ZORRO – Part 4
Once I had completed the beading, I cut out Zorro’s famous saber-slashing “Z,” and appliquéd it to the background. This gave added distinction to my textile art entitled, “Z Marks the Spot.”
For the cape I chose a material used in dance wear. This type of fabric is used by skaters, cosplay artists and dancers. It’s meant to be flexible and an over-the-top attention grabber—PERFECT for our hero. It’s a synthetic fabric, the underside is black and the edges naturally curl when cut. I rolled it inward and delicately hand-stitched it into place. For added interest, I broke the border suggesting it flying behind Zorro in the wind.
QUILTING
After the cape was stitched, I carefully pressed the entire piece and prepared it for quilting.
I sandwiched it with Tuscany Silk Cotton batting by Hobbs and unbleached muslin. This batting is the perfect weight for quilting. Experience has taught me it’s best for my textile art projects. Using my BERNINA Q20, with Aurifil 50 wt. on the top and Aurifil 40 wt. on the bottom, I always quilt my art minimally directing my attention to the areas of the anatomy that need definition. This adds to the overall realism of the muscle tone and structure.
Next, I carefully pressed it again and moved to the cutting board to square it up.
Side note: My father was an upholsterer and I still use some of his tools. I often hear his voice — no I’m not mad, but the man likes to give LOTS of directions… “No, no measure it again!… Why aren’t you using my shears I gave you?” (Because, they weigh a ton and feel bulky dad!) The squaring-up part is the most nerve wracking because I feel my dad leaning in and making comments, but I’m very thankful for his expertise and guidance — he has saved many a mis-cut art piece!
Once the art was trimmed, I hand-stitched the binding into place and added a sleeve. I’m happy to say the art quilt was donated to help a Texan non-profit which connects retired show horses with retired senior citizens. This gives them both a feeling that they still have purpose, are validated for their work and are deeply appreciated.
To learn more about them please visit horeslink.org.
This concludes the Zorro blog; I hope you’ve enjoyed it and look forward to reading your comments.
