I been busy!

Finally got round to using the fantasy film/angelina fibre/cellophane pieces. They were the right size for postcards. Decided to use them to practice techniques/try out techniques new to me, adding angelina fibres and simple applique.
First I fused some pink angelina to the film, then stitched on the 'pod' shape which was cut from silk chiffon, stitched down, then I added a line of couched rayon/glitter chainette outside the shape, filled the gap between the two with dense free-machining, added beads, and free machine quilted the area outside the shape. I finished it with two couched threads - wool roving and glitter chainette (one of my favourite yarns for dyeing and stitching).



For this I fused opal white angelina to frame the film/cellophane snadwich, free-motion quilted, then couched down real twigs, painted with copper paint. It was finished by adding strips of silk/metallic organza instead of binding.



The third one had angelina fused in a sort of frame and the outside was free-motion quilted. The applique is a small piece of elaborately sequinned and beaded organza saved by a friend from a costume-deigner's cutting-room floor. The edging is hand-dyed cotton chenille.



The final one's my favourite. I stitched the film/cellophane shape to the base fabric, then added fused angelina outside this and free-machined it (took ages but it was fun!) Dipping once more into my stash of hand-dyed rayon glitter I couched this down to create the "leafy" shapes - did this in a "just do it" mood - atypical for me - sort of on a wing and a prayer. I decided to thread-paint parts of the leaves in some places, merely outlining in others. It needed something at the cetre, so spent an afternoon at my friend Judith's stitching down the seed-beads. Outlined in wool roving.