Garden Path - Jacket - Part VIII

Applique Progress

I've made some progress! Behold some stems and buds:

It is a start at least and I find that once I get past all the agonizing design decisions, I can just really get to work.

There have been a few questions recently which I want to address in this post. I do try to group Q/A with appropriate posts, so if you asked a question a few days ago on a previous post, I have seen it, I've just been waiting for the right post to answer it.

First, from Bekki, "Did you use a solvent to "paint" with the pencils, melt them, or just plain color?" I just colored with them on the fabric. I then heat set the pencils with an iron on the hottest setting the fabric can handle with a press cloth. Nothing fancy, and easy to do.

Second, from Tanya, "I'm really intrigued but confused about this heat setting tool. What exactly is it and how does it work? Maybe you've already explained it, ill have a look around." Sorry about the confusion, the correct term for the tool is "wood burning tool". I don't use it to create art on wood, but rather I use it to cut shapes from synthetic fabrics using metal templates that I make from aluminum roof flashing. I've used this technique for sometime on many ensembles including: Waiting For Spring, Forget Me Knot, Bluebird of Happiness and now, Garden Path. More details can be found in this post from FMK.

I do hope to have the hollyhocks done this weekend and be able to start the roses on Monday. As always a sample first, and then I'm on my way. I think the roses will be a bit easier, as these ones are cousins to the roses on American Beauty.

Parting Shot: Vogue Paris Original #1897. Isn't this one great? It is by YSL and features all sorts of fine details, including a fur trimmed cape. I'll be doing an inside the envelope on this one some time next week!