I've begun a new small quilt from Kathy Tracy's book Remembering Adelia. It is Orange Peel. Here's how I am making my applique pieces. I used a non-melt plastic to make the peel shape. First I traced the peel from the book onto the template material and cut it out. Next I traced the template on to one of my fabric choices. I stacked up several pieces, pinned and then cut adding a 1/4" seam allowance.
I did put the curve on the bias. I'm using a stencil brush to apply starch to the seam allowances.
Then very carefully I iron the seam allowance back over the template. Remember to use a lower setting as you don't want to distort the template.
When the piece is dry I remove it from the template. Wow, does this create great, crisp edges that will make it very easy to applique these to the backgrounds. I spray a bit of starch into the cap of the spray starch can to access the starch. I need to go back and trim these seams down to a scant 1/4" or maybe an 1/8th of an inch.
I'm not sure I'd want to make these templates for some appliques -- the ones with lots of pieces on multiple blocks but the end results are wonderful. I just tend to be
Here's the unit I'm working on for Easy Street. I'm enjoying my slow work on this quilt. It may take me most of the next few months but I am making progress. I'm nearly done with this unit and, even better, I'm trimming them up as I finish groups of 10s. Woe's me -- I've got to trim most of the flying geese units still. Bummer!
Here's my goal results for last week:
Week of
Jan. 7, 2013
Work on Easy Street√
Work on hexagon small quilt √
Continue to clean up studio √
Load and quilt pinwheel quilt on Ruthie OOPS!
Watch more of Season 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey √
Photograph and write up SS #6√
at least the photograph is done!
Do Lessons 1 & 2 on EQ & Anyone want to work
through this with me? √√ This was great, why has it
taken me so long to go through these lessons?
Week of
Jan. 14, 2013
Work on Easy Street Work on hexagon small quilt
Hand quilt hexagon small quilt
Finish prepping all the orange peel pieces, begin
appliquing
Let’s try to get a quilt on Ruthie
On to Lessons 3 & 4 on EQ7
Take a look at Patchwork Times to find links to Design Walls across the internet. And, Quiltville's Quips and Snips to see Easy Street progress. Not posted yet and I don't know if last week was the end of those linky parties. I'll check back later to see if something is added to link to Easy Street.
The Christmas decorations are all down and most are away. The snowmen are up but it is really hard to think of winter when the temperatures hit 70 yesterday. I like a little winter, honestly. We need enough cold weather to kill off some of the bugs and to set the bulbs. Hopefully we'll get some more.
I'm off to the studio to do some quilting.
The Christmas decorations are all down and most are away. The snowmen are up but it is really hard to think of winter when the temperatures hit 70 yesterday. I like a little winter, honestly. We need enough cold weather to kill off some of the bugs and to set the bulbs. Hopefully we'll get some more.
I'm off to the studio to do some quilting.
Thanks for the mini tutorial on turning your appliqué edges with starch. I don't do much appliqué, but I'll remember your tips. I had to square almost all of my units too Bonnie. I feel like I stitched them perfectly, and used my seam guide, but some of them were just a tad off.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything goes together O.K. My friend Barb who is also doing Easy Street told me she is having to be very careful matching seams...I'm a bit worried about how the steps come together to create the block. We'll see very soon as I'm cutting the green today, and moving on to actually sewing parts together. I started out enjoying this quilt, I hope that is also the case at the end of the process. :o<
What a rich post! I think I first ran into you on Kathie's smallquilt group on yahoo. Today I came via your link on Judy's Design wall Monday. I really love the way you posted your weekly goals & track them . Quite ambitious, but it seems very useful. I smiled, I have Downton Abbey seasons 1 & 2 on dvd & was watching/listening while working on 2block of the month projects I am in. Thanks for you posts! B
ReplyDeleteIt does look like a nice system for preparing applique pieces. I have done something similar with circles. For most odd shapes though I use freezer paper on the front and glue stick on the seam allowances. You can get lots of shapes that way and they are easy to make. Enjoy your applique -- it is so relaxing once all the preparation is out of the way.
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