I'm trying to make an origami quilt.
By which I mean a quilt which can be folded into an origami form.
Never done anything like this before!
It's based on the traditional Yakko-san model (see pics).
When I fold him from cyanotype-coated tissue paper he gives a lovely pattern, which also tiles in an interesting way.
I'll show you (in a series of toots) how I've started transferring this process to make a quilt...
So first I coated 2 squares of linen with cyanotype chemicals. About 2 litres of chemicals!
They were 1.5 metres square, but shrank unequally after being wet... so I had to recut them at about 1.45 m.
Then each was folded into a Yakko-san.
One was exposed face-up.
The other face down.
After exposure the pieces of fabric looked like this...
And then they were washed, very well.
(2/...)
#cyanotype #blueprint #quilt #origami #memory #yakko #yakkosan #quilting
The two exposed yakko-sans are the top and bottom of my quilt.
Unlike a usual quilt, the backing is not plain, and is meant to be seen.
Putting the 'front', cotton batting and 'back' together wasn't easy!
The orientation (head end of the yakko-san) and overlap of each intersection needs to match, so that either side can be the 'front' side.
See what I had to work with (the two layers) below...
(3/...)
#cyanotype #blueprint #quilt #origami #memory #yakko #yakkosan #quilting
After several frustrating attempts, I got the layers pinned, and then tacked together with some simple temporary loop stitches.
And... I could finally test my idea.
Would it fold into a yakko-san?
And would folding it either way give the result I wanted?
Happily, yes!
Fold one way - blue yakko with a white back.
Fold the other - white yakko with a blue back.
Back when I get onto the #sashiko stitchwork...
(4/...)
#cyanotype #blueprint #quilt #origami #memory #yakko #yakkosan #quilting
So, the sashiko stitchwork for this quilt is done.
But.
HELP!
Normally, you would bind your front to your backing.
But, as you can see, I have two fronts.
I'm looking for ideas on how to edge it, adding/losing as little as possible.
Thoughts, anyone?
White stitches show the valley folds, blue the mountain folds (and vice versa on reverse).
I dyed the blue thread with cyanotype!
#cyanotype
#blueprint
#quilt
#origami
#memory
#yakko
#yakkosan
#quilting
#sashiko
#help
Alun Kirby