Fusing Fun

Book:
Fuse-and-Tell Journal Quilts/ Laura Wasilowski

Time to reveal my next project... I finally decided on “Peaceful Landscape: A Deceptively Calm Day” on page 48.

Book and Fabrics

Thinking It Through

What I found most difficult is settling in on one project that I could make… and then… it was even hard to stick with the chosen design.

Perhaps, it was because when creating a journal quilt it really is better to write your own story. As I very rarely follow any project exactly as it is created, this was no exception.

So to begin, I figured it best to just START with the design and allow the magic to unfold as it wanted to…

Construction Process

My first major roadblock, was finding out the quilt shop didn’t carry the fast2fuse interfacing. So, I bought the Pellon 809 Decor Bond, instead.

For the fusible web, I usually use Lite Steam-A-Stem 2. I love working with fusible web designs. One day I would like to try some of the other fusible web products.

So to begin… I chose my fabrics and cut them ALL to the required sizes. Then, after attaching the fusible web to the fabric pieces, I began. To keep the confusion to a minimum, I added a label to each colour.  (i.e. sky, water, grass, etc.)

Applique Fabrics

Next, it was time to play with those pieces and fit them into place. I really have difficulty with just tossing random pieces onto the background fabric. So, I changed it!!

Here’s what I thought it needed…

I didn’t have any silk fabric pieces. As I had ironed the fusible web to all my cut-to-size pieces, I wasn’t able to fray the edges. However, I did have another piece that was already frayed and laid it underneath the piece in question.

A Frayed Edge

Then, on the green strip; I clipped the top edge to make it look more like blades of grass. I put a piece of the release paper under the clipped edge when pressing the quilt, so it wouldn’t fuse flat.

Grass

I liked this layout. And thought a frayed edge on the background fabric would look nice placed onto another blue fabric. So I added strips of fusible web to attach both fabrics.

Design Layout

Then, the embroidery stitches were added… And, I did them ALL by hand. I enjoyed trying out so many different stitches.

I used: straight stitch, cross-stitch, running stitch, pistil stitch, French knots, couching, scattered stitches, and backstitch.

Embroidery Thread Options

After, the embroidery work was finished… I just didn’t love the blue fabric for the background. So, I cut the frayed edges. Then, I added a piece of fusible web to attach it to another fabric. I settled on a dark purple.

Attaching to the Background Fabric

So… here is what it looked like after the embroidery was complete and attached to the new background fabric.

Close-ups of Embroidery

 

Because the Pellon interfacing only had one iron-on side, I first stitched the back fabric onto the interfacing with gridlines and then assembled the layers.

I added a feather stitch with the sewing machine to attach the picture to the background fabric.

Another fancy machine stitch was added around the edge of the blue background and the baby rick-rack was sewn through all layers near the edges. And, then, fancy heart buttons were added to each corner of the quilt!

Baby Rick-Rack & Buttons 

My Finished Quilt

 

Finished Size: 18.5” x 15.5”

I love to follow Laura’s blog and see what new ideas she comes up with… they are so inspiring!! Also… check out her section on where and how to use embroidery under “Thread-u-cation”.

If you haven’t yet tried making a journal quilt.. then this may just help you decide. Write YOUR OWN STORY… soon!!

Next Week...
It is time again to do a three month review of the five books I've reviewed in July, August, and September.

If you wish to see which books I’ve chosen for next month you can check out my website for more details.

Happy stitching, everyone!!