Using up the scraps!

Well I've managed two more of these 61/2" square textile pieces, and I feel that I'm on a bit of a roll with them! However, things are going to be 'hotting up' again for the next few weeks with the final wedding preps, so this will probably be it now until after the end of May!

I decided to photograph the process of this last one, so here goes.

Above is a piece of fabric I printed quite some time ago. In fact, so long ago that I can't quite remember the process, but I think it included elastic bands and some left over thickened dye through a silk screen. It was rather dull and boring, which is probably why I've not used it until now! However, I dragged it out yesterday, and attacked it with some waxy fabric crayons, the results of which are below.

I selected some other scraps of leftover dyed and printed bits and pieces, plus a piece of commercially printed cotton, and cut them up into spirals, ovals and wriggly shapes which I'd prepared for appliqueing.

After stitching the appliqued pieces down, I continued to embellish the surface with lots more free motion quilting in colours that added more interest and depth to the background.

Both pieces are very similar individually, but as you can see from the first photograph at the top of this page, they would also work well together.

I've really enjoyed working on these smaller pieces, and they are a very good way of using up small, leftover scraps of fabric that are too good to throw away!