Structured Collaging Part 1: One layer designs

lmurray — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:21 +0000

I’m often asked how I come up with designs. The answer is that I think of my pre-painted, fusible backed shapes much like a game of Scrabble. I need to move the shapes around to see the possibilities. It’s a process of placing one shape next to (or on top of) another shape until a pleasing arrangement emerges — one step leads to another, and I begin the journey without knowing the end destination.

I love this technique because it’s fast, with immediate feedback. I never have to make a commitment to a design until it’s fused.

Let’s begin the adventure by with one layer designs because it’s easy to see the individual shapes. The design on your left is one layer, using the kite and Big V shapes from the StarBuilder set of 4 stamps.

Getting Started

Visit the Learning Center for more information about Painted Quilt Blocks, StarBuilder and Paintstik techniques. All of the designs presented here are made with Iridescent paintstiks, my stamp designs, and Lite Steam-a-Seam2 fusible web. The shapes are painted and backed with fusible web. The paper backing remains intact until fusing time.

Samplers

Samplers are always a great way to showcase collections of pre-painted, fusible backed square shapes. Mark orientation lines on a base fabric, and play with the possibilities until you are ready to fuse.

Nine 2.5” squares (Spiral Stamp), with 1/4” spacing between the squares.

1 3/4” squares on point (Centerpoint stamp), with 2.5” Quilt Block stamp in the center.

16 square grid, using Circuits stamp in contrasting colors, no spacing between the squares.

Stars

Only six shapes are required to make a beautiful star (Necktie shape from StarBuilder Set of 4).

Add triangles

Many quilt blocks are made from squares and triangles. As every quilter knows, cutting a square on the diagonal makes triangles. Only two squares are required to make a 3 3/4” block.

2.5″ Quilt Blocks stamp

2.5″ Spiral stamp

Cut four triangles, remove paper backing and arrange on base fabric.

See the thin red line around the center square? Easy to accomplish by leaving a space when positioning the triangles. Or, push them together to eliminate the red line. Experiment with different colorways and patterns:

Stay Tuned –

The adventure continues in Structured Collage Part 2: Two Layers

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