I learned a lot from the process of making this small piece. I have always wanted to make a Roman mosaic quilt and when I saw a youtube video showing Cheryl Lynch's method, I just had to try it.
I printed out my source pattern fish on paper in colour - A4 size. I taped it to my light box, and then removed the backing from a piece of Steam a Seam Lite and carefully taped it on top of the source photo, tacky side up. I found it easiest to use scissors to cut up small pieces of fabric in my chosen colours. I then uded pointed tweezers to position the mosaic pieces onto the fusible. I love the Steam a seam as it is so easy to reposition the fabric pieces due to the tacky surface. When all the mosaic pieces were in position, I removed the fusible from the light box and fused the piece with a hot dry iron, covering the piece with a teflon sheet. Very important: I waited until the fused fabric had cooled before trying to separate it from the backing paper. If the piece didn't come off the backing paper as a single sheet, I reapplied heat and then waited again until cool. I then placed the piece on my backing fabric and fused again. I love the fact that the backing fabric can be seen between the mosaic pieces. The background fabric becomes the 'grout' between the mosaic pieces.
For the mosaic braid border, I used standard Seam a Seam and I think it worked better, as the fabric sheet was somewhat sturdier and easier to handle.
I placed a sheet of tulle over the top of the mosaic fabric, and used a layer of wool wadding and backing. I only quilted the piece very lightly. I'm not certain that the tulle is needed, as the fused fabric is pretty sturdy, but - better safe than sorry!
I hope I get the opportunity to tackle a larger project. I took lots of photos of Roman mosaics in Italy a couple of months ago, so have plenty of source material.
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