First the quilting is moving along quickly it seems to me as it does to a lot of you. I can’t believe I rolled it down last night to start and the end was in sight already!
Finished this side on Wednesday night
Rolled it down and here we go – the end
Always a little thrill to see the end nearing – I have really been taking my time deciding what to put on the walls to decorate in here – I always decorate and this time I haven’t. I am still trying to decide – shelves, photos, small hangings – I will decide sooner or later. I am linking to Busy Hands Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
I had the Morning Glory pattern out yesterday morning on the work table deciding what pattern to start with and I decided on the big center square.
First I need to get my pattern on freezer paper – I do needle turn applique. I did say I would practice the applique stitch on the machine but I got too tense trying it out – it actually gave me a headache and eye strain. I did try it out for a whole day and despised it!! I am just not a machine person and I am so glad I did not buy this machine with the intention of doing applique and all sorts of fancy stuff – I won it – I will use it for piecing and some quilting like always and if I ever get to the point where I have to use it more I will – but to enjoy myself I will keep doing a lot of my work by hand until I no longer can. The pattern is too detail for me to mess it up by learning how to machine applique with it – I will save that for a very easy pattern – maybe a baby quilt with some kind of easy design. I did one of Michele’s patterns a couple years ago and did it needle turn and enjoyed it doing it that way – I just rounded some of those peaks and points a bit more than they are and it worked out fine. I have done needle turn applique for years – I have tried the starch method and wrapping around the freezer paper templates and really didn’t care for doing it although the end results are very exact – I just don’t worry about the the perfection so much I guess.
One half of the square is now done – now to do the second half
End of the year Craftsy sale continues – clearance on some items and discounts on many things – up to 70% off on some things.
This summer I took a machine applique class with David Taylor. We wrapped our pieces around freezer paper, ironed them with starch, and positioned them using a plastic film (like the Piece o Cake ladies do). This was really a bit too precise for me. Then we sewed each piece down using invisible thread, taking the freezer paper out toward the end. I hate invisible thread – you have to be careful ironing it. So I tried his method using cotton thread and like it a little better. Still, good old hand applique looks best to me.
yes I have tried wrapping around the freezer paper and ironing and starching or gluing and the I’ve tried the plastic overlay – I really don’t like any of it. I just like to fold and press my applique background square and lay the fabric directly onto of it by eye balling it and needle turn. I never intend my projects to go to a show – perfection is not what I am after. I just want to enjoy making it.
I think you go with the method that works best for you. I’ve never gotten the hang of needle turn, but I can manage applique if I use a glue stick when I turn the edges to hold them down. it makes it easier for me to stitch, and I can get the curves done a bit more to my liking. I will enjoy watching your progress as you work on this quilt!
I always draw around my piece – right side up with chalk or pencil and that is my stitch line. I use Roxanne Glue to hold the piece to the fabric and stitch – adding pieces as I go – if the pieces do not want to stay in place and keep coming loose I will baste them down with thread. I learn to do it this way years and years ago and have made many applique quilts like this
Karen, too funny. I had the same experience practicing with the Bernette machine that my husband won. I have been meaning to try the back basting method to see if that helps me with the points better. I think your pattern is beautiful!
I haven’t really tried the back basting method but that might work pretty well on this quilt with all the points and curves it has – yes just because I won the machine doesn’t mean I have to force myself to use all the stitches! There is something about the buttonhole stitch that is just not attractive to me – I tried it on the wool and I didn’t really care for it on the wool either.
Your new applique quilt looks like it will be just amazing, Karen! I’ll enjoy watching your progress on it. Interesting that there are so many different techniques for applique. I’ve made one applique quilt, and I think we used the freezer paper method, then cut a little piece out of the backing and pulled out the freezer paper when the stitching was done. It’s hard to remember as it was a long time ago!
yes there are many ways to do applique and a lot of bloggers that do applique are into the freezer paper, glue or starch method – it takes so much prep work that I have never liked it. I learned to applique using needle turn with glue basting or thread basting the piece to the background fabric and so I think that is why I always turn back to it. I have tried other methods and just do not enjoy the prep work – I think this quilt will probably take about 2 years to complete as I work on so many other things at the same time.
I was thinking it would be hard to machine applique this quilt, it would give me a big headache too, lol! It is so exciting to see the end of Murrieta Stars! I bet your fingers fly even faster with the end in sight! How wonderful to have another end in sight. I’m still waiting for the two pieces of William Morris yardage I ordered, the center piece and the border. I have everything else, so as soon as I get the center piece, I’ll follow along behind you. This will be quite an adventure, won’t it?
I am starting with the big center that way if I tire of it and decide I do not want to finish the quilt I will have the big center for a wall hanging LOL – I seem to tire of projects the older I get and do not want a UFO. I had hoped that I would find the machine applique easy – I cut out several pieces of the design and fused them to a square to practice and by using the same kind of shapes I know this design was beyond my capabilities for machine work for a first project
Beautiful hand quilting! Your next project is stunning, too.
thanks Nancy and thanks for stopping by
I will enjoy watching your progress Karen (and you’ll be pleased to know I am hand quilting at the moment!! My stitches are not as small as yours though!) Hugs x
takes practice but my stitches aren’t as tiny as some – on the flannel I am only doing about 4 or 5 stitches to the inch and on the other quilts I do 7-8 – it is all about the consistent look! I tried the machine applique but can’t do it – it gave me a headache!
Karen me alegra escuchar que haces quilts a mano.
Soy mano en todo .
Con la maquina me pongo muy nerviosa y hago todo mal
feliz año
yes this applique quilt must be done by hand or I will mess it up – I am not real good with machine work and the sound of the machine after awhile gives me a headache!
It will be fabulous, you are an amazing hand stitcher of all types!
thanks Barbara – I tell you trying to do that applique stitch by machine gave me a stressed out bad headache – I can’t relax like that!
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Iowa. I been wandering thru your blog tonight it has been a while since I have stop by. Enjoy the bits and pieces you have on here the quilt you are working on is very pretty.
thanks Arlene and have a Happy New Year, nice to hear from you – it has been awhile!
What a cool way to hand quilt! Great job!
thanks Vera I have had this hand quilting frame for a good 20 years now and love it