Well last month I did not manage to get a card done for the 6 x 4 lives challenge as I was just a bit overloaded but this month I did it!
It is Autumn down under. Canberra bursts into a real show of colour every year and I delight in this season as much as I take pleasure in spring. My eyes have been enjoying a feast of colour as the leaves fall.
Since part of this challenge is to describe technically what was done (whose bright spark idea was that!) here goes…
Firstly I took a few leaf shapes as a jumping off spot for the idea. Then after a bit of a scrummage around I found some hand dyed linen which spoke to me of autumn and some copper fabric which had been pleated shibori style. The fabric has a copper metallic sheen to it, which gives it real zest in life but not necessarily in the photograph.
Next I traced the leaf shapes on to some double sided fusible sheets in this case Therm O Web Heat and Bond Lite. Then I applied it to the copper fabric. Next I cut out the leaves but discovered I liked the negative shape better then the positive. So I chose to work with that. I fused the fabric to the linen and I had an interesting foundation for my fabric postcard.
I decided to add hand embroidery in just two stitches as I wanted to limit the texture a little. I used french knots and straight stitch to tied the feel of the two fabrics together.
I backed the fabric post card by using Therm O Web Heat and Bond Lite to fuse a piece of woollen fabric to the back. I then couched a fine braid, made by Madera, around the edge using the sewing machine. I trimmed the edges, set my old beast to zigzag and went around the edge, stood back and felt very proud of myself making the deadline!
For anyone unaware of this challenge I have details about 6 x 4 lives here. It is not a swap challenge but a journal challenge. The idea is to use the fabric postcard format as a journal. It is a personal challenge to produce a fiber postcard once a month that records what you have been exploring, doing, or thinking about and to share techniques with the group.
As usual click on the image here to be taken to a larger version.
Its a public holiday today as it is ANZAC Day – I did a post last year about the importance of the day to Australians and it is linked to various sites. If you are interested here it is
I backed the fabric post card by using Therm O Web Heat and Bond Lite to fuse a piece of woollen fabric to the back. I then couched a fine braid, made by Madera, around the edge using the sewing machine. I trimmed the edges, set my old beast to zigzag and went around the edge, stood back and felt very proud of myself making the deadline!
gorgeous colours, and the knots are perfectly accented by the ‘seed’ straight stitches. nice work! and thank you for the link.
Wonderful – thanks for sharing your notes and the lead to the site will all the pictures. I particularly liked your dragonfly
Love this card. I’ve just started making 4×6 cards. They’re a great pallete for experimenting with new techniques.
I love the effect the French knots have in this piece. Well done.