How to Strip Fuse

stripfusing1On today’s How To Tuesday, I’d like to show you how to do Strip Fusing. (Don’t worry, strip fusing has nothing to do with the amount of clothing you are wearing.) It is simply a collage technique using strips of fabric to make a striped pattern.

Here’s How to Strip Fuse:

  • Cut fused fabric into strips measuring about 1/2″ to 1″ wide.
  • Cut the strips on the bias or at a 45 degree angle to the grain of the fabric. (Bias cut fabrics don’t fray so you’ll have neater fabric strips.)
  • Use straight or decorative rotary cutter blades or free cut the strips.

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  • Lay a strip of fabric, glue side down, onto silicone release paper or parchment paper or a Teflon sheet. Fuse-tack into place.
  • Overlap another strip about 1/4″ on top of the long side of the first strip. Continue to add strips across the paper.
  • Always overlap darker value fabric onto lighter value fabrics. If you put light value on dark value, a shadow is cast on the light fabric.
  • Continue to add more strips until the set of stripes is the length you want.

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  • After the fabric cools, remove the strip fused collage from the release paper.
  • Cut into any shape you like. Here you see the strip fusing become the grass at the lower edge of the design.