Part 3 - Project 6 Stage 3 Applied Fabric Techniques

I decided to practice machine applique by laying down various pieces of silk fabric onto a vilene background.  I then edged the pieces with satin stitch to hold them down.  To add some texture and interest I machined some of the pieces with basic stitch patterns that are on my sewing machine.  

The sample above is snippets of fabrics and threads scattered onto a cotton fabric.  Bonding powder was then sprinkled over this and a piece of metallic organza was placed over before being free machined on.  Before I free machined over the sample I thought it was rather dull.  However, after machining I like the way I have picked out the fabric pieces and that the thread snippets when sewn around have given a raised quilted effect.  This made me realise that by doing a little more work on a piece can give it a whole different look and it can be taken forward giving more ideas.

Work with drawings to produce a Sample

I found it difficult to choose a drawing to work with for this sample but eventually chose one that I had done on drawings from Ballet Russe costumes.  I used part of the drawing an enlarged it when working on the fabric.  I coloured the background fabric, a piece of calico, with Brusho then applied dyed felt by using cutback applique.  I sewed the circles on by appliqueing first circles of organza using a zig zag stitch around the edge.  I then applied felt circles on top of the organza circles using a straight stitch.  The bars on the righthand side are metallic organza pieces appliqued onto a metallic organza strip.  The applied pieces are stitched down using a zig zag stitch along each edge.  

Looking at the sample now I like the appliqued metallic organza and the felt and organza circles.  I feel that the felt bars are too heavy.  I don't think this has anything to do with the size of them I think that it is my choice of fabric.  Colour wise I feel it is right but I think I could have used a lighter fabric and it would have balanced the piece out more.  However, I am very pleased with the colours and the fact I was able to take my inspiration to a drawing  and then through to a fabric sample.  The photograph does not do the colours justice.  They are actually a lot richer and deeper looking.