Delancey Place - The Art Process

I created this art quilt from a photo taken by Rod on one of our walks along beautiful Delancey Place.  These are old historic high end row homes only a few blocks from the noisy hustle and bustle of traffic and high rise office buildings.

The first step in my art process was to expand the image in Photoshop then print it out to the size I wanted for the quilt.  I then taped the papers together and attached it to my studio window.

I taped another piece of paper over it and traced it with a Sharpie pen so that I would have a pattern for use in cutting out all the components of the scene.

After choosing my sky, building and sidewalk fabrics I ironed Mistyfuse to the back of all my fabrics intended for use in creating windows, doors and all other elements.  After cutting out each piece with a tiny rotary cutter I fused it to the background fabric.

Much shading and detail was added to the archways and windows with a Micron Pen.  I then loaded the quilt onto my longarm quilting machine, basting and stitching everything down with Monofilament thread.

My architecture quilts often feature a second layer of quilting in spirals for added movement and energy.  I do this style of quilting on my smaller domestic machine.  I finally added some trees and window flower boxes for a bit of framing and warmth to complete the work.

This art quilt is a bit smaller than my other architecture quilts, measuring 17" x 23".  I enjoy using an app which allows me to place my artwork in beautiful rooms as you can see above.  You may find the listing for this work here.

Philly provides an endless source of inspiration for me, all within walking distance from my home.  Thanks for taking my little guided tour!