Making Leaves
Friday, January 7, 2011 at 6:31AM I am making leaves for a collaborative project. What fun, each is a unique teeny, tiny, mini art quilt! I'm using a technique that I learned from the super talented Barb Forrister.
First I fused several layers of fabric together with fuseable web. In the spirit of FIFO (first in, first out), I tried using some unknown ancient fusable in my stash. What a disaster! It gummed up several needles (even the needle eye!) before I learned my lesson, threw the unknown stuff away and pulled out the Misty Fuse.
After fusing, I stitched around the leaves and added detail with varigated threads. Then before cutting out the leaves, I painted around the edges of each leaf with Stewart Gill metallic paints. The paint adds an additional design detail and keeps the edges of the fabric from fraying. Be sure and apply the paint on the front and back sides of the leaves.
After the paint is dry cut the leaves and apply a little paint to the cut edge of each leaf. This project does come with a warning though; everything starts to look like a leaf, even tortilla chips at lunch! 
fabric leaves, paint / fabric paint
Reader Comments (4)
Those are some interesting tortilla leaves....had a good chuckle over that! I do love the leaves....beautiful.
Susan, they are beautiful! I think that making them is quite a relaxing and meditative process! Gorgeous job!
Lovely and creative work as usuual. I look forward to seeing this art peice. Thanks so much for sharing the technique!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this technique. I've been making flowers and haven't been satisfied with the way I've made the petals. I'll have to try this technique.