The "Fresh" Factor

Perhaps you remember me saying I'd be taking a fresh look at ideas for padfolio covers. One of those ideas would be to reassess my collection of hand-dyed fabrics, the ones with lots of texturing and patterning. I had one of those little epiphanies that I should have had a lot earlier, something that would make determining the suitability of a fabric easier. I've taken a piece of plexiglass from a 12 x 16 inch frame and marked it with the outline of a padfolio as well as lines delineating the front, back and flap. I know - probably an obvious move but one that eluded me even though I've done essentially the same thing with a template in my computer program where I test out photo manipulations for my covers. But when working with actual fabric, I've been squinting instead and trying to envision in my head where those breaks between front and back and flap fall, just where proper placement might be. No more! You can see above how well this works. It would be even better if I trimmed off the excess plexiglass but I don't think I have the proper tools for a clean break along those lines. I've already experienced how easily it cracks when I picked it up along the center of one side - thus the masking tape around the edges.

So I've made a start at that assessing of the stash with a stack of smaller pieces out of my late friend's stash, pieces hard to categorize as one color or another, or patterned in a one-of-a-kind way that make them difficult to file away in my stash (which you KNOW is organized by color). Here you can see a few of the eight covers I cut, some of which will have leaves quilted over them, some of which the stitching is still to be determined (perhaps just straight parallel lines), some of which might even get a little stamping. Some have pockets cut from fabric left over from their cover but most pieces weren't big enough for that. I'll pick out pocket and lining fabric after the decorative stitching is done.