Moon Shadows - Transfer Image to Background

As I showed in my last post, the design for "Moon Shadows" is shown below. This design is sketched to scale since I know it needs to be accurate when I enlarge it.

Moon Shadows Design

My desired finished size is 3 feet by 4 feet, portrait orientation. I took my “to-scale” drawing to Fed-Ex Office and used their large format printer to make the full size drawing. I have a projector, but I find it easier and more accurate to just go to Fed-Ex. They charge about $0.75 per square foot printed. For the time it saves me, and more accurate representation, the cost is well worth it. I say more accurate representation because sometimes the image lines are blurry using a projector and the sizes of features change a bit. Plus I don’t have to wait until dark to get it done, like I do with my projector. Here is the full size enlargement:

enlarged design

Once I have my full size print, I transfer the image to the black background fabric. I had planned to use a heavier black fabric that had a lot of texture to it, but I found that I couldn't see through it with the light pad, so I switched to this black cotton.

black fabric

I pinned the fabric to the print in a few places and then laid it over the light pad. I used a chalk pencil to draw the image onto the black fabric.  Here you see me drawing it to the fabric and the enlargement under the fabric. 

tracing the image

Here is the image drawn on the fabric.

image transferred

I'm ready for the next step, which is couching yarn. That will be my next post...

Thanks for visiting my blog!

New Light Pad!

Today I am showing you one of my new toys - a Huion Light Pad.

This is a very thin light source that I use for tracing designs on to fabric or freezer paper or whatever.This light pad lies on the side-table next to my quilting machine. I don't have to remove it to do my quilting, it is flat enough that the fabric glides right over it. I leave it out all the time and have found it to be much more of a useful tool than my old light table. Its LED so its energy usage is low too.

My old light table was bulky and I had to put it away or it would get in the way of my other work. Just having to take it out prevented me from using it many times. Since I have gotten this light pad I have used it much more often than my previous light table because it is so convenient. I am so glad I purchased it. I love being more productive!

In case you are curious, I  purchased it on Amazon. It is about 14" x 19". It had very good reviews and was about half the price of the leading model, which I will not name here.

That's today's tip!

Thanks for visiting my blog!