Cutting into the Good Stuff

My fabric has arrived - all seven yards of it!  My Fabric Designs does not have an option to purchase half or quarter yards (although I hear that there is a possibility this may change in the future), and I was not sure that six would be enough.  The pattern repeat is rather large, and I did not want to end up short.  This has turned out for the best because all I have left is small scraps now that everything has been cut out.

But first things first . . . I tested my fat quarter in some soapy water before hand washing all seven yards.  Even with a bit of scrubbing, there does not appear to be any color transfer when the fabric is wet.

Before cutting into the print, I needed to cut out the underlining layer.  This time around, I used a mid-weight quilting cotton.

Yellow tracing paper was used to transfer my stitching lines to the underlining.  The marks are easy to see, but not so visible that they will show through the cotton/silk fabric.

Next, the underlining was pinned, cut out, and hand basted to the cotton/silk.

And then the fun begins!

There is a whole lot of hand sewing to be done, which just so happens to be my favorite!

[Disclosure:  My Fabric Designs provided me with a coupon code which was used to purchase a portion of this fabric, but the opinions posted here are my own.]