Madonna Lily: Setup and framing

Time to get everything pressed and basted in preparation for framing up.

I've stitched my silk ground to a backing of fine linen for support. It isn't as flat as it could be, but both fabrics will stretch somewhat in framing.

I've also used Mistyfuse fusible web to bond some white silk habotai to acid-free white tissue paper. I'll use this as the applique base for the lily itself.

Both the Mistyfuse and the tissue should be archivally stable long term. (Should.) The surface looks webbed due to the texture of the Mistyfuse, probably because I should have been using the iron more like a squeegee. This might cause the edge of the applique to fray more than it ought, if some parts didn't get bonded; but I will try it, and it's simple enough to try again if needed.

Here I am transferring the lily pattern to the bonded silk by tracing. The lower flower was done with a 003 Sakura Micron pen, which still bleeds dreadfully on this silk. The upper one is a graphite pencil tracing, which still isn't perfect but it's somewhat better. I'll probably use an eraser to lighten the pencil lines a bit before cutting out and applying it to the ground.