Marrakesh, Hand, Gets Colored In
Morocco style living room
Morocco.
Marrakesh.
Aren't these great words? There's mystery and romance in the idea of these places.
Many of the Google images I searched of interior design show deep reds and striking gold, and hint at opulent luxury.
These colors and archways gave the inspiration for the fabrics I chose for the hand version of the new 20" x 60" Marrakesh table runner for Island Batik.
Fabrics from Bar-B-Q collection, 2015 ready for the hand version of Marrakesh.
Both the red and yellow-orange fabrics are part of the Bar-B-Q collection, spring 2015.
So now the fun...putting the design into fabrics...begins. Learn more about Eye of the Beholder's Trace, baste, snip & stitch process by clicking here.
I layer my yellow-orange background fabric atop the pattern with the wrong side up, so I can trace the design on the wrong side of the background fabric. I stabilize my fabric to the pattern with my quilters' safety pins.
step 1. Background fabric pinned to pattern for tracing.
Then I trace using either a pencil or the new Frixion gel pens that disappear with heat. Just don't use any kind of permanent marker.
Once the background is layered with the top fabric, stitched, layered with batting and backing and quilted, you will never see this wrong side of the background fabric.
After I trace the design, I remove the pattern and layer the background fabric with the top fabric; layering so both right sides face up. I pin the two fabrics together with my quilters' safety pins.
Background fabric, with design traced on it, pinned to top fabric. Ready for basting.
Then using my No. 7 sharps needle and my white cotton quilting thread, I baste on the lines of the design through both fabrics. This transfers the design to the front of my top fabric, and stabilizes the whole piece. I can remove the safety pins as I baste. When I get to the reverse needle-turn stitching work, I will have no pins in my way.
Basted from the back.
I began basting the Marrakesh table runner and then handed it off to one of my hand applique EOB Elves to continue basting and then stitching.
I just can't do everything. This freed me up to prepare the machine Marrakesh, and the other new design, Majesty, Medallion IX, for Island Batik's deadline.
My two EOB Elves and I are all stitching like mad to bring these new designs to life in all their glorious fabrics and creation techniques. You'll love them.