Cut, Fuse, Stitch, Melt ... New Work!

(Above: In Box CI.  Unframed: 14" x 11".  Framed: 19 1/4" x 15 1/4".  Click on any image in this post to enlarge.)

A little over a week ago I posted three, small "In Box Series" pieces that I made and shipped with three other pieces to a gallery in Colorado.  Well, before completing this great order, the gallery owner wrote saying that she's like the same number of pieces sent to her second location!  (WOW!)  I had two "Window Series" pieces; I had a "Lancet Window" too ... but I needed three more of the small "In Box Series" pieces in order to complete her second order.  I went straight to work and shipped both orders out last Wednesday.  Above is the first of the new pieces.  The other two are at the bottom of this blog post.

Next, my attention turned to three large "Stained Glass pieces".  Unfortunately, I forgot to snap photos of Stained Glass XL in progress but below is a step-by-step group of photos on the construction of Stained Glass XLI.  (Stained Glass XXXIX is finish and photos are below!)


(Above:  Me with one of the tackiest polyester stretch velvet fabrics ever!)

I guess I remembered to shoot these photos because it was my first time using this unbelievably tacky, tiger-striped polyester stretch velvet!

(Above:  Stained Glass XLI, in progress, step 1.)

I start with a piece of recycled, black acrylic felt (which used to be the packaging material for a canoe or kayak being shipped from a North Carolina manufacturer to River Runner, my local outdoors shop).  My stash of polyester stretch velvet is "ready to go" ... which means I've already ironed WonderUnder (Bond-a-Web) to the reverse.  Shapes are cut and ironed into place.  Above is the first layer.


(Above:  Stained Glass XLI, in progress, step 2.)

The method of making these pieces is a variation on my original "In Box Series".  I wrote a free, on-line tutorial called, "How to Make an In Box".  It is HERE.  After I lay out the first layer, I add more polyester velvet shapes, as in the photo above.


(Above:  Stained Glass XLI, in progress, step 3.)

At this point, I iron previously painted WonderUnder over the entire surface and add metallic foiling.  I get my foils and my selection of chiffon scarves from Dale Rollerson's The Thread Studio in Australia.  It is the only place where I seem to be able to find all the things I want for fiber arts.  It is worth the shipping from another continent ... and fun to think about how "international" fibers really are!


(Above:  Detail of step 3 ... metallic foiling!  Applying this is like having the Midas touch!  Such fun and instant gratification!)


(Above:  Stained Glass XLI, in progress, step four.)

I continue to cut all sorts of polyester velvet shapes ... filling the entire surface.  All my shapes are cut by hand.  In the photo above, I've already started to add little pieces of previously painted WonderUnder over the new shapes.  The right side of the photo has the WonderUnder.  The left side is waiting for it!  Why do I add more of this heat-activated adhesive?


(Above:  Stained Glass XLI, in progress, step 5 ... adding snippets of various colored chiffon scarves.)

I add more previously painted Wonder Under to the top of the new velvet in order to apply snippets of various colored chiffon scarves across the entire surface.  This is important because it allows my free-motion embroidery foot to glide over the various shapes without getting caught in the layers.  Next ... I spend several hours stitching with black, 100% cotton thread.  Finally, I staple the piece to a stretcher bar, poke holes in it with two different sizes of soldering irons, and melt it from the reverse with a heat gun.  Hopefully, I'll have more photos of this soon!

 
(Above:  Stained Glass XL.  Click on image to enlarge.)

After each piece is finished, I stitch it to an over-sized piece of mat board installed in a black linen liner and then put the entire thing into a frame behind Plexi-Glas.  Below are details of Stained Glass XL, above!  Further below are the other two, new "In Box Series" pieces!

 
(Above:  Top part of Stained Glass XL.  Click on any image to enlarge.)


(Above:  Upper middle section of Stained Glass XL.)


(Above:  Lower half of Stained Glass LX.)

 
(Above:  Bottom of Stained Glass LX.)

 

(Above: In Box CIII.)

(Above: In Box CII.)

I am linking this post to Nina-Marie's "Off the Wall Fridays", a site for sharing fiber arts.