flowers: [machine_needle_felting] Re: Building a Felted Painting Finale

Lee,

You are right about trapunto. In a (mock) trapunto quilt, there are always two more layers on the back, one layer of thinner batting and a backing so that you can then stitch AGAIN around the shapes and they are "double stuffed". The machine quilting around the shapes decreases the loft of the background and increases the loft of the stuffed shapes. I am avoiding quilting these wool paintings as much as possible because then they become hard edged like applique instead of soft and feathery like a painting. Also, too many layers make it impossible to mount on an artists frame. But I really like the idea of some areas more sculptured and coming more forward than others. I will keep experimenting until I find the happy medium. I am getting ready to put up another tutorial on my blog about my next project soon.

Linda Hall
www.fabricartbylinda.com
www.fabricartbylinda.blogspot.com
Author of "The ART of Machine Needle Felting" book and CD

--- In machine_needle_felting@yahoogroups.com, Lee Scoville <henhouse@...> wrote:
>
> In quilting trapunto needs the batting put between the fabric layers in
> order to bet the most pouf. The excess back fabric is then trimmed away
> so that it is only under the part you want lifted. If you are making a
> quilt, a full backing is then put on and quilted the udual way.
> Otherwise there is nothing to keep the stuffing from pushing out the
> back way too. Since felt is thicker and stiffer it resists the puffing.
> Your canvas backing helped but it is covering the whole back. If you
> could stitch the puffed part outline to the canvas you would get more
> sculpture. Or, if the sculpture part was thinner, maybe felted and
> matching wool roving under it and then background felted more.
> I hesitate to suggest anything...you are so talented and will doubtless
> figure out what works for you.
> The picture is lovely. And thank you so much for sharing with us.
>
> Lee
>
>
>
> fabric wrote:
> > I just uploaded the last installment of the Wool Painting tutorials on my blog. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating it. My blog address is below:
> >
>