Quilt by Marlene Brown Woodfield.

Marlene shares this background on the process of creating this and simlar quilts: “The projects that I do with ‘sun painting’ using light sensitive fabric paints can only be done in the Summer months. Otherwise the light is not concentrated enough to make a great print. I absolutely love doing this process as you never know how it will turn out and if there is a goof up somewhere, how you will turn that into the most beautiful part of the quilt. It also challenges your creativity in how to quilt the piece and whether to border it or not.

You start with leaves collected and put in a phone book to absorb some of the moisture while you mix the paints that you will use. I use Seta Color transparent paint.

Stretch some prepared for dye (PFD) white fabric over foam board. Spritz the fabric with water and paint the background. Then lay the leaves in the arrangement or design you wish and then add some more paint. To get the little starbursts, you sprinkle on a little coarse salt.

Then you put it in the sun and wait until it dries. After you remove the leaves you will see your fabric masterpiece!”