Garden of Eden Art Quilt

Figure A

Steps:

1. Fuse the cotton fabrics with fusible web (figure A). Follow the directions that come with the fusible web. Let the fabrics cool.

Figure B

2. Remove the release paper from the fabrics (figure B) and save the paper in whole sheets. Release paper is the paper attached to the fusible web. Tip: Release paper can be reused multiple times.

3. Center the batting on top of the backing fabric to make the quilt sandwich.

Sky and Ground

4. Cut out one 8" x 16" rectangle from the Rainbow Medium fabric for the sky.

5. Cut out one 7" x 16" rectangle from the red/orange section of the Rainbow Rich fabric for the ground.

Figure C

6. Place the sky fabric horizontally, glue side down, near the top edge of the 17-inch side of the batting (figure C). Fuse-tack into place. Fuse-tacking is holding the iron in place for only five seconds, just long enough to tack the fabric down.

Figure D

7. Free-cut the 16-inch side of the ground fabric into 1/2" x 1" deep grassy spikes (figure D). Free cutting is cutting the fabric without measuring, using a pattern or drawing on the fabric.

Figure E

8. Place the ground fabric below the sky fabric and overlap the grassy spikes on top of the sky fabric to build the background collage. Fuse-tack into place (figure E). Note: When fusing there are no sewn seams to join the fabrics together. Overlap one fabric on top of the other and fuse together to join the fabrics.

Figure F

Grass

9. Cut out a 10" x 10" square of fabric from the green/yellow section of the Rainbow Rich fabric for the leaves of grass.

10. Free-cut the green/yellow fabric on the bias into leaves of grass measuring about 1/2-inch wide and tapering to a point (figures F and G). Tip: Free-cut the fabric with a decorative blade in the rotary cutter for added interest. Cutting the fabric on the bias will allow it to curve as it is fused.

Figure G

11. Place a grass leaf vertically on top of the ground fabric, glue side down.

Figure H

12. Place the iron on the wide end of the leaf, and use it as an anchor as you iron up the leaf (figure H). Curve the leaf as you iron.

Figure I

13. Fuse-tack the remaining grass leaves to the ground fabric (figure I).

Figure J

Flowers

14. Draw a large daisylike flower with a Sharpie fine point marker or lead pencil on a piece of release paper (figure J).

15. Place the drawing, ink side down, onto the glue side of the fabric chosen for the daisy. Fuse-tack into place.

16. After the fabric cools, remove the release paper from the fabric. The ink from the marker will have transferred to the glue on the fabric (figure K). Note: Transferring the ink to the glue is called Shape Shifting and is an easy way to transfer patterns to fused fabrics. You must use release paper for Shape Shifting.

17. Cut out the daisy just inside the black line of the marker with scissors.

18. Place the daisy on the quilt top and fuse-tack into place.

Figure K

19. Free-cut a round circle for the center of the daisy from the fabric. Stack the circle on top of the daisy and fuse-tack into place (figure L).

Figure L

20. Continue adding flowers to the quilt top. Make them with either the Shape Shifting method or by free-cutting the fabric into flower shapes (figures M and N). Flowers can be made by stacking several layers of fabric.

Figure M

21. When the composition is complete, steam set the fabric into place for about 10 seconds.

Figure N

22. Machine-stitch the quilt sandwich together (figure O)

Figure P

23. Trim, add a pocket for hanging (figure P).

Figure Q

Next, bind the materials.(figure Q).

Decoratively stitch the binding as desired.

Needle Tips for Stitching With Decorative Threads

If you are having difficulty sewing with decorative threads, the first factor to consider is the needle. Quilting expert Alex Anderson offers the following advice on choosing the precise needle for sewing with decorative threads.

• Make sure the needle is in good condition.
  
• Most decorative threads require a size 90/14 or larger, the right size is important.
  
• Always check the manufacturer's recommendations.