“Folk-art appliqué designs are enduringly popular and we look at how such designs can be created with a few simple design tricks.”
Lin Clements
ESSENTIAL GUIDE
FOLK-ART STYLE
Originally, folk art was a rustic, handmade style of art that often depicted the maker’s life. Consequently, images included those from everyday life, such as flowers, leaves, animals, birds, insects, houses and farm life. Coupled with various geometric shapes, the range of subjects that can be used is as wide as you want to make it. The style of the motifs tends to be simplistic, often with rounded edges and quirky interpretations. Even a brief Web search for folk-art designs will show you that there is a wide range of motifs that can be used. However, certain favourites crop up time and time again.
Folk-art designs can be decorative or utilitarian and thus can be used in a variety of ways. For example, larger designs can be used on quilts, cushions and tablecloths; while smaller designs can decorate items such as bags, bookmarks and greetings cards.
The way the final design is to be used will affect how you design the work. For example, you might want a design that works as a medium-sized quilt block, or you might want a larger composite design for a quilt centre, or an elongated design for a border.
We have looked at methods of appliqué in previous Essential Guides (for example, blanket stitch appliqué in Issue 29 and turned-edge appliqué in Issue 30). This article focuses on design advice and ideas on creating folk-art designs, rather than the practicalities of appliqué. Lin has drawn a collection of appliqué templates that you could use. Looking at the work of other quilters will provide you with plenty of inspiration, for example Jo Colwill, Lynnette Anderson, Mandy Shaw, Tone Finnanger, Rebekah Smith and Deborah Kemball to name but a few.
This detail is from a gorgeous folk-art quilt by Irene Blanck that appeared in Issue 89 ofToday’s Quilter. The motifs are leaves and flowers – eternal favourites for achieving a folk-art style. The eclectic choice of colourful fabrics gives the work a happy, lively look
This sample was made using fusible web appliqué, outlined with hand blanket stitch. For a more subtle outline, Lin used two (2) strands of a light green-grey embroidery thread for most of the motifs, with one (1) strand for the little
