Busy week

Two projects in the final stages and one finished.

Icarus' Dream is finished, faced and has its hanging sleeve sewn on.

If you remember, there was a first attempt at Icarus' Dream that didn't work out.  I trimmed as much of the background, that part with the quilted grid, off that piece, before throwing the center portion out.  I had to quilt a couple of other pieces to match, and then put them all together, like jig saw puzzle.  I butted the pieces together, with a multiple zig-zag, to hold them, and then sewed them with a narrow satin stitch, into a single larger piece. This was stamped with Dragon Flies with cobalt blue Seta-Color paint.  You can see that there were two dye lots of the yellow fabric, but I think it adds to the piece..

The dragon flies then had their heads, bodies and tails beaded.  You may be able to see the beading in the following picture.

This larger piece was turned into a knitting bag with some wooden handles that I found in the storeroom.  They must have been left over from the 70's 

 At the same time the latest issue of Quilting Arts Magazine arrived, containing an article on discharging hand dyed fabrics.  Since I was experimenting, I didn't bother drafting a new pattern, and simply re-used the Icaru' Dream pattern.  I found three of my hand dyes to base it on, and quilted the basic feathers in red, Since it was also machine trapunto-ed, using water soluble thread, I spritzed it to remove the white thread, and darned if the dye didn't run.  I have never had this problem with my hand dyes before!  So I gathered up most of the hand dyes I have, including the  piece, itself, put it through a very( read-very) hot wash with Synthrapol.  It seemed to take the excess dye out, but the batting shrunk!  Since I never wash my hangings, I had forgotten that cotton batting needs to be pre-shrunk.  But, it was still an experiment, so I persevered.  Finished the background quilting ( much simpler than on Icarus' Dream),  and then applied discharge paste to the feathers with a paint brush.  It dried over night, and the next day DH took my ironing board out to the patio and I ironed it, wearing a respirator.  It was washed, to remove the discharge paste and blocked--and what a PITA that was!  

Here is the result.  I had expected more pale colour in the feathers, but I'm well pleased with the result. I plan to finish this with facing and a hanging sleeve. It may be shown, but probably not offered for sale.This technique is certainly something I'll do again, I already have a design, and fabric, in mind.