Friday, July 15, 2016

Introducing Fused Shapes

Preface: We will not be making a finished product, just works that will be used in later pieces. Working small, and keeping our fused side down will prevent major disasters. Rotary cut only on the cutting mat, which sounds obvious, but often we get so excited that we cut right through our paper or teflon work surface. I've done it, so I know.
To fuse: cut a fused shape, place it on the fused fabric which is on the protected work surface (release paper or Teflon sheet) and just lightly touch the iron to them both. Let cool. If you change your mind, the shape can still be peeled off if you don't fuse it hard. Save your leftover bits in a container for future use.
Most important; have fun!

Let's begin by cutting some fabric! This may be the hardest part, so I suggest just cutting a strip about 3" wide from each of your primary and secondary colored fabrics. I used eight to start, but found a few related colors in my stash to show value and contrast.
 REMOVE THE PAPER FIRST. These strips will be all you will need for the first several class exercises, so you can set aside the larger fused fabrics.
We will be cutting and fusing the following shapes on our fused fabric strips.
Strips, rectangles,squares, circles, dots, X's, spirals, zigzags, triangles, and wiggles, will be our first fused shapes. Choose a base color and a contrast and use part of a 3" strip for each of these shapes, one shape each as shown below. You may overlap, run off the edge, place them symmetrically or randomly. Consider the negative space as part of your plan. Tweezers will be a great tool to help place small bits.

 Dots. Use a sharp small pair of scissors to cut these little dots. I use these all the time on most of my work. Couldn't do without them. On this sample I used complementary colors, pink+green and analogous colors, pink+orange.

X's or Crosses
Cut little squares and cut away a square from each corner. Or cut triangles from the center of each square for pointed ends.
 The leftover squares and triangles can be fused too!

 Spirals. Cut spirals by first cutting a circle, then with a scissor cut the spiral, and the go back to the beginning and remove some of the width, leaving you with the negative space to make the spiral visible. Use the leftover skinnier spirals too.


Circles. Cut the round first and then snip inside and continue to cut away until the circle is formed. On this sample I found a darker yellow in my stash to show a way to make a 'background design' which could be used in open spaces of your compositions.  

 Strips. The most used feature in my work are strips, of varying sizes and widths.

  
Rectangles. Fatter strips, cut short. I saw this used in a necklace on Pinterest.

 connected rectangles:

Zigzags or Chevrons. Shown here with blunt ends or pointed ends, and one cut from a long tapered triangle. Here's two of the quilts where I used these: Zigzag #5 and Radiant Orb. 


Triangles. Use the leftover cut shapes from those chevrons to make these triangles. And here is an example of many triangles as the subject matter of my quilt.

Wiggly Lines. 
  
To cut this shape, draw a wiggly line with a sliver of soap on the front of your fabric. Cut near the line carefully so that the negative shapes can also be used. Mi Amiga Laura quilt uses the wiggly line shape.  
 You may want to keep your examples in page protectors and a binder, fusing them lightly onto the release paper, cut to fit.  We will be using these in future lessons.
 


Here's Zipper, a terrific work by  Linda Rudin Frizzell, which uses dots, spirals, strips, zigzags and leaf-like shapes. Note: none of the edges are stitched down. Hurray!
Zipper -  Linda Rudin Frizzell - quilt close-up:

Questions? Please use the comment box and I will try to answer for the benefit of all.

40 comments:

  1. Oh, my. oh, my. OH MY! I have only clicked for a quick scroll and I am stunned. I haven't been this excited in a long time. Dare I hope that this will be the Passion I have been looking for? Bless you! I am painting a bedroom which has led to a what if... and now I have half the upstairs torn apart as I redo my sewing room- fusing in mind. Be still my heart. But while that is stilled I must move the rest of me to be ready for next Friday! thank you.

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  2. The Base Color we choose, does that have fusible web on the back side of it? Or does the base not have fusible web on the back side?

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    1. Yes we are ONLY using fused fabrics...for everything unless otherwise noted.

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  3. I am with elle! Totally stoked.........starting on shapes this afternoon!

    thank you!

    glen

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  4. Melody I have another question about making fusible art quilts. I know you sell some of your quilts and the quilts that you send through the mail, if they are say 35" in one direction (somewhat large), how do you mail them? Can they be folded into a box or mailing envelope? Must they ship flat? Or do you roll them into a tube and mail them? I want to know the best way to mail a quilt so it won't be damaged with creases, etc. Thanks!

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    1. I fold them into a large padded envelope and tell the buyer that the creases can be pressed out with a hot iron USING A PRESSING CLOTH. Never had an issue with this sort of shipping.
      Melody

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  5. anne de bretagne10:17 AM, July 15, 2016

    hello melody, i do have access to your online class, but i read that "more than 150" had already signed up. how do I sign up for the course? thanks

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    1. You are here now and that is all that is needed to begin. No more signing up is necessary. Everyone can participate.

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  6. Melody, I am still a bit confused about fusing. I've never done it before. Could you post some step by step photos? Do you put the fusing on top of the fabric and then iron them, or put the fusing on the bottom, and then iron? What way works best?
    Thanks in advance. My second question, how do I use my name instead of 'Anonymous'? Not sure how to do that. I don't have URL address.

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    1. Anne, I know it's you because your email shows up in my inbox, so no worry. Look up in the sidebar on the right. Fusing 101. That has fotos of how to fuse. Essentially, put the fusible on top of the fabric, to make sure you are covering just the fabric and nothing else. Pay close attention to the edges since you will be peeling those up first. Iron like you would any piece of fabric, with a hot dry iron. LET IT COOL before peeling off the paper. That's it!

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  7. Great intro class Melody. Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Couldn't wait on acquiring the hand dyed fabrics from Anthony . . . I decided to do today's exercise with regular ol' solids. Of course, there are little frayed bits here and there, and those dots -- wow, they're hard to cut really small! BUT, it was fun to get started! Looking forward to the new fabrics.

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  9. Melody...Thnaks for the info on storing the FF(fused fabric).
    1) I understand why FF is cut without the paper backing but why do you store it without the paper backing?
    2) While reviewing the Fusing 101 I read you use Hobbs Heirloom 80/20. Do you use the bleached or the natural?
    Thank you again for taking the time and effort for this class...LMD

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    1. I store the fused fabric rolls without the paper backing because of the space it takes up in my drawers, which are stuffed!
      But really, it is easier to get at the fabric without having to deal with the paper. I roll the paper up too, and keep it separate, for pattern making, usually.
      I did use Hobbs Heirloom, but locally I have used Joann's version, also 80/20 and really like it, and of course it is cheaper with a coupon.

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  10. Is there anywhere we can post the state of our homework?

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  12. Great beginning Melody....I have lots is hand dyed fabric to work with, am finding the tiny scale of the first assignment challenging in the very best way. Did I miss instructions on how/where we can share our work? Thanks so much for your generosity in sharing your expertise!

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  13. Anne and Donaleen, with over 150 participants, I hesitate to suggest and then monitor a site where all the work can be posted. But of course you may use Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Google Plus, and a myriad other platforms.

    As for the tiny scale, this is all about practicing dexterity and drawing with scissors.

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    1. Good decision Melody...and yes, dexterity with scissors s a skill I haven't used since cutting out paper dolls many years ago...fun! Thanks for the speedy, clear reply...:)

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  14. Lots of fun today! And I still have small pieces left over!! I'm not good on the color combo's but I still had fun!!! Will be doing a blog post with pics on Sunday!
    http://www.robbiespawprints.blogspot.com/

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  15. Google says I can let others add photos to this album. I have never tried that before but I would like to see what others are doing. So if it is okay with you, Melody, here is the link to do that if anyone wants to.

    https://goo.gl/photos/N3PzeG6FrEKT7xqS8

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    1. This google photo site works! Hey 150 world-wide fans of Melody... Post your results here
      😊

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    2. I've posted a link to the Google site that Donaleen has set up. See the sidebar: Post YOUR Homework.
      Thanks Donaleen!

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  16. Melody..forgive me if I missed something...I'm ordering fabric from Antony...is he packaging it in groups of fat quarters and do we just order what we think we may want or is there a recommended beginning purchase? I have no silk fabric to work with so this will be a real beginning for me and I'm a bit lost. thank you.

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    1. Leighway, Antony is hard at work making up packs per my request in either fat 1/8ths or fat quarters. He will be posting them as soon as they are ready and I will give a big heads up. I am sure he will continue dyeing for us all, so expect some later this week and even more later. I do believe we are all he needs to keep him dyeing away!
      Great to Donaleen for setting up a site to post your 'homework'.

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  17. This is inspiring. I plan to have something to post later this week. I didn't realize I had dyed so much fabric in the last 12 years. I am fusing even the dogs as I think using them to learn will be a good use for them. I have already gone through a 20 yard bolt of Wonder under that I had at home and am getting ready to start on the 35 yard bolt that I bought on Amazon. I haven't seen this answered before so I'll ask here. If you want to use white can you just fuse some undyed PFD fabric?

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  18. Is there a link to order fabric from Anthony? I have never dyed fabric so have nothing on hand.

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    1. In the sidebar on the right, Remarkably Sew is Antony's Etsy page, but wait to order fabric until I announce that OUR SPECIAL FABRICS are available, later this week. No rush on doing this first lesson, as it is a quickie and you can easily catch up. Lesson two is also going to be an easy task.

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  19. I hope you are going to have some help for those of us who are NOT natural fusers. I would like help with making skinny lines. MaryAnn Schupe did some great ones. But mine are not coming out so well. Do you need to cut them on the bias to get them to bend? Maryann, how did YOU do it?

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    1. Hahahah! Natural fusers! As if. OK there is a trick and this is it. Skinny lines will bend if you place the tip of the iron on one end and press as you move the skinny lines to and fro. Essentially you are pressing them into submission wherever you move them. It is not necessary to use bias at all. Windy Ridges lines are wavy but cut straight. It's all in the pressing. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/232146555768374820/

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    2. Melody had all the answers of course....it's all in the pressing. That's exactly what I did.

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  20. Thanks. I needed that. Back to working on skinny lines....

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  21. Anthony no longer has fabric available for your class. Shall I use some of my enormous collection of batik? Sorry I am so late in starting your class.

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    1. https://www.etsy.com/listing/454547014/fat-quarters-14-hand-dyed-colors-3?ref=shop_home_active_2

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Comment or ask your questions here so I can clear up any confusion.