The next few steps

Well, I am making good progress on Clingman's Dome. I have used a tiny bit of old hand dyed fabric and it was coarse stuff to begin with so it does NOT want to lie flat. I think the quilting will cover a multitude of sins though. I shall post the photos and walk you through the process.

You can see faintly through the paper pattern the row of evergreens . The paper strip at the bottom is the interesting part of that layer, ie, the top edge, on freezer paper. NB the instructions to self- add 2.5 inches to the depth of this piece. I want the whole foreground covered by this fabric

Auditioning fabrics for the quilt.

The top three pieces have been cut from the freezer paper, identified, ironed onto the appropriate fabric, cut out with a healthy seam allowance (about 5/8 "). NB the little registration marks too

One piece with the staystitching showing on the overlapping bit and the seam allowance at the top turned over and stitched onto the piece above. I use invisible thread, an applique or blind stitch -.8mm length and 1.3mm width and JUST catch the folded edge with the zigzag part of the stitch, while the straight stitches get buried right tightly against the lower layer  but stitched into the upper piece. Let me know if this is unclear!

The batik fabric for the dead trees in the mid foreground

The Wonder Under ironed onto a piece of that batik and the pattern pieces marked, numbered and drawn onto the paper backing , ready to be cut apart

The quilt top on the light box so I can see where to place the trees. Note the seams . See the clips to make them turn nicely. I can easily see the drawn lines that show me where to put my trees .

First tree just testing the look before committing myself

The tree cut out and the paper backing removed ready to fuse

Back to the light box to be sure

Nicely fused in place.

The batik strip fused to Wonder Under to be used for the dead grasses in the foreground

First few bits of dead grass placed on the quilt top, prior to their being ironed down

I hope this is clear and helpful and encouraging . Try it. It is fun! Choose your fabrics carefully and you end up with a pretty realistic representation of your photo. This piece is almost ready to layer and quilt now. I have to finish the weeds and a few little details.

A new experiment

My original drawing coloured with pencil crayons

I am at it again ! Still playing with reemay. This time, I have actually followed the directions given by Betty Busby. I painted the reemay, ironed it to shrink it slightly then fused Trans Web onto the back side of it. That part is now set aside while I transfer my drawing onto the back of the reemay using my light table. Once that is done, the reemay will be pinned back onto the little wooden frame for burning. I plan to burn it so that the lines end up a  bit wider than they are in the coloured drawing. I want the intricacy of the drawn shape but more reemay to show off the colour transitions. Wish me luck. I am also trying to shake out of the conservative use of colour that seems to be me at the moment! I have said before that I am a colour junkie, but lately, you would never know it. Maybe I am in my pastel period!!

Black and white , enlarged photocopy of my drawing

The painted reemay

Wish me luck.