Magna Carta Wall Hanging

I don't know if I've blogged about this before: it isn't my project but I'm involved in a few bits with the ladies who are creating it.

Next year is the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta: it was signed on a island in the Thames, and the neighbouring borough of Runnymede has always claimed the fame, but the Thames has moved over the last 800 years, towards Runnymede.  So any land previously in the Thames must now be the other side of the river - ie in Wraysbury, so the Wraysbury ladies are making a wall hanging to celebrate.

Shields (cross stitched) round the outside

And applique (slightly 3D) in the centre

Isn't it fab!

My job is to work out how best to attach the shields together (anyone got any ideas?) and to design a machine embroidery to represent this

this is the embroidery plan so far :

 

The attaching of the shields isn't going so well:

This is the 'bounce' or 'dryer sheet' method, but as they want a fusible bias binding outline I think it's probably too raised

 

 This is the start of the 'plonk' method (!)  the edges will be hidden by the fusible bias

And this is the porthole method from a recent copy of Popular Patchwork, but again I think the height difference is too much.

 I shall be badgering Plum (the applique queen) for ideas when I see her on Monday, otherwise it may have to be the highly technical 'plonk' method

PS Thanks for the pins, Jackie, I love them!