Memory Quilt(let)

Sue completed a memory quilt project this week - this is her story.

I haven't been doing many commissions, but this was a request by a former co-worker for a belated wedding gift for another former co-worker, so how could I refuse?  I agreed to make something using the wedding invitation, but really didn't have a plan until I had the invitation in hand.  My initial thoughts were to create a transfer, but in the end it was easiest to just use the actual invitation in a mixed media piece. 

I started with the background fabric and taped off the dimensions of the front, since it was to be mounted on an 11 x 14 art canvas. 

After playing with layout ideas, I determined a sequence for putting it together. The next photo is a general idea of what I was aiming for, using some vintage lace and a doily and other embellishements. 

It became apparent that I would need to quilt the background first, if it was going to be quilted at all.  So I cut a piece of fusible fleece to fit the 11 x 14 dimension and fused it to the wrong side.  Then I quilted it with an all-over loopy design.

Next was figuring out placement of the design elements.  The doily was first; it was fused together where the folded layers overlapped, and then fused into place on the background.   The invitation would overlap the doily at the bottom.  Fusible was applied to the back of the invitation, and then the lace trim was fused just under the edge on 3 sides.

After it was fused in place, the next step was placement of the vines and flowers. Rather than stitching down the vines, the flowers were used to anchor them in place.

The last element to be added was the felted heart, which is also fused in place.

The final step was mounting it on the canvas.  After carefully positioning, the extra fabric was wrapped to the back and stapled in place.  A piece of felt was used to cover the back, also stapled in place. 

The finished piece.  Hope the recipient likes it!