Building a Boat!

I'm going to build a boat!  Not really....but I am going sort of assemble one.

I really thought this was a puzzle I would do from top to bottom. But I got bogged down there in the middle and I needed a change of scenery.  

So I slid it all the way up on my table and tucked it under my lamp and birds...and put the rest of the border together.  

And now....I'm going to build that big boat at the bottom!

Before I finished breakfast....I gathered most of the pieces supplies for the boat so I'd be ready to start building next time I sat down. 

Prep is important when you're building anything!

Fusing 101 lesson #2

Once the fabric has fusible on the back it's generally pretty clear which side has the glue. You can usually see it...and feel it. On some fabrics you really have to look closely once you take the paper off.  It's important that you pay attention to this...you always want to fuse the pieces GLUE SIDE DOWN! 

If you don't....it will stick to your iron and make a mess.  I've done it many times!  BUT...if you do end up with glue on your iron there's a solution.  While the iron is HOT....scrub it with a used dry dryer sheet.  Yes...you heard that right...it smokes a bit...but cleans up the iron nicely. Just be sure to protect your hand with a glove or a rag. 

To avoid the possibility of a sticky iron....I always use a pressing cloth...usually the release paper that I peeled off the fabric. I just learned from Elle that kitchen parchment paper works well too....and that makes perfect sense and most of us have it in our cupboard.  If I inadvertently have a piece going the wrong way....it will stick to the release paper or the parchment and you can peel it right off and refuse it.   

I had another polka dot painting that was marginally successful...but I knew I could improve it with fabric like I did for the denim dots.  

I have a lot of fun bright colorful fabric and I was certain I would go that route.  But then I found this batik which was both vibrant and muted...and it even had dots! It would tone down this very bright watercolor piece. Note to self: add more mud to the paint.

It's pretty easy to cut the circles freehand....no tracing needed. I often cut strips and curvy shapes with with my rotary cutter. Tomorrow I'll share some tips on using the release paper to trace shapes and letters....but there's so much you can do freehand.

I arranged the dots glue side down and pressed them with my small iron.  It's possible to lightly tack down a fusible piece with the tip of your iron so you can audition it and still pull it up and make adjustments as needed.    

Once your happy...give it a good press with the pressing cloth and a hot dry iron. It only takes a few seconds on paper....and just a little longer on fabric.

 I ended up cutting this piece into two 4 x 6 pieces...and added just a few more fused dots here and there. They may not be done...but it's where they're landing for now. The fabric dots look better in person....they're not as dark as they look in this photo.