I’ve been a little tomato crazy lately. I’m working on a new piece which needs three tomatoes. I’m making them as stand-alone units, to be later added to a background. Number one is complete. Here’s number two underway.
Once again, I’m constructing the tomato on a muslin base, lightly gluing fabrics into place as I go. (Which is why I have an old cutting mat underneath in case it sticks a little.)
I’ve been loosely emulating Susan Carlson’s technique which she describes in her book. However, she likes to tuck the little green leaf fabrics under the larger red tomato fabrics. Which means the red fabrics have to be cut very accurately. I tried that on the first tomato but didn’t really care for it. So, on this one, I’ll add the leaves on top, later.
Here it is with the red completely covered (but not finished.) Because I deviated from her technique I had to redraw the green leaves onto the red fabrics as I went.
Here’s the red part complete. Little pieces of fabric have been added to soften the value transitions and to repeat little motifs throughout. Can you see the difference?
I added the leaves on top of the red tomato, in my usual fashion. Sorry, no photo of the completed tomato, but there’s more to come.
Ellen Lindner
Bravo! I would have put the green leaves on top too. Will you cover it with tulle? Quilt it after placement with other with the other tomatoes? Can’t wait to see the finished product.
Hi Degen,
No tulle. I’m now using a cupped foot, intended for cording, when I quilt. It doesn’t get caught up under the pieces, so I don’t need tulle. I will quilt pretty thoroughly, though. Probably some contour stitching for the tomatoes and some black outline stitching for the leaves.
Ellen, what color thread did you use to quilt? Ijust found your blog today and absolutely fell in love with your tomatoes! Just gorgeous!
Hi Carlette,
I generally match the thread color to color of the area I’m stitching.
Glad you like the tomatoes!