How to make a butterfly body look real?

Okay, folks, I have successfully make a fabric butterfly with two pieces of
fabric wrong sides together with Industrial strength wunder under sandwiched
between the fabrics. She's just stunning.
Photos soon.
Now...I have a thin piece of body fabric sewn between each wing fabric that
looks nice, but I have seen someone who use a satin stitch over that thin
piece of fabric to make her body look full 3-D and real. I think you have
to put a flat toothpick or maybe a pipe cleaner under the foot and satin
stitch over it to make the body rounded. Has anyone done this or seen it or
can any of you suggest a better way? My DH did a double take when he saw my
butterfly on the couch.

Cyndi

http://www.sulky.com/puffyfoam/ would do the trick nicely. I've seen samples
at my LQS, and they were quite stunning.

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply


"QuiltShopHopper" wrote in message
...
Okay, folks, I have successfully make a fabric butterfly with two pieces
of
fabric wrong sides together with Industrial strength wunder under
sandwiched
between the fabrics. She's just stunning.
Photos soon.
Now...I have a thin piece of body fabric sewn between each wing fabric
that
looks nice, but I have seen someone who use a satin stitch over that thin
piece of fabric to make her body look full 3-D and real. I think you have
to put a flat toothpick or maybe a pipe cleaner under the foot and satin
stitch over it to make the body rounded. Has anyone done this or seen it
or
can any of you suggest a better way? My DH did a double take when he saw
my
butterfly on the couch.

Cyndi

Oh, yes, and what can I put on the edges of the wings to stop the eventual
fraying from curious fingers?

Cyndi

When I did a table topper of Laurel Burch butterflies for MSM's best friend,
I satin stitched all the way around the edges. That might take away from the
realistic effect you have, but a buttonhole stitch with invisible thread
might do the trick...

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply


"QuiltShopHopper" wrote in message
...
Oh, yes, and what can I put on the edges of the wings to stop the eventual
fraying from curious fingers?

Cyndi

I am disappointed that our very own Butterfly has not responded to your
question.
Are you wanting to use the body of the critter to attach the wings to
the quilt or is the body to be independent too? If the body is stitched down
on the block, you can skinny satin stitch, go back over it a bit wider and
then back over even wider. For an accurate effect, you would want to ease
from narrow to skinny leaving the head and tail very narrow and the
butterfly's center body wider. Where in the world is our Butterfly. I'm sure
she will know. Polly

"Kathy Applebaum" wrote in message
. com...
When I did a table topper of Laurel Burch butterflies for MSM's best
friend,
I satin stitched all the way around the edges. That might take away from
the
realistic effect you have, but a buttonhole stitch with invisible thread
might do the trick...

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply


"QuiltShopHopper" wrote in message
...
Oh, yes, and what can I put on the edges of the wings to stop the
eventual
fraying from curious fingers?

Cyndi

QuiltShopHopper wrote:

Okay, folks, I have successfully make a fabric butterfly with two pieces of
fabric wrong sides together with Industrial strength wunder under sandwiched
between the fabrics. She's just stunning.
Photos soon.
Now...I have a thin piece of body fabric sewn between each wing fabric that
looks nice, but I have seen someone who use a satin stitch over that thin
piece of fabric to make her body look full 3-D and real. I think you have
to put a flat toothpick or maybe a pipe cleaner under the foot and satin
stitch over it to make the body rounded. Has anyone done this or seen it or
can any of you suggest a better way? My DH did a double take when he saw my
butterfly on the couch.

You can also satin stitch over some yarn and it will also puff it a wee.

For the edges of the wing, I'd also either buttonhole with machine or
whipstitch by hand some sort of finishing heavier string and couch that
to the edge. It will give it strength on the edges that just fabric
wouldn't have, and if you use something sparkly, it will have even more
zing.

-georg

Heh-heh!!!
Our Mz Butterfly would likely say she would like to have a "thin piece
of body" and not the "full 3-D and real" version ))
I understand her and DH and DD are going out for Easter brunch so she
may have that full 3-D version for a god part of the day!

But to answer your question, how about using trapunto or a little
piece of batting? Maybe that would work??

Have a peace-filled/piece-filled day,
Ginger in CA
ducking and running, off to fix Sunday dinner

"QuiltShopHopper" wrote in message ...
Okay, folks, I have successfully make a fabric butterfly with two pieces of
fabric wrong sides together with Industrial strength wunder under sandwiched
between the fabrics. She's just stunning.
Photos soon.
Now...I have a thin piece of body fabric sewn between each wing fabric that
looks nice, but I have seen someone who use a satin stitch over that thin
piece of fabric to make her body look full 3-D and real. I think you have
to put a flat toothpick or maybe a pipe cleaner under the foot and satin
stitch over it to make the body rounded. Has anyone done this or seen it or
can any of you suggest a better way? My DH did a double take when he saw my
butterfly on the couch.

Cyndi

Edges of wings......... use June Taylor Fray Bond or fabric paint in an
appropriate color (glitter???)
If you have used the heavy weight bonding stuff it can mess up your machine to sew
through it.

For the body, you could stuff some batting under it, or satin stitch over yarn or
embroidery floss.

Sounds good,

Pati, in Phx.

georg wrote:

QuiltShopHopper wrote:

Okay, folks, I have successfully make a fabric butterfly with two pieces of
fabric wrong sides together with Industrial strength wunder under sandwiched
between the fabrics. She's just stunning.
Photos soon.
Now...I have a thin piece of body fabric sewn between each wing fabric that
looks nice, but I have seen someone who use a satin stitch over that thin
piece of fabric to make her body look full 3-D and real. I think you have
to put a flat toothpick or maybe a pipe cleaner under the foot and satin
stitch over it to make the body rounded. Has anyone done this or seen it or
can any of you suggest a better way? My DH did a double take when he saw my
butterfly on the couch.

You can also satin stitch over some yarn and it will also puff it a wee.

For the edges of the wing, I'd also either buttonhole with machine or
whipstitch by hand some sort of finishing heavier string and couch that
to the edge. It will give it strength on the edges that just fabric
wouldn't have, and if you use something sparkly, it will have even more
zing.

-georg