Confetti Techniques in Fiber Postcards

Confetti Cluck-Clucks for Thanksgiving
Sheree McKee
November 2018

sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Confetti techniques are often used in landscape quilts and wallhangings.  A Confetti mailart piece can be simple as an object, or as abstract as a landscape scenery.  This method lets you use up fabric scraps of the tiniest sizes.

Some Confetti methods use fabrics with fusible web already on the backs.  And some use nylon or polyester netting / illusion as a method to hold all the Confetti pieces in place.  There is also a fusible powder that can be sprinkled underneath your confetti, prior to fusing it.

As my swap partners send their Confetti projects, I will add them to the bottom for you to enjoy!

Here's how I made my Confetti Cluck Clucks:

I used scraps fabrics from previous postcards.  I save all the odd shaped pieces in a large Zip-Lock bag.  No sense wasting these little treasures of fabric!

I carefully rotary sliced small wedge shapes that were approximately 1.5" tall.  No need to make them identical... just random widths.

Preparation steps ahead of time - I fused Peltex stabilizer to some fabric polka-dot background approximately 7"tall by 22" wide.  It's hard to see the three chalk-marked  6"x4" postcard outlines on this piece, but they were my guidelines.

Fan out the Confetti "feathers" into the shape of a turkey tail and fuse them into position.

A little free motion stitching or decorative stitches will hold down the sharp feather tips.  You could layer a piece of  netting over your feathers then quilt them in place.

I used a burlap style ribbon to cut some turkey bodies.  But I fused some WonderUnder to the backside before cutting.

Next I glued on some Wiggle Eyes.  Hand stitched some yellow beaks.

Flip over then fuse a backing fabric and trim to 6" x 4"


Finish with your favorite method of binding or decorative stitching to seal your outer perimeter edges of the fabric postcard.

Jeanette S. used scraps of silk fabric.  She said they had a lot of static and fraying during the process.  Regardless, this is a lovely fall scene!

Miriam G created an underwater scene using netting as a layer to hold ocean bubbles and fish confetti cutouts in place

Sue B. layered and fused generous piles of tiny fabric confetti to create a winter postcard













Confetti Sewing and Quilting Reference:

• HGTV Naturescapes
• Confetti Backgrounds
• Easy Peasy Confetti Art

You might like my other holiday Postcard ideas:

• Merry Mittens in Ribbon

Blue Moon Fabric Postcards

April 2018

Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com


KISS was my main objective - Keep It Simple Sheree - only because it was March Madness season and the University of Michigan was in the NCAA basketball playoffs.  

My husband travels all the time for work.  He was finally home and enjoying the playoffs from the comfort of his leather recliner.  Since our lower level family room is next to my sewing studio, I decided to join him during three of the most important games.  (In the past, I've escaped to my creative haven, and just yell out.... "What's the Score"?

Ahead of time, I fused the crescent moons to backgrounds and Peltex stabilizer.  This Blue Moon Swap was primarily handwork.  Each fabric postcard took approximately 2-3 hours of stitching.

I brought out my collection of "Bobbles, Beads, Trinkets, Charms, Buttons" to a TV tray.  I also pulled out my magnifier head-gear.  It was a real challenge... threading a delicate beading needle... in a dimly lit room.  Our dog, bumped into my setup several times, and I had tiny beads flying all over! 

Hand sewing from a comfy chair is not that easy when you are waxing threads,  picking up little beads with a needle tip, and getting your thread caught on dimensional charms and objects.

In reality, I had to work on these FPC on several additional days - during decent daylight, while sitting at a well lit table. 

I also played with a new way to label - Using small rubber stamps and 3/8" satin ribbon I was able to create a stamped and folded title label.  

I think I've decided to rename my postcards Blue Moons Be-Jeweled.

I have this headband magnifier with 4 changeable lens,
unfortunately it is not marked with the manufacturer identity

Review: 5 Best Headband Magnifiers

by Most Craft

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From Tammy A. in Pennsylvania -
Her very first postcard swap with our PostCardMailArt Yahoo Group
And she did a great job! A charming landscape!

From Dr. Amy S. in Virginia -
She titled this Moonlight Dancing Diva, and it has a lot
of sparkle in reality, that doesn't show up in the photo.
And there are some unique lacey wings!

From Jeanette S. in Idaho -
A beautiful abstract using dyed fabrics 

You might enjoy this LINK to a previous post on Paisley Project Postcards

Spring Landscapes 2018 Critique

Sheree McKee
April 2018
SewFabSew.blogspot.com

Spring Landscapes 2018 Critique

I'm not ashamed to critique my own work.  I learn from it.  One of the reasons, I rarely create identical fabric postcards is because I learn something from each progression of construction.

To begin, my Spring Landscape swap was inspired by a screenshot on my iMac computer -as seen above.  I fell in love with the clear and sharply focused reflections in the water.  

The colors were soft hues of pink and plum.  

Attempt #1
Purple / Aqua
My tree line fabric did not have enough contrast on the right side. It blended into the purple mountains behind.  I used a triple stitch of variegated thread for defining the water waves.  I regret using a too wide satin stitch to define the ground. This sky is an iridescent watercolor fabric with a touch of sparkle.  My favorite part is the corded edging.

Attempt #2
Purple / Lime Green
I reversed the layout by moving large mountains to opposite side.  I used a lime green tree line for more contrast.  I switched to a decorative stitch that look like spiked bushes at the groundline. I felt the water needed to be milky so I added a single layer of sparkle organza.  Then I used a wave stitch and changed the length for each row of stitching so all the waves were not evenly spaced.  The sparkle organza looks better in reality, than in this photo. The sky fabric has metallic silver circles which represent swirls of wind.

Attempt #3
Orange / Green
I found some orange fish fabric and thought it would make a great lake.  Of course, a reflection of the sunny sky.   This time, I layered some peach colored bridal tulle over the water, to mute the water.  I don't like my choice of straight stitching along the green mountain tops and really should have used a different stitch. I used a dark green corded edge, but it really isn't even noticed.

Attempt #4
Orange / Green
My blanket stitch on hills better represents blades of grass.  But I messed up, by using two layers of aqua organza on the water.  The two layers are too opaque to see the fish in water, they are lost.  If you notice the corded edge...  I tied random knots in the cording to add a unique texture along the outer edges, but this is very hard to stitch.  It is hard to get the presser foot over the lumps evenly.

Miriam from Ireland
Created a landscape of the historic Poulnabrone Dolmen, a Celtic tomb
in Ireland.  She cleverly used a frayed fabric to create grass, and
a layer of tulle for texture on the ground.

Sue B from California
Created a seascape landscape.  The seagrass and flowers are free-motion stitched. The watercolor sky and background remind me of Diamond Head volcano in Hawaii

Green is Great

March 2018

Sheree McKee

sewfabsew.blogspot.com


I am pretty fond of decorating for St. Patricks Day.  A recent swap with my Yahoo Group - called PostCardMailArt - recently had the theme of "Green is Great".

The fabric postcards I made, were pretty basic... only because I procrastinated until the last minute to make them.

I decided to play around with the embellishment.  You can witness the many attempts to make a Shamrock from ribbon.

The shiny embellishment you see is a plastic bead - from a Dollar Store bracelet, which I cut apart.  I simply glued them into place once the postcard was completed.

I'll share what I receive, at the end. ~ Sheree

Sheree McKee 2018

Sheree McKee 2018

Edged in silver cording

Edged in cording

by Jeanette S - Idaho
Hand embroidery on a beautiful green batik fabric

Shelli R - Minnesota
I love the four different specialty machine stitches on each edge,
and Shelli shades some of her fabric edges

Wonky Chic Coops

March 2018

Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

The idea was to make Wonky Houses.  It isn't that easy for me to purposely lay out a fabric "home" - all crooked and crazy!  I kept finding myself trying to straighten every piece of fabric. I guess it's like coloring outside the lines, and that drives me crazy!

At least I made the windows odd, and a few slight roof oddities.  But basically, I failed at this Wonky House swap.  

I found some novelty chicken and birdhouse fabrics in my stash, fused it, fussy-cut the small images, and added them into the project.  

In the end, these postcards turned into somewhat wonky chicken coops.

Hugs & Kisses Valentines (Fabric Postcard) Swap

February 2018

Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

PostCardMailArt Yahoo Group - Swap Club
I received the top three Valentines, and sent the pom-pom versions out as my swap.

Cherub Created by Meena S.
Michigan
Fabrics are a die-cut heart and cherub image.  Appliqué stitching and rubber stamped 

Rainbow Created by Jeanette 
Idaho
Print background with machine stitched appliqué and button embellishment

Satin Red Created by Miriam 

Ireland

Satin fabric heart with layered organza ribbon and decorative machine stitching

Created by Sheree M.
Michigan
Three have a scrunched fabric background with decorative stitching overlay.  Band of heart images are fused in place.  Bands are trimmed with various picot ribbon trim or lace.  Outer edge has applied mini pom-pom trim. 

Here's a 2017 Valentine sent to my daughter last year.  The contrast fabric faced heart is dimensional, and sewn through the middle so it flips open like a book.