Frida Kahlo | If These Threads Could Talk

Well, I finally finished my hexagon quilt based on artist Frida Kahlo (born July 6, 1907 -died July 13, 1954 in Coyoacan, Mexico), fabric by Alexander Henry. I think I like it. I can’t stop looking at it. I used the original fabric on the left side only. I love the 2002 movie based on Frida’s life. Frida was played by Selma Hayek.

Printed on the fabric are two quotes made by Frida Kahlo & printed on the fabric in spanish. I machine embroidered them on the borders in english. On the top border, embroidered is “Feet, what do I need them for when I have wings to fly”. She survived a terrible bus accident where she was impaled by a steel post, but was in pain most of her life.

The second quote I embroidered along the bottom border: “I Desire to Live, I have already begun to paint”.

In the top right corner I added a skull with a butterfly super imposed over it. (Design by http://www.urbanthreads.com)

I wanted to play with cubes on this hexagon quilt.

I had left over blocks, so I reduced their size and appliqued them in several place on the quilt’s edge as if they were spinning off onto the border.

The Backing is also by Alexander Henry, called “Contigo”.

Let me know what you think.

I’m working on my 52nd Hexagon Quilt. This one is cut from Alexander Henry’s fabric “Frida’s Garden” for Frida Kahlo, a Mexican Artist born July 6, 1907, died July 13, 1954. Below is one repeat of the fabric.

Fabric cut into equilateral triangles.

Frida Block

Another Frida block, fun!

I decided to incorporate cubes into this hexagon quilt. You choose 3 colors for your cubes. A light, intermediate and a dark fabric. I chose these three colors taken from the block fabric.

We make two kinds of triangles, striped and V triangles. For the striped triangles sew the strips into 6 sets of 3 fabrics each. Cut 14 strips of each shade – light, intermediate, and dark. All the strips are 1 ½” x the width of the fabric. Press all seams open! (Confession, I forgot and pressed to the side the side, I had to go back and press my seams open).

Striped Triangles – Sew the strips into 6 sets of 3 fabrics each as follows:
Light – dark – light
Light – intermediate – light
Intermediate – light – intermediate
Intermediate – dark – intermediate
Dark – light – dark
Dark – intermediate – dark

Using a Clearview Triangle ruler, align the 3 ¾” line of the ruler along the bottom edge of the light-dark-light assembled strip, and cut along both sides.

Note: the point is missing on the cut triangle. This is not a mistake. That missing point
will be absorbed in the seam

To cut the second triangle, flip the fabric over and cut from the wrong Side again using the 3 ¾: line.

V Triangles: Sew 4 of each value of the remaining strips together in pairs as follows:
Light – intermediate
Intermediate – light
Light – dark
Dark – light
Intermediate – dark
Dark – intermediate

You will have 6 strip sets – 2 each of 3 color combinations. Press seams open.

Align the 2 ¾” line on the Clearview rule along the bottom edge of the assembled strip, and cut along both sides. Note again that the point is missing.

Flip to the wrong side and continue cutting as before. The 2nd triangle is a reverse of the 1st one cut, no problem, we will need both.

From the 4 remaining strips of each color, cut 3 ¾” trapezoids using the Clearview Triangle ruler

Sew a trapezoid to every 2 ¾” triangle, matching the color of the trapezoid to create a V triangle.

You can quickly chain sew triangles to trapezoids.

All seams are pressed open

From the Striped Triangles, V Triangles and trapezoids you can make these five different cubes:

I placed Frida’s Garden on the design wall. When I had a design I was satisfied with I started to play with the cubes. I simply replaced hexagons with cubes.

This is part one. I want to use some machine embroidery and broderie perse in the borders. First I need to sew blocks into rows and then join the rows so I can audition my ideas.