Fiber Collage Fish

Materials:

drawing of fish
tracing paper
fabric
novelty yarns
nylon tulle
thread
fusible webbing
fine permanent marker
scissors
sewing machine set to the free-motion setting
iron and ironing board
Teflon press sheet
fusible interfacing
double-sided tape
backing board such as heavy illustration board or foam core
purchased frame
mat cutter or a pre-cut mat

1. Sketch a fish or use a drawing from a coloring book (figure A).

2. Decide on defined lines you will use to cut from the fabric and trace over with a permanent marker. Note: Trace precise lines, as it is difficult to cut a sketchy line.

3. Number each section of fish from the background to the foreground. In other words, what will be placed down first, second, third, etc.

4. Transfer the drawing and number order of each section of the fish onto tracing paper using a fine black permanent marker. This will be the pattern.

5. Decide which way the fish will face. This side of tracing paper drawing is labeled "place". The opposite side is labeled "trace".

7. Start with section #1. When you trace, add an extension of approximately 1/4 inch where #1 will tuck under #2. Add this 1/4-inch extension where #2 will tuck under #3, and so on.

9. Now the fun part! Choose the fabric for each section of the fish (figure D). Once the fabric is chosen, place the fusible web with the scratchy or fusible side down onto the wrong side of the fabric and iron at a cotton setting. Repeat for each section of the fish.

10. Next, cut out each piece on the traced line (figure E). Once all are cut, place them in numbered order near the ironing station. The numbering system will make for easier placement of all the fish parts!

11. Lay the fish drawing with the place side up on the ironing board. Cover with a see-through Teflon press sheet. This sheet will enable you to iron-build your fish into a single unit using the original drawing, and it can then be peeled up off the press sheet as an entire unit.