Recycled Sari Silk used in Art Quilts

Recycled Sari Silk - Free Motion Couching 

Recycled Sari Silk
Cone Flowers

I discovered recycled Sari Silk on skeins a few months ago and challenged myself to use this fibre in my Art Quilting techniques.

To create the Cone Flowers I prepared a free motion quilted background of torn strips of batik fabric (8 - 2 1/2" wide strips over lapping each other 1/4") on batting and backing fabric.

Take a picture of cone flowers for reference.

The internet is full of images that may be used for reference.

It is not the intention to copy any photograph exactly. 

With a non permanent marker, mark four stems, the flower center, the flower petals and the leaves.

These marking are a general guide for proportions and placement.

I used my favourite invisible thread to free motion couch the petals in place.

I used the same methods I had learned earlier for "Machine Silk Ribbon Work."

Free motion straight stitch the stems, which are twisted as they are stitched in place. See below the Cone Flower "work in progress."



The recycled sari silk strips can be up to 2" wide. Flatten the sari silk when stitching the leaves.  Start at the tip of the leaf, having trimmed the flattened silk to a point, Free motion stitch the leaves in a back and forth manner, twisting the sari silk into a stem at the base of the leaf.

Recycled Sari Silk Skeins

Recycled Sari Silk
Rolled into Balls

Work in progress

The Cone Flower centers were made with dark brown perle cotton (#5) in the bobbin.

This is called Bobbin Work. Wind brown perle cotton on the bobbin.

Free Motion Bobbin Work is done by bypassing the bobbin tension (or loosening it almost completely)

Matching colour thread in the needle.You will work from the reverse side, free motion, straight stitch. Stitch in a circular motion round and round until the flower centers are filled.

In my next post I will show you two flower quilts free motion couched in the same manner using haboti silk and bias cut batik strips.

Be inspired, play, create and remember, artistry is not a gift, it is learned.

Carola