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Adapting Quilt Patterns to Polymer Clay
by Judith Skinner & Sarajane Helm
“The past twenty years have been an extremely exciting time for artist using polymer clay as an expressive art medium. As the techniques, tools and clay have evolved, so have the artistic approaches evolved. Many techniques have been adapted from other mediums with great success; including metal smithing, basket making and ceramics.
Quilting, with its rich traditions of innovation, collaboration and improvisation is especially conductive for adaptation to use with polymer clay. It is possible to cane quilt blocks in polymer clay and then combine them in dozens of different orientations. Sheets of clay can be designed to be used as “fabric” to collage together into three dimensional quilts of clay. Mosaic pieces can be cut into squares, triangles and diamonds and then recombined into fascinating, changeable patterns. Blocks can be traded, morphed or recombined with the work of others. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
Last spring, Sarajane came up with the brilliant idea to make a miniature quilt shop to be used in this book and document its construction on her website. I volunteered (I must admit with some reluctance) to take the bolt templates and instructions to a polymer clay retreat. I was absolutely amazed, delighted and inspired by the response of the artists.
The participation at this retreat rose to the challenge by making over 100 bolts of fabric, nearly six pounds, for the miniature quilt shop. The color ways range from bright neon’s to subdued fall shades. The techniques used included surface textures, caning, mokume gane and silk screened patterns. Each fabric was a unique expression of the contributing artist’s personality. As the collection continued to amass, it inspired others to participate and we set up a display table. The temptation to rearrange and recombine the arrangement of the bolts of fabric was hard to resist. This project was an excellent example of the synergy of collaborative creation, where the joyful whole becomes much more than the individual pieces.
This past summer I watched over a period of days as Judith developed and made the step outs for one of the quilt patterns in this book. Her attention to detail, precision and conceptualization of the pattern belies her genius when it comes to working with polymer clay. And in case you are wondering, Judith Skinner is the inventor of the Skinner blend, which is one most useful ways to create polymer clay blends.
The time is succulently ripe for a book dedicated to Adapting Quilt Patterns to Polymer Clay. Both Sarajane and Judith bring years of experience, enthusiasm and expertise to this book.
I look forward with great anticipation to seeing the wonderful things that will be inspired by this book. Undoubtedly there will be gallery exhibits, on-line swaps, polymer quilting bees and technical innovations inspired by this book.
Remember to have fun and play with clay!”
Written by Lindly Haunani
Reviewer’s Fav:
- Nine-Patch Variation – Pages 42 to 49
- Gallery: Katerina Musetti – Page 105
InstaReview
- Adapting Quilt Patterns to Polymer Clay
- By Judith Skinner & Sarajane Helm
- Paperback – 8.5” x 11”
- 122 pages, full color
- 10+ projects
- Published by: Poly Market Press
- ISBN: Pending
- $28.00
- 2006
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