3 Pretty Sisters

I’m finally able to post my entry for the Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine Readers Challenge- ‘Make it Pretty’! I checked their website today and the finalists are listed. -not me, but CONGRATULATIONS to all the finalists and I can’t wait to see all the finished mixed media artwork in the magazine!

Here are 3 sisters; each pretty in their own way.

I admire women who are strong and have a sense of self; who love themselves as they are. There is often a rivalry between sisters and friends as to who is the ‘pretty one’ or the ‘clever one’. These three sisters shine in their own way; they are happy to be different and happy to be themselves.

The Three Sisters

Mini Art Quilt

12" x12" (30cm x 30cm)

My inspiration is a dream-time aboriginal story that explains the natural rock formation known as ‘The Three Sisters’ at Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia. This is the version I like best although the other does include a Bunyip! The three beautiful sisters fell in love with 3 brothers from another tribe to whom it was against tribal law to marry. The brothers decided to steal them away and a battle ensued. The 3 sisters were turned to stone for their own safety by a tribal elder (some say it was their witch doctor father) - but he died in the battle and they couldn’t be turned back. Even as stone, they are still beautiful……………………

The Three Sisters - detail

Mini Art Quilt

12" x12" (30cm x 30cm)

The Three Sisters - detail

Mini Art Quilt

12" x12" (30cm x 30cm)

Beauty is so much more than skin deep; I believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that we are all pretty whether we are tall or short, plump or thin, have blue, brown, green, grey, or hazel eyes; whatever our skin colour, or age. Sometimes it’s on the surface, sometimes deeper down.

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in; their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Methods and Materials:

The background is thin printed cotton muslin over red and white polka dot cotton. The dots were visible through the muslin and daisies were embroidered around alternate polka dots with a variegated perle thread and leaves with 3 strands of embroidery floss.

The sisters’ faces were painted onto a piece of onion dyed silk with fabric paint, acrylic paint and textile medium. The circular faces were cut from the silk and needle turn appliquéd to their halo collars which were made of rust dyed silk and muslin. Buttonhole and Running stitch were used to embellish the haloes. The faces were slit from behind and stuffed with wadding.

The sisters’ dresses were made from various pieces of sari silks and cottons. Running stitch was used to outline design elements and attach the pieces to the background. Various novelty fringing/yarns were attached to the sisters’ halo collars as they were stitched to the background. Other embellishments include a piece of hand dyed vintage lace, and a piece of rust dyed corded silk (under the lace).

The quilt consists of wool batting and commercially printed cotton backing. Binding was made from silk, commercially printed cotton and sari cottons.

Most of the fabrics were in my stash; but the beautiful embellished sari silks and cottons were purchased from Manasi's etsy store:Yarnahoy.
Feb 2010

Please go and check out Yarnahoy's store- Manasi has some beautiful fabrics (and rovings) and gives a generous 20% discount on future purchases if you blog about what you made with fabric purchased from her! There are other ways to earn a discount too.... ( I've just received another bundle of scrap sari fabrics from her and they are truely delicious!) She has just returned from a trip to India, so will have lots of new and tempting fabrics for your textile art!