Fusing all the way!

Was desperate to do some fusing this morning so when I'd completed three blocks for the quilt in record time I allowed myself to fuse something! I had two pieces of fabric which I really liked which already had Bondaweb on the backs because I had been going to weave them together. Instead I cut each piece into four and neatened the edges. Then I took each four and cut a leaf shape out of the middle. I have to admit that this was done quite roughly. Then I took a piece of cotton fabric and fused the outsides to it in an irregular arrangement. Remember I am doing this all off the top of my head with no pre-conceived ideas. Then I put the leaf shape in the opposite colour into the outline. My workroom is so small that it was difficult to get far enough back to actually take a photograph. I think I am going to trim it on the left hand side. Having done this I had to go to work. But while there I was thinking about what I could do with this beginning. So I sketched out some ideas and made some notes.

The top two sketches on the left are just to remind me of the shapes. I roughly drew out the overall concept and then played with ideas for over embellishing it. I think I'm going to go with cut out gold mesh following the shape of the leaves and rounds cut out of a textured fabric. Some of the lines need softening. I did wonder whether I'd use a digitised design of leaves that I've done over it in a grid pattern. Or even use the design on tulle and then lay that over the design and distress it after its stitched on so that the underneath shows through in places. Whatever this is a very liberating way of working. I would never in a million Sundays have considered piecing a design like this. Too much hassle!

This is a picture of the machine digitised leaves on tulle which I laid over a piece of dyed cotton poly that has stamped leaf shapes in disperse dye on it. It could have been ironed but I was in rush. I needed something so that the leaves would show up and this seemed ideal picking up on the leaf theme. This piece was done using metallic FS2/2 machine embroidery thread by Madeira which is a bit thicker than normal and sews like a dream. This colour might work very well with the colours in the base piece.

I have to go to the bank tomorrow morning but if I hurry I might be able to grab a couple of hours to do some work on this piece. It is screaming to be let out so I must get on with it while the muse is hot. Its probably afraid that it might end up in the UFO pile! No doubt those UFO's sitting on the worktop have been talking to it! (Grin!) But I can see this as a wall hanging and know where it will go too! I shan't put any UFO's up tonight as it might be an omen! A bad one!