How to coordinate color-soaked batiks to make fanciful fall foliage

Yesterday on QUILTsocial, we created a quilted canvas to showcase some fanciful fall foliage in color-soaked batiks.
Today, let’s get started on creating the fabulous leaves that will be a focal point on our Autumn Harmony quilted sampler.

Begin by cutting 2″ wide strips from various green batik scraps. These should be at least 10″ long.
I cut about 80 strips from the scraps I’d scrounged from my quilting buddies. You can take a more design-oriented approach, but I kind of enjoyed the randomness of it all.
There was some order to it, honest. When I cut strips from one fabric, I grouped them all together in the same pile. I found it easier to have the scraps grouped when I began putting the leaves together.

String-piecing method for each leaf:
Cut eight pieces of thin quilter’s muslin, 9″ wide by 13″ long.
Start at the center of the muslin rectangle, placing a scrap right side up and a slight angle.
Pin into place.
Place a the next strip on top of the pinned one, right sides together, making the raw edges align as best you can.
Use a short stitch length and sew through the fabric and muslin, using a ¼”  seam.
Finger press  the seam allowance, using the handy finger presser. Add the next strip, continuing until the muslin is covered.
You’ll be doing eight string-pieced rectangles.

Press the finished rectangles on the top (right side) of the fabric with a generous spray of Flatter. It smells heavenly, and will provide a smooth surface for tomorrow’s project — the fabulous fall foliage on the Autumn Harmony quilted sampler.