Alright, me pretties..I'm in need of some technical advice. I finalized the arrangement of rings on this lovely scrap of batik, using a few dots of Roxanne Glue Baste to hold them in place until I could trap them under tulle. Or that was the plan, having auditioned some colors and thinking the peach tulle would work perfectly. However, once I draped the tulle over it the next day, I was surprised that it muted the whole thing. I like the bright colors in this and do not want them darkened or muted or knocked back in any way. So out came the supply of tulles and sheers and there simply was not any that did not alter the intensity of the colors in some way. What worked for the background altered the rings, what kept the rings mostly intact altered the background. I am not interested in compromising here, so I must find another way to approach this.
Luckily, I was working on this to have finished to show at my art group yesterday, so was able to get one suggestion for solving my dilemma, but I am curious to hear from those of you with some collage experience. My main problem is the lack of fusible on the back of the rings and their narrowness making stitching them down impossible. I can probably slip additional glue under them but can't be assured of complete coverage and permanent securing - and there are bits that can fray. And I really really really don't want to alter those colors darker or lighter.
What I wouldn't mind is if it ended up without any stitching on it at all. Although I had planned on layering it with thin batting and doing some quilting, my plan for its final presentation has always been to attach it to either mat board or foam core board an inch or so larger than its finished size and placed in a frame. But if there's a stitching solution, I'm open to that too.
So with all that in mind...any suggestions?
13 comments:
If it had been me doing this, I would have backed the pieces of fabric with two-sided fusible BEFORE cutting out the shapes. Then the cut-out shapes could easily be ironed down to the background.
Hope that helps! Have a good weekend!
Well, that's kind of my point, Connie. I didn't generate these rings to be used this way; they were trimmings off another project's circles of fabric that had no fusible on the back and were going in the trash. You bet that had this been planned, they would have had fusible on them. But since I decided to give them a different life, I created an unanticipated "challenge". But thanks anyway and enjoy your weekend too.
I know you don't want to hear this....but if it were me.....I'd make the rings again...this time with fusible on the back.....sorry....
I can see you guys aren't getting it. The "use it up" traditional quilter in me is challenged by these leftovers that sat on the table making a case for not throwing them out. They made this little design, not me. If I were to start over and do it "right", well, it never would have happened in the first place, and it would not have the random wonderfulness of the current arrangement. I would have worked it and over-thought it to death. I really like these totally surprising and unintended pairings and designs that show up in my studio, working accidentally as opposed to intuitively. So stop with the do over suggestions, for Pete's sake! It's simply not an option. ;-)
Can you glue them down well enough that you could then stitch them, maybe with stabilizer underneath?
I have backed fabric with misty fuse even after it has been cut out. The excess misty fuse can be be trimmed off after it is fused to the fabric.
Cheryl, I might be able to get more glue under the loose parts but it will be tricky.
Chris, I've done what you suggest too, only in this case, I didn't want to remove the rings and really couldn't anyway because of the partial gluing before realizing I couldn't use the tulle option - even if I could have broken the bond, these are so skinny I easily could tear them apart.
Anyone else?
Well, if they're sort of glued in place you can't put anything else underneath really. I understand that's it's just the edges and the need to make it permanent. (An option would have been to remove the circles one by one and sandwich them between a layer of paper backed bondaweb and greaseproof paper and iron - the excess bondaweb would have been left on the papers)
If you want to preserve the exact colourings, then adding sheers on top won't really help. So, as I can't think of anything else, can I suggest a spot of free machining to enhance the colouring as well as securing, or if the glue isn't too thick, some hand stitch. You could go mad with circular stitch or just go round the fabric circles, or perhaps a grid..endless possibilities.
Another suggestion would be to get some scraps of fabric to use as a tester, and try coating everything in a layer of acrylic gel medium. You probably would be able to stitch through again - but much would depend on your machine - and it might not alter the colour, but you'd have to see. In my experience the results vary - too much to recommend it wholeheartedly.
Then there's lamination...but after that I'm struggling. I'll go and eat breakfast and if anything else comes to mind, I'll let you know.
Sheila, would invisible thread work at all? Perhaps sew straight down the middle of each piece using the longest stitch on your machine as opposed to stitching the edges which would probably make them ravel too much?
Laminate it 😊 press it up against glass, borrow my itty bitty iron thingy and stick itty bitty bits of fusing under it (ugh) press it between two pieces glass clip it and sign the glass... Is there a wash away adhesive that could go on messy, stitch then hand wash out... That's all I've got...
I would suggest Misty Fuse. Add tiny scraps around where you already have the glue. Use a pin to lift your circles carefully.
Hi Sheila!
I am happy that too many people answered your technical question... it shows that you are very united.
Unfortunately I cannot help you, because I am not a textil artist,but I hope you can find a satisfatory solution.
I really want to wee these piece finished because it is very beautiful.
Thanks for updating!
Thanks for the additional suggestions, everyone - they've gotten me thinking and testing.
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