LEAF DARTS
 

These leaves were made by sewing a dart on a triangular piece of fabric.

I got the idea from dressmaking (like pleated patchwork here).

 

When sewing clothes, darts are used to transform a flat piece of cloth

 into a three-dimensional shape that accommodates the human body.

 

Think, for example, of bust darts that create space for “the girls”.

 

Layers of leaves on audition. Not sewn to base fabric.
"Trunk" is a chopstick.

 

 I made these after reading Lara's AHIQ post here
asking for suggestions on leaves.
 

 Here's one Aspen leaf:

 

Backstitching secures the thread so it doesn't unravel

and lose the three-D volume. 

For me, I backstitch it all the way to the start.

It's a short dart, I don't mind back tracking for security.

 

Round leaves, elongated leaves...all can be created.
Just cut fabric to the shape required.

The degree of puffiness depends on dart shape and length:

 

I like the one on the lower left, stripes look like the veins of a leaf.
 

How to attach such leaves?

 

The green leaf:
*fray-checked edges, sewn down with running stitch

 *scrap batting tucked into the leaf

 

The purple leaf:
*needle turn hand-applique - in progress

 

 

These leaves sew up quickly and use up all those small scraps.

 

They're fun to make.

 

And they're pretty!

 

 

 

~Ema N~

 

 Linking up with AHIQ.