Thursday, July 10, 2008

Here's a REAL applique project


I've had this kit for years, but never had the nerve to start it. The design is reverse applique, so the black fabric looks like leading on stained glass. It's 30" x 40" too, so it going to take a while. Even tracing the pattern onto freezer paper has taken the whole evening, and I'm not done yet.
Maybe I'm getting too cocky about my applique abilities. It would be simpler to applique the cut out colored shapes onto a solid piece of the black background, but I'm afraid that process would impact the resemblence to stained glass leading. My husband thinks it would ruin the effect. (Easy for him to say. He won't be sewing it!) Still, when you start cutting into the black fabric and turning it into swiss cheese while inserting the colors behind the cutouts, this thing is going to get stretchy and unstable real fast. I will have to work with very small sections, only cutting out the shape for a single area, basting the turned-back edges and reverse appliquing the single shape before proceeding. I might re-fuse new freezer paper on the back of the finished sections to stabilize them while I'm working.
I'm not sure my applique abilities are up to this, but we'll give it a try!

3 comments:

jacquie said...

Whoa...now this is a project. Good luck!

Cathi said...

This will be gorgeous when it's done. I can't wait to see your progress as you get started on it!

Three Birds Inspired said...

That would take me the rest of my natural born days! Best of luck...I look forward to seeing your interpretation when it is complete!