More Fire Mountain Bargello Progress

I decided to add a vine with birds, blooms, butterflies and leaves to the Fire Mountain Bargello -  I cut out multiple copies of  some simple shapes out of card-stock and  did a mock up of the design..I liked it..

Counted up the number of pieces of each kind of object (128 of them!) and traced them onto Floriani fusible wash-away stabilizer - this is my first major project using this method of prepping the applique pieces..Then..cut them out...that was deadly boring! Adhered them to the remaining pieces of the fat quarters from cutting the strips for the bargello...and then cut those out - more boring! Yikes..a lot of cutting for two days!

My first attempt at gluing was using a Sew-line glue stick..and wee screwdrivers...it was not ringing my chime - it was ok for a small project but I was never gonna get thru with THIS project with those tools. Thought maybe I would have to do needle turn - and wondered if I should draw around the wash-away stuff or if I should leave it in and fold around....laying in bed, I was pondering...I realized that liquid glue would probably work better than glue stick...something like Elmer's School Glue...only fly in that ointment was I don't HAVE any Elmer's School Glue..still pondering..when a light bulb went off..I DO have some Roxanne's Glue Baste It!

Then next morning I rummaged around and found the Roxanne's - first order of business was to clean the applicator tip..now I know Roxanne's says NOT to, but I think they have a vested interest in selling you a new bottle whenever the tip gets fouled...but being the resourceful sort, I have a wire that I can pass thru the applicator that my Dad  gave me years ago that clears out any stuck on glue..This bottle dates back to the first year I was quilting - circa 2003... Glue still was good since I keep my bottles of glue in baggies with the air squished out to reduce the amount of air that can get to them. A trial piece with the wash-away and I am in business! I decided to use my Pearl Periera Applique Tool and a Popsicle stick with a notch in the end (looks vaguely like a fork)..and commenced turning and turning and turning!  I was bleary-eyed by the end of yesterday! I really like the end of that Applique tool - it flattens out the folds and makes the edges really crisp..no need to iron!

Finished the turning and laid out the design and wow! I really love it..Just have to glue baste the piece down once I am happy with the placements so I can remove the pins and start in on the fun stuff - appliqueing!!

Ta Da! (picture does not do it true justice..its so much better in person)

Doodled Hexagon Mug Rug

I have finished the Doodled Hexagons...presenting the finished project: A Mug Rug! Hand quilted in delft blue thread on purple heavyweight fleece...

Doodled Hexagons

Fire Mountain Bargello Progress

I decided the size of the bargello was going to get too big when I added borders, so I took a few of the rows off..I ended up using the rows I took off as the color border between the two cream ones. There is very little of those rows left - mostly trimmings and a couple of two inch pieces..but..I like how its turning out..

This is what I made at Retreat:

This is how it turned out after I finished adding the borders:

I am tentatively naming this Fire Mountain..

And..now, I am trying to decide if I want to add applique to the borders..you'll have to squint really hard and use your imagination...the green pieces would be leaves, the blue pieces would be birds,  the rest of the colors would be flowers and butterflies...I will be making patterns sometime in the next few weeks..to try out the shapes..I do think I will like it!

There was a suggestion that I think about putting some flames on the 'mountain'...will have to try that shape out too!