The plan is three carp appliqued over a lovely background pieced of Kasuri.
The center has been figured out and mostly pieced for well over a month but the three carp have remained nothing more but drawings on a piece of paper, enlarged to scale.
The due date is looming and if we are to do this, the time is NOW.
Today we met for adding borders to the background and putting together the carp. This silk fabric is very flimsy so we used an iron-on stabilizer. The orange carp will be coming down from the top. There will be a gold fish coming in from the left and a tri-color coming up from the bottom right.
Today I brought home the cut pieces, arranged and pinned in place on the drawing for two of the fish.
This evening I sewed the orange on together. This is made from five or six different pieces of cloth. We had to cut around patterns on the narrow kimono fabric.
Even with the stabilizer, the fabric is quite see-through. Since it will be put on top of dark blue fabric, we are thinking of what we can do to keep the dark color from showing through. One idea was to put a layer of batting between the fish and the background. It might add some depth to the carp which could be interesting.
It is a bit difficult hunting solutions when everything in the stores comes encased in plastic. There is no way to know what you are getting without paying for it first.
Has anyone ever used fabric for applique that needed some treatment first? I would certainly welcome any thoughts along these lines. Meanwhile... one more fish to go ... but not tonight!
Tomorrow is a nature hike with the Boy Scouts for identifying trees and animals (birds). Then also with my Cub Scouts, a trip to watch Sumo in the late afternoon. Snow is still on the ground and it won't be melting tonight as temps are below freezing. I am off to the nest to catch some zzzzzs!
I love the ornage carp, very good use of the patterns on the fabric.
ReplyDeleteCould you back the carp with a layer of solid white fabric before you sew it to the background? Then you would not have to worry about the depth of the batting.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is going to be beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI have no ideas for your fish but you don't seem to really need any. They are gorgeous. Enjoy your day with the Scouts and come back refreshed and you'll probably be full of new ideas. Can't wait to see what you end up doing.
ReplyDeleteI knew that if you took those babies home you wouldn't be able to resist putting them together! Yesterday was such an extraordinary working day - so much fun and so much done!
ReplyDeleteThe carp is simply beautiful, it will be a lovely quilt when finished. I think lining the applique with a piece of white might do the trick, batting might make it thicker than you want. Unless you want to make it a trapunto fish?
ReplyDeleteSoooooooo jealous of your trip to Ryogoku. I like the idea of putting a layer of batting under the fish and quilting the details for more dimension.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had help for your predicament but I don't have experience using stabilizers with appliqué. I do have to say is that this quilt is going to be beautiful and I can't wait to see it completed.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of putting batting under the fish. It will be like Trapunto. This is going to be a gorgeous piece.
ReplyDeleteI love your carp! I don't know if it would work - but you could try to "line" the csrp with some fabric like I do my Foundation Paper Pieced "Hearts" I put the "heart" right-side down on some muslin - stitch completely around it - trim the seam allowance - slit the muslin - then turn it inside out - all ready to applique - completely lined and no edges to turn under - ;))
ReplyDeleteThis carp seems real! wonderful work! wow....hugs
ReplyDelete