Reverse appliqué

posted in: Arts & Crafts, Textiles

Reverse appliqué, is a method of layering fabrics and attaching them together, usually by sewing,  and then cutting away portions of the fabric to reveal a design.

I have been creating 6″ square pieces, taking inspiration form Celtic knot work and art nouveau tile designs, and have now progressed to a larger wall hanging based upon a fields design motif that I have already explored in a few different mediums.

In these works I have used synthetic fabrics that fray when cut – this adds to the textural dimension of the work, and I really like the way cutting through the layers of the material ‘reveals’ the design that is hiding underneath, the layers of fabric.

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Karen Smith Freelance Designer. I’m a Melbourne based designer, with over 20 years experience specialising in design. I enjoy working in a variety of mediums, including pen & ink, acrylics, watercolours, ceramics, wood and also textiles.
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