Week 9

It is time to start on the faces that sit on the edge of the roof of the Pagoda.  I am not at all confident in my free machine stitching skills as yet.  (Only 9 hours so far, 290 to go.)

As the metal impressions around the roof were stylised I wanted my image to reflect this.

The first face is  the sun who is represented as a man's gold face.  I cut an applique piece in bronze fabric and then drew a face onto the fabric.  I didn't trace it as I wanted a folk art type drawing like I had seen on the Kantha embroidered  quilts.

I used a piece of fabric I had dyed for the background and a chalk pencil for the drawing as I knew this could be removed with an art gum eraser.  I then appliqued the main outline in place and sewed around the details in a thread which was the same colour as the fabric.  This held the fabric in place and I had a guide to follow after I erased the chalk pencil.  I then used a gold metallic thread to highlight the details of the face and hair.  I used a fabric pen to give a bit of shadow.  I then indulged myself by quilting the background with suns. 

Comments

[Wendy]

It turned out great. Did you have any dufficulty with the metallic thread? What brand do you prefer?

[Carolyn Foley]

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for the comment. I use Mettler Metallic 60% Polyester 40% Polyomid thread as it doesnt break as much as other threads Ive used. The needle was a Microtex sharp 70/10. I did try a 60/80 sharp but the thread kept breaking. On another appliqued Xmas tablecloth I made I used a jeans needle because there was so much thickness of fabric. I thought that the hole the needle made would be too noticeable but it was fine and I did the whole piece without the thread breaking once.