Showing posts with label Boutis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boutis. Show all posts

Saturday 14 May 2016

French Boutis

Boutis panel 17" x 17"
Boutis Manon panel 17" x 17"
My Doll swap partner, Heather has a blog where she shares her interest in the French quilting technique, boutis.  It reminded me of a boutis project I did several years ago which I have resurrected to show you here.
Boutis panel  - detail
Boutis Manon panel  - detail
I bought it as a kit from a French stand at the Festival of Quilts, Birmingham and they had all the boutis bits and pieces including this pre-printed panel.  I haven't seen them at the show lately but you can still get hold of the kits in France at www.boutis.com . I have just been over there and started drooling over the other kits they have - they are SO beautiful.
 
To get the effect of boutis you stitch just two pieces of fine white batiste cotton together with no wadding or stuffing in it.  With the kit I was able to follow the lines on the pre-printed panel and after a lot of hand stitching you end up with a piece of fabric with a lot of stitching on it.  But then the magic happens.  Using a stiletto or cocktail stick and the special soft white boutis cotton, you start stuffing the pockets of stitching and suddenly the work you have done comes alive.  Once stuffed you give it a wash and the pure whiteness of it really looks beautiful

Boutis panel  - detail
Boutis panel  - detail
In the photo above I am holding the piece up to the window where you can see the pattern, but it really shows that the quilt is stuffed rather than quilted as three layers.  It is a beautiful effect, but for practical use maybe a bit lumpy and a bit heavy.  Saying that it is one of the pieces I have made which I seem to constantly have out around the home.