Dance Flowers

Madam has been taking dance lessons for 5 years now, she is pretty good at jazz, likes the tap but is so-so on ballet. We are fortunate the instructor is a soloist for the Maine State Ballet.

The school has a recital each year, it's a big thing for all the parents as we can't know what the group is studying. Well, four out of the five years a silk flower were put in the dancers buns, the fifth year they wore a lei. I've held onto this mementos, not figuring what to do with them.

A light bulb idea, shadow applique'. I've done it before with silk flowers and monogrammed it with the initials of who I gave the work to. Brilliant! I've always made pillows using the technique but Madam wants a framed picture. She took apart the flowers while I cut out some ballerinas from felt.




This is also a beautiful way to display cut work. Always start with sheer fabric and after the flowers are taken apart, place them in a pattern you like, they can overlap or be separate from one another. I let Madam place her own picture.



Normally I place the flowers between the sheer fabric, pin them and iron but because it's madam and a picture, I had her glue them. Here is what she came up with.


After the flowers dry, I'll place another piece of sheer fabric over the picture and stitch around the flowers. Here's a sneak peek.
Only the shadow knows.......C & G Design.