This is a free form piece I designed and started working on in Sept. 2008. It's call "The Eye of the Storm" and was inspired by Hurricane Ike's visit to SW Ohio. The center is open and will have a glass bead (large lozenge) suspended in it. The "arms" (or more speciifically the bands) are made from batiks alternating with double layers of organza fused together with Heat-n-bond (or Wonder-under, I forget which). I chose the heavier type of fusible rather than Mistyfuse in order to give it more body. The batik arms are filled with Peltex and backed with another layer of batik whip-stitched closed over the edges.
My problem is one of support for the organza. It's too floppy and I can't figure out what to do to make the arms stay flat.... People have suggested sewing the plastic cording from weed-eaters onto it, but that doesn't work. I've not found a wire which is stiff enough to hold it but maleable enough to make the curves and small enough to be satin stitched over to make it less noticeable. I am going to visit some more hardware stores to see if I can't find something.
If anyone can provide me suggestions on making this stiff enough to be hung I'd appreciate it. The technical end of this is what has hung me up. :(
Thanks. Lisa