This is actually the first piece I started sewing for this project, back in June 2010: the backdrop, the first thing people will see when they open this fabric pop-up book. Six different fabrics are used in the applique seen here. I’m sewing the rest of the accent beads on now – about 50% done in this shot.
The rest of the piece is going to involve some ridiculous engineering of open and hidden hinges, linings, soft surfaces/buried hard anchor points, and tension-balanced strands of bead-knotted poly thread. I remembered a trick from soft-sculpture dollmakers, who often do button joints. Teeny tiny baby buttons will form the anchors for the beaded threads, which will crisscross the ‘vista’ of the unfolded book. It would be great if I could get them in black or dark blue, but I’ll likely settle for clear or pearl, as long as they’re the right shape and flat as possible.
Go here to see a great photo of the landmark that inspired this piece: the South Mountain broadcast towers in Phoenix, Arizona.