I will be using the label Swamp Dragon to link, so welcome if you have come from over there! Be sure to scroll down and read the other posts about the progression of the Swamp Dragon.
The new technique I wanted to try out on the Swamp Dragon before attempting it on the Cloud Puppy is to use a layer of felt under the dragon before doing the Free Motion stitching.
In the past so much intense stitching causes a great deal of puckering and there are a lot of things I have to do to make the piece work. I have used a layer of thin wadding under the central figure before, but then you have to deal with the bits of white that show on the edges.
I heard someone mention the idea of using felt under the central figure. As it so happens, I have a large bag of felt that I was given. Because of the dark fabric outline already, it means I can use a dark felt and there won't be so much problem with the edges. So I fused the dragon and 'ground' to brown felt. Then got busy with the stitch patterns for the scales of the dragon and the pebbles on the ground.
I really like the result!
The felt serves as a sort of stabiliser so that there is no puckering, and it also works to give a bit of dimension with the quilting. When I attach the dragon to the background (which I intend to pre-quilt) I will go over the edges of things with a zigzag or satin stitch through all the layers of the dragon and background quilt sandwich. Otherwise I would have stops and starts to deal with in quilting the background up to the dragon. The quilting will end up more fluid and yet the dragon will be 'quilted' through all layers...something judges often look for.
I had an idea for quilting the background and started under the position where the dragon would go...just in case it didn't work. I soon found it didn't. So, I have unpicked all that. Overnight I have come up with an idea that I think will work much better. Not sure if I will get much done though because I have started to get another headache.
Tomorrow I am going to the ExCel Centre (one of the venues used for the Olympics) to help look after the Contemporary Quilt stand at the Creative Stitch ICHF show. They have displayed last year's journal quilts. Apparently there was alot of interest a couple weeks ago at the ICHF Fashion, Embroidery and Stitch show at the NEC.
2 comments:
Very interesting. I love the idea of the dragon
So interesting! I have never seen something like this before! Keep up the good work!!!
Esther
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