Why I Love Mixed Media Art Quilts

One of the things I love most about quilting is that a quilt doesn’t have to be made with fabric and thread alone. Somewhere along my creative journey, I discovered how much fun it is to mix traditional quilting with painting, drawing, printing, appliqué, embroidery and all kinds of other art techniques. That’s when quilting became an entirely different kind of creative playground for me.

Mixed media art quilts give me the freedom to experiment.

I might start with a piece of fabric and add watercolor or acrylic paint. Maybe I’ll print onto the fabric, add raw edge appliqué, bring in some embroidery, or use thread painting to create details and texture. Sometimes I know exactly where a project is going ~ and other times, I figure it out along the way.

I think that’s one of my favorite parts.

There doesn’t always have to be a plan.

I love asking myself, “What would happen if I tried this?” What if I painted over it? What if I added another layer? What if I stitched around that shape or used thread like a pencil to draw more details?

Mixed media art quilting gives me permission to play.

And sometimes things don't turn out exactly as I imagined. But even those projects teach me something. A mistake might lead to a new technique, an unexpected color combination, or an idea I never would have discovered if everything had gone according to plan.

For me, creating an art quilt isn’t about following a set of rules or trying to make something perfect. It’s about combining the things I love ~ fabric, paint, thread, color and texture ~ and seeing where my imagination takes me.

If you’ve always been a traditional quilter but have been curious about art quilting, I encourage you to start small. Grab some scraps. Add a little paint. Try some unusual stitching. Glue something down. Print on your fabric. Add an appliqué. There really is no wrong way to experiment.

You might just discover an entirely new side of quilting that you love.

So give yourself permission to play, make a mess, change your mind and try something completely new.

After all, some of my favorite projects started with one simple question:

“What happens if I try this?”

Happy creating!

Lisa Capen