At last, I am able to post some progress of this on here. I had put the photos on FB first, but I can explain details here better. Work has been slow due to a number of things and I am frustrated from that aspect. On the other hand, the tree is developing in a rather amazing fashion, and for that I am very very happy! All of these are larger images, which should be able to be clicked on to see more detail.......should be......still don't like the new Blogger photo uploader AT ALL ....grrrrrrr.....pfffffft......rant......
Due to where the piece is hanging in the studio, and the amount of *stuff* (and yes it is all vital! SNARF!) around it, my photo is sort of off kilter. The edge of the piece is actually quite square, but the tree is not distorted. That large piece of leafy section on the left is what has been giving me fits.
I start with the plain sections, which you can see on the brown paper. That is traced onto waxed paper, then from there I break it down into smaller subsections. This is tedious because every piece is a *puzzle piece* that must over or underlap the previous piece in the right direction. I also have to consider contrast, pattern, fall of the *leaves*......blah blah blah.
A LOT.
Just getting this front piece of the trunk/root section pinned in place, sewn to the trunk proper and shaped took over an hour. The felt, after being decayed with a heat tool, is very difficult to stitch through (think melted plastic) and does not have the flexibility it had in it's original state.
However, the texture is simply to die for! I mean, it begs to be touched! That is good---worth the effort.
This side view also gives an indication of why this was such a pip to attach; there was padding behind it to bring the piece forward a bit. So while I was freemotion stitching, I was also pushing that puppy UP and trying to keep the digits free of the sewing machine needle. Oy. The two roots that are with this part had a heavy iron on under them, but the thickness of the fried felt made it extremely difficult to get it to fuse. It was a matter of heating the BG and then slapping the root down quickly, then holding the iron hard against the pin board. My upper body is in a state of revolt.
The worst part? I have to hand stitch the rest of the trunk down due to what overlaps where...pliers, big needle, heavy thread. Do four stitches and take a break. I am almost at the point of testing E-6000 on some of the felt scraps. I have this vision of it melting the pieces right on the wall! LOL!!!
And now to the section of leaves that has been occupying sooooo much of my time. As you can tell, there are numerous fabrics used in this. Every piece has a seperate waxed paper pattern made, it is moved around over the chosen fabric until the right elements are in place, to give visual texture and depth. And part of it was not too hard (other than the decisions of which should be lightest, medium, dark, etc) until I came to one leaf section that had to be subdivided again. The offender is below.
BUT!
All those leaves were going straight up and down on the fabric. Thus, another paper pattern was made, cut apart, the waxed paper was laid over each section, the plain paper piece slipped in, pinned, seam allowance added, then the whole was hand stitched together with paper pattern still in place, fitted under the large waxed paper pattern and finally, fused to the other pieces.
Kiddies, that was a full days work.
Still, I refer to the top photo and like it so much, a section of tree catching the light differently, leaves more distrinct........I think it was well worth the time!
Hopefully, you all can understand why I have been falling back on photos for the blog and have not visited as I should; this thing needs to be done, cannot be hurried, and my brain, well, it has been less than cooperative.
But, it is ART! .........finally......... LOL!
As this is further progressed, I'll do another post.
It will be a bit, so don't hold your collective breath.
I like blue, but not on my reader's faces!!!!
Pax....
