Cross My Heart

Since my foiling supplies were still handy – hanging out on the table, (cuz I hadn’t put them away)… they got added into the mix!

I cut two larger crosses from this fabric.  These are about 5″ x 8″ as compared to my  mini-bookmark crosses, sized at about 3.5″ x 4.5″ or so from my paper-fabric. (seen below)

I really love this deep pink and golden rusty-orange-pink tones, and I think it looks good with the copper accents, too.

After the fabric is cured, I added batting and backing fabric, as well as some of the  heavy duty tear away stabilizer. I quilted it, using Rainbows thread; a polyester variegated pink from Superior Threads. When the quilting was finished, I drew my shapes onto the backside of the backing fabric, and cut them out.

For sale in my Etsy shop!

Time to apply the cardstock. It’s the cardstock that really gives these pieces a firmness; a stability I personally prefer in the finished product, which also enables these pieces to hang quite nicely as well.  First, I apply glue to the cardstock, using a UHU glue stick. Then I place the cross-shaped fabric onto the sheet of cardstock, and cut it out again. I finish the edges with a zig zag stitch in matching thread, which holds all the layers together. VIP TIP: I tried stitching it first, without cutting out the shape, and it’s real difficult to do that after stitching, and not cut your threads!  

 For finishing, and to make the piece so it can be hung on a nail, I cut a small piece of ribbon, placed it in the middle, and finished with a remnant of fabric in the shape of small heart to cover up the glue. (above)

The best needle is a 90/14 topstitch – titanium if you have it.  If not, then a 90/14 microtex or metallic needle will work very well, too. This needle will even pierce through the glue substance that is the base for the foil.  That’s what a good, sharp needle will do – pierce cleanly, through all four layers;  fabrics, batting and heavy paper.

Also, it’s very important to replace the needle often in these circumstances.  Paper (and dried glue) will dull a needle, very, very, quickly.  Want to know more about needles, tensions and threads?  See my “The Thread Tango” post here!

And what to do with the leftovers after cutting out the two crosses?  Hearts, hearts… hearts.  I’m a tad tired of hearts ~ at least for awhile, anyway!  And zig zag stitching, too.  But — I am so glad to have them in my “Ta-Dah-Done” pile!

If you’d like to see more about how I make these zig zagged edges, visit my postcard zig zag tutorial ~~~ here!

Thanks for checkin’ it all out!
XO
Linking  to  Dear Lillie Blog today, too! Fun! Go see!
Leslie