the substrate board’s middle. Initial segments are affixed utilizing glue and nails. The group is then measured, and contemporary components are minimize to combine round it. The cycle of gluing, tacking, and reducing is repeated.
A essential consideration when working with substrate-based quilts is to keep away from by chance reducing by the brads whereas dimensioning the quilt or including a picket body. This is very essential with older SawStop cartridges, which can set off upon brad contact. Vigilance and brad-awareness are important when dimensioning the quilt for doorways, tops, or different parts; alternatively, use solely glue.
Substrate quilts can even endure from substrate warping as a result of water-based adhesives. While the artist I interviewed didn’t encounter such points, it’s prudent to check on a smaller trial piece earlier than embarking on an formidable quilt undertaking.
In my subsequent weblog submit, I’ll proceed unveiling extra examples of picket substrate quilts, each for creative shows and furnishings design.
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