Project Quilting 12.2: Fussy Cut Peaces

This week's Project Quilting Challenge 12.2 Fussy Cut Challenge theme was announced while I was taking a Graffiti Jambalaya online workshop with Natalya Khorover. Natalya shared her process for using text sourced from single use plastic bags into her Ransom Letters Reformed series of fiber art. 

Playful Prototype

This is the project I started in the workshop, which included lots of fussy cut bits of text, color, and pattern. But since I started it before the challenge theme was officially announced, I decided to start a new piece for this week's Project Quilting Challenge. 

Project Quilting Pull of Materials

Over the past few week's I've amassed quite the collection of text from plastic bags, many thanks to fellow quilters who responded to my Instagram request. 

I Spy the Letters Fussy Cut for PeaCE

It was a bit of a scavenger hunt to find an interesting mix of colors, fonts, and sizes to spell the word Peace. Several different letters were fussy cut and auditioned until I had arrived at an interesting set.

As the plastic bags arrived in the mail, I focused on cutting out the text with little consideration to the variety of colors and/or patterns that are often featured on plastic bags. More fussy cutting was required to source the wavy rays without compromising any of the precious text. A holographic bag bag added a bit of bling and a fussy cut peace sign formed the very center.

Project Quilting Design and Process

Initially I pulled a dollar tree bag for the background which was entirely too busy. It was swapped out for a solid grey back of a bag, which dulled the rainbow rays. A solid white bag brightened the layout but it needed something more. Small 1/2" squares of grey were laid directly out onto the stabilizer and covered with the translucent white bag to create a confetti background. The rays and lettering were layered on top, concealed with a clear plastic bag sourced from my trash bin. A bit of static electricity and lots of curved safety pins held everything in place until I was able to outline stitch all the elements with free motion quilting.

A rainbow of Eleganza Perle Cotton threads by Wonderfil were used to add hand stitching along each of the rainbow rays. Peace sign fabric was spray basted onto the back as I did not want to risk melting the plastic by using iron-on fusible. 

Instead of traditional binding, Tulip Puffy Paint (which has been rebranded as Dimensional Paint) was used to conceal all the raw edges.

Thankfully, it was cloudy out this morning so I could photograph without too much glare reflecting off the plastic surfaces. 

"Fussy Cut Peaces" finishes 11" x 11"

Be sure to check out the incredible variety of fussy cut elements that were used during this week's Project Quilting 12.2: Fussy Cut Challenge.