A New but Much Thought Out Project Begins

First I would like to thank everyone for their comments and input to the conversation regarding my last post. It is wonderful to hear all these opinions. It was all very intersting. What Robin of A  Little Sewing says sticks out the most to me. This will all shake out. And those who want to be better at the craft will find the right resources. Amen, to Robin.

I also want to say I welcome all newbies to my blog spot. This is a place where I gladly share what knowledge I have. I may not always have the answer for you but I will try to find a resource that will. Feel free to ask me questions if you need to.

Now on to the next project.

You all know not long ago about the tragic loss of my young nephew. He was dealing with mental illness. Despite that, he was so young, twenty, and it hurts us all so. His mom and dad gave me his favorite jacket, a nice quality textured knit lined with a sherpa type fleece to make some sort of commemorative piece. I could not open the box until now. I decided to face this emotional project during this long rainy weekend where I could give it the concentration it deserves. It will take some time to finish this. It is the type of project I have not done in years but like riding a bike, I feel it coming back to me  as I work on it. I think it will get done in fits and starts so bear with me. I have given myself an August deadline when the family gets together for a wedding. I pray God guides my hands and I pull this off. So it begins....

 I am not going to share my vision as this is an evolving sort of project.Lots of samples will be made to see if I can pull this off and incorporate the jacket into it as well. It will be  pictorial in nature. I need to use a fabric base and don't want to draw on that so what I decided to do is an oaktag "under pattern". I pieced together my folders and tried a new technique. I truly can't remember where I saw this and if you are reading, thank you so much. The trick is to connect the pieces with Avery Labels. It holds the oaktag together better than my usual duck tape. Above you can see how I cut a solid page of label into pieces to connect the oaktag. Once it was all stuck together I flipped it over for the next process.

Here the oaktag is flipped over and I don't have anything to distract me from the design. All I wanted to do here was block out the most basic shapes and outline them heavily with a Sharpie. This will then go underneath my base fabric so I can place the pieces where they need to go. You can see numbers on the oaktag. This is to let me know the order that the fabric is placed down. I will embellish each piece before placing it on the base fabric. Then it will be on to the machine for more stitching and securing to the base.

Here are some samples I fiddled with. I am using batiks in some places and felting with wool roving and other sorts of fibers, ribbons and threads on top.

So that's where I am right now. My first piece needing completion will be the sunset sky you see in the orange piece at the top.

I also hope to get  some fabric pleated up to make a little smocked outfit for a local charity. So things are happening around here and I am excited about it all. Sometimes you just have to be in the right frame of mind to get started and I am finally there for Danny's project.......Bunny