Appliqueing details and ebellishments

November 22, 2014    Drizzle on top of 2 feet of snow.  High of plus 12 Monday,  Weird weird Muskoka weather.

Secret Lake

Lots of times beautifully designed quilted backgrounds speak for themselves and need no further embellishments.  If you are doing a table runner that might need to be washed some day (although I suggest that all quilted landscapes are in fact art pieces and not daily functional pieces that should ever be washed) you don't want to add appliqued details. The appliqued pieces just won't stand up to machine washing.  The fact is your landscape may already tell a story without any extra embellishments being added.  These two pieces are about 12" x 40" and look great on a dining or coffee table, but they can look equally as stunning hanging on a wall.  They have no appliqued pieces, because I believe both designs speak for themselves.

Sunset over Bella Lake

There are times however, when I really want to add something more to my landscape to impart my message.  I love this part and for me little details make the landscape come alive and spark the imagination of the viewer..  Sometimes I applique the details using Steam a Seam to stick the pieces down.  Sometimes I applique netting or crinoline or sheer fabric to give the landscape a sense of watercolour or fog or snow.  I have also used acrylic paint.  Painting a piece of fine netting and then laying it down on the fabric and pressing gently can impart a feeling of falling snow. One word of warning, try paint techniques first.  Fabric is way to expensive to waste on a failed experiment.

Here are some examples of landscaped backgrounds embellished with appliqued pieces.

Sailboats added to scene

This was my first landscape with added details. I made this piece after visiting PEI last summer.  The views of the fields and beaches from our rental house were wonderful.  I thought that small sailboats would give the picture dimension. The sailboats were put on with steam a seam.

In this one, which is my own personal protest against all the monster cottages that are now on a section of beach on Georgian Bay where I grew up, has a representation of the old cottage that we used as children.  It is actually sewn directly into the background.  I have done the same thing on a background of farmers field.  I sewed a red barn directly into the background on the horizon.

This was just the beginning of putting together an appliqued skier on a winter scene (see last blog post for the final representation).  Like I play with fabrics I also play with the embellishments.  I kept the skis but I redid his top -- too much white and his head and I added a red toque (very Canadian eh!) I also added our Gordon Setter Caber beside him.  It takes some playing and some thought about colour and value when you are adding appliqued embellishments.

Tips for appliquing:  Once I have the applique stuck down with my iron, I always sew a straight stitch  all around the inside of the appliqued piece because I don't like it when/if the appliqued pieces starts to peel off just a little.  The instructions for using steam a seam are on the plastic that comes with it.  Steam a seam light probably works best.