Blank Canvas

Quilt designing is very much like painting with fabric.  You start with a blank canvas and then start to create, adding color, turning blocks, until finally it is pleasing to your eye.  While lots of quilts have the same pattern name, the way the artist changes the placement or color makes every quilt a unique work of art, no two alike...even if you try. 

Applique gives you even more freedom to change up the pattern or design.  In fact, you really do start with a blank canvas and can put anything on it.  I wanted to do some wonky flowers with my grandmother's vintage fabrics.  Here's what I came up with.

 I went to the trunk first and pulled out some fabric, deciding on a layered flower.  On paper, I drew off the layers of my flower and copied them onto freezer paper that will run through the printer.  For the circles, I simply took a bowl and drew around it. 

After copying my patterns onto the freezer paper (dull side), I cut each piece out (with scissors for cutting paper) and choose my layers of the flowers.

I did some fussy cutting with the bottom layer, realizing that only the edges of it would really be visible. Then I ironed the shinny side down to the fabric.

For the two bottom layers of my flower, I cut the patterns out adding a 1/4 seam allowance.  For the top layer of the flower, because I am making a yo-yo out of it, I cut it out with no seam allowance.  When adding that seam allowance as you cut, don't worry about being exact.


 For the yo-yo, I removed the freezer paper and stitched a running stitch around the circle making a small hem.  Make sure your thread is knotted on the end.  Then I gently started to pull the thread, causing it to gather into a smaller circle.

 Once I have it all gathered, I knot off the thread and clip to keep the yo-yo from coming undone.

 Because I'm doing a layered flower, I can applique the top layers of the flower before putting onto my "canvas".  For the middle layer, I simply did a needle turn applique stitch, which is simply turning the fabric under the 1/4 seam allowance as I go.

 Once I've gone all the way around, I flip the flower over and trim only the bottom layer away.  This will reduce the layers of fabric for quilting later.

 I then added my yo-yo and a button to the center for another dimension.

 From the scraps of the freezer paper, I drew off some leaves of different shapes and sizes, cut them out and ironed them to the fabric.  These were cut out adding a 1/4 seam allowance.

 On my "canvas", I placed the flower.  Since I want my stem to go under the flower, I need to applique it on first, before I applique the flower.  I will also need to applique some of the leaves under the stem, so I played with the placement.  With the fabric cut away from the back of the flower, I fold it in half and make a bud for another flower.

 

For the stems, I cut 1 inch strips on the bias so that I can curve these as I want.

 

That's it for now.  Come back later and see how this art piece turns out.