Joy, at Joyful Quilter asked me how I made the leaf. I made another one yesterday and tried to take photos along the way. I know I should have taken a couple more, but going to make do with the photos I took. This post is photo heavy, and will may be boring to some of you...don't feel bad or feel like you have to comment...I tried to write how I did it without photos to email Joy, but it is just not the same as with pics.
(Please note, I forgot to change the copyright from Lorelei to my name...she did not take the pictures.)
I used a piece of paper and folded it in half, and cut out the leaf shape.
I opened the shape and cut in half from top to bottom, cutting a slightly curved edge down the middle. As you can see I drew an angle on both pieces while they were laying face up, together. This is a sort of guide/safety measure. to give me a straight line to lay your first fabric strip against. And also, this is to ensure I make halves that fit together when completed.
Above we see first fabric pinned to the paper...it is lined up on one of those lines, though you don't see the line. I will place another strip of fabric right sides down, along this piece and sew. Then flip the fabric open and press. Then place another fabric on top of that.
If I don't like how wide the fabric is, I can bring my next fabric back away from the edge and sew. I continue on till the half leaf shape is completely covered by fabric strips. I used a basic 1/4 inch seam through out, but this is one part that the seam does not have to be exact. And in a case like above, I trimmed away the excess of the fabric on bottom but that is not absolutely necessary.
I totally forgot to take a pic from the top of the piece...but as you can see, it looks a mess till trimmed. I always prefer to lay on the cutting mat and trim with rotary cutter along the edge of the paper foundation.
Next I choose a fabric for the stem. I want it a bit longer at the top especially, and I should have left more room at the tip than this shows. I lay the fabric RIGHT SIDE UP and then place one leaf half RIGHT SIDE UP on the chosen fabric.
Again, use the rotary cutter and trim along the edge of the half leaf.
After sewing, use iron to press the fabric away from the leaf. See how nice and flat it lays...
Then take the other half of the leaf and place on top of the stem fabric. Remember both should be RIGHT SIDES UP. I usually start at the wide part a bit over an inch wide and then angle it till it gets narrower. I don't really know if anyone will try this, but if anyone does, if you make the vein too narrow there can be a mess with the seams being too close together. I don't mind the little bit at the tip, but not sure if it could be made to press flat if it was that narrow all along the vein.
Again, trim along edge of leaf half, remove paper, and place right sides together and take to sewing machine.
