I recently introduced a friend to the amazingly talented Carol Eaton…well, more specifically, to Carol’s hand-dyed fabrics. I had to smile, remembering my initial OMG it’s-too-good-to-cut-into reaction. The vast majority of my pet portraits, big and small, are in no small part a collaboration with Carol’s gift.
Now that she has an Etsy shop: https://etsy.me/2J2l2s8, I thought it would be fun to share the many ways you can use her marvelous fabrics.
1- Most obviously, as a brilliant background to a particularly cute subject. In the case of this quilt, I sent Carol the photo of adorable Ivy and she hand-dyed the “fur” solid fabrics I used to create the pup portrait against one of my favorite confetti-dyed backgrounds:
2- As a key ingredient of a piece…for instance, the leaves and vines in this portrait of Jackson were cut from an ice-dyed green I adored:
3- Consider functional pieces…such as this notebook cover I stitched for my Sweetie a few Hanukkahs ago:
4- Simply marvel at how nature imitates art (or vice versa?!)…I came home from walking the dog with this photo and realized I has a perfect background for a landscape:
I am a firm believer in the notion that our fabric talks to us and reveals its perfect use…this has been waiting for me for 3 years now, shouting at me that it must become this skyscape:
…while a few other pieces sit on my shelf, smiling mysteriously as they make me wait ;). I think the most important advice would be to enjoy the process…and when you feel that muse, don’t be afraid to cut into that fabric!
neonkittyquilts 
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