Some Serious STRIP Fusing

I need every available minute to work on 3 pieces 1 with a 4-1 Due Date, 2 with May 1 due date.  Have 2 of the 3 tops done, 1 w/ quilting in progress.. But I NEED to get the third TOP finished. Some have seen this piece in progress a couple weeks back. The top area of background and hearts were in place though not stitched and the lower part with loose pieces of green 'hills' and fabric beneath in audition mode.

Not shown ( yawner if so) stitched down the black radial lines and ribbons, plus hearts.  Then the hot red/orange sun and  green hills...   NOW... finishing the very bottom using some stripes of fused atop fused fabric strips out of these  fun fabrics

After estimating area to be covered, I decided an 8 1/2"  x 10 1/2"   piece of each fabric could be prepped for later 'strip fusing.'  A piece of paper backed fusible web  ( appx 8 x 10.. ie slightly smaller than fabric) placed atop back side of fabric, then fused with iron on cotton setting.

'Trimmed excess away and removed paper.  Ideally... one might want to remove the paper first.. then cut away fabric without fusible web.  It's easier to get a clean edge this way BUT if you are using fabrics that are light..say.. yellow ... it's hard to see where the edge of the fusible is, so with some fusible webs...you can get away with the method shown here.  

 Once paper is removed.. the entire surface is usable in fusing. I chose to rotary cut 1 3/4" strips ( i.e 4 strips plus a wee bit leftover out of each of these 8 x 10' fabrics.

Atop a teflon sheet, strips are overlapped by 1/8 to 1/4 inch... one overlay at a time and fused in place.

4 sets of four were created then all 4 were fused together to make one strip-fused patchwork

Once all four sections were together, I placed an freezer paper template atop it and cut fabric to match the top curve... later the bottom edge .

I saw here an opportunity to subdue the impact of the black and white grid.  I definitely like the grid fabric but also decided I might break the area up by overlaying a small strip of fusing leftover from the purple circle fabric. 

 I like that small addition and am now ready to connect this segment to the bottom of the green hill arch above.

YAHOO... the top is in one piece.  I will with monofilament do a small appliqué stitch to permanently secure fused edges before the quilting process. 

I'm liking this piece.. destined for auction in support of Libby Lehman's medical costs.I'll post details of the auction when I know them.  For this, I am not the organizer but an enthusiastic contributor for Libby. 

I think for this piece , I'll be departing from my more common knife edge finish  and instead add 1/4 inch binding in a fabric style that would suit Libby's approach to finishing.