(not so) Heavy Metal - Pt 3

Hope you are all playing hard with all your metal bits!  Post here when you are even in process. We all love to see a plan come together!  (showing my age with an "A Team" reference!)

Metal part 3 - Bend Me, Shape Me

(sheesh - again with an oldie goldie reference...must be feeling young today. Drifting back to my youth!)

This is a really fun and useful technique a friend told me about. I used it first on another project that I'll show you tomorrow.  Was going to use the process photos from that but....they were no where to be found!  ARGH!!

So I just started from scratch. Which works out well for me anyway because I have a piece to do for another group with the challenge title of "Breaking Through".  You'll soon see why that is appropriate and VERY workable for this technique demo.  Now...there seem to be a LOT of steps to this one but that is because I really broke them down and have photos with them.  All in all...including the photography time...this process only took me about 45 minutes to get to the end of the part I'll finish with today.  Don't be scared!! It is so much fun!!!

Step 1 - Gather your stuff

Aluminium Foil
Spray Adhesive
Chosen Fabrics
Cutting tools for both fabric and "paper"
Fusible web (I used WonderUnder)

 Supplies

Step 2 - Prep the Foil

Whether you want to use regular foil or heavy duty foil will depend on what you want it to do.  A friend used this method to make leaves for a piece to make them stand out more.  That didn't need the thickness I'm wanting for this project so I used TWO layers of heavy duty foil.

I tore off twice the size I need (and then some).  Then fold it in half.  I sprayed adhesive on half of it and folded it to form one thicker piece.

Now using your "paper" scissors or rotary cutter, cut out the size you will need. This will make sense as we go along and you will be able to determine the size better when you see where we are going with this particular project. But if you are doing leaves that will be 5" long and 3" wide, I would cut a piece 6" X 4"

Now onward and upward.

Step 3 - A Metal Sandwich

Since this is going to be the "stiffener" for a double sided concept, you will need a fabric for each side. Whether it is the same or contrasting fabric is totally up to you and what your desired look is.

First iron the fusible web to ONE side of  the foil you have cut out. Then peel off the paper.

Now iron this sticky foil to THE WRONG SIDE of one of your fabrics.

Cut another piece of fusible web and adhere to the OTHER side of the FOIL. 

Now you are ready to iron that to the WRONG SIDE of your other fabric.

Sandwich complete. So you will end up with Fabric/Foil/Fabric!

Step 4 - Making the Cut

This is where (if you were doing leaves for instance) you will cut out your shape. This project is a bit different but it is still time to cut the sandwich to accomplish the desired effect.

The "back" side

The "front" side

Now I want to show you how it stands up...so now for a side shot

Step 5 - Bringing it Home

Since for this project I need something behind the cut out portion...and something to fit the chosen theme...I placed a piece fabric I did with screen printing a couple of years ago. (So can you tell I don't throw ANYTHING away?? LOL!!)

I am using a fusible batting for this project because it helps keep everything in place as I build the quilt part.  I iron the background to the batting.

And now I iron on the front part with the foil sandwich we just made. And VOILA!!  "Block Busted" is born.  It is about anything that sometimes blocks your creativity. A wall keeping you from doing what your heart really craves to do. Breaking through that wall to the creative reward on the other side.

See.....it was easy right?  

Tonight I'll stitch this piece and show it to you tomorrow along with the other piece on which I used this technique.

Happy sandwich making!!