Tag Archives: hand applique

20

Jan. ’16

WIP Wednesday – 1/20/2016

Happy Wednesday!

Greetings from Road2CA!  Yesterday I took Carrie Fondi’s hand applique class.  We learned how to use the glue stick method, the traditional freezer paper method, and back basting method.  The class description says that it is open to beginning appliquers to advanced, but I think it should really be for beginning appliquers unless an advanced appliquer wants to learn one of the particular methods taught.  I enjoyed Carrie and the classmates.  I enjoyed the pattern but I didn’t really learn anything new and I’m surprised to say that I’m no longer a beginner.  I guess it’s about time, I’ve only been applique-ing since I started quilting 10 years ago.  I took the class because I want to applique better.  I still find it hard to do V’s, sharp points, and internal curves.  I guess I just need to keep practicing or go to my LQS to ask one of the expert ladies there to do a one on one class with me.  The methods that we used in the class are fine but I generally don’t want to work that hard in preparing my project.  While working on Raining Cats and Dogs, I found it easiest to draw the pattern on the fabrics and just needleturn it.  I tried using starch and other methods but it would just take too long for me.  And it never gave me the smoothness that I got when I just drew it.  To each their own.  I did get a smooth curve using all the methods that we did in class so that was great.  I can see how different methods can work in different scenarios.  I didn’t really learn anything new but I would still take classes like these just to check out if there is anything new out there.  We got to hear and see different products that different people liked and use so that’s always a benefit.  I’m not sure I would do an all day thing like I did today.  Also, I know I’m not going to finish this project but here’s a far as I got.

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Here’s the glue stick method with the wash away fusible piece on the back.  I just placed it onto the background fabric for placing and picture purposes.

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There’s a missing stem that if I finished this piece would cover the the frayed parts of the leaves on the left.  As you can see, pretty smooth curves.

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The leaves on the right were the freezer paper method and I didn’t like that method at all.  The freezer paper was on top of the fabric so I couldn’t really see what I was doing and the freezer paper kept moving around.  This was the most similar to me just drawing the pattern on the fabric.  The difference is the freezer paper and if it would just keep still, I think it would be fine.  Carrie did say that this method helps if you are using fabric that you can’t mark up well so I can see how it would help.

Today, I’m taking a break from classes and will do some work.  Tomorrow I’m back at classes and I’ll actually be staying in Ontario so I will not need to drive back and forth! 🙂  I’m taking an evening class that will end at 10 and then the following morning an early 8am class.  This was a last minute decision but a good one I think. 🙂  I don’ know if I’ll be able to post anything the next few days from Road but I’ve got some things scheduled for you to check on. 🙂

For those checking in from Freshly Pieced… Thanks for stopping by!

See more WIPs at … WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

~Here’s to a great week!

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: Quilting, WIP Wednesday. Tags: , , . 9 Comments

10

Dec. ’13

Raining Cats and Dogs, an update

I was able to applique a little bit while in LA but only a bit.  I did more last night.  I didn’t get as much done but with all the projects I’m working on, I’m okay with that. 

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 2 as of 12/9/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 2
as of 12/9/13

I finished the doggy and I got part of the house down.

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 2 - a little closer as of 12/9/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 2 – a little closer
as of 12/9/13

Here’s a closer shot of the umbrellas and the top of the block.  I do not like how the doggy came out.  I was doing that part in the airport and it is not flat at all.  I really should have done the house since there aren’t any curves that require a whole lot of attention.

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 2 - close up of the kitty and doggy as of 12/9/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 2 – close up of the kitty and doggy
as of 12/9/13

Here’s a real close up of the doggy.  I know it looks like the fabric on that side is just a little wonky – maybe because I didn’t lay it flat on the table?  No – it’s wonky because the doggy is not flat on the fabric.  The cat right next to it is flat and I’m really proud of that one.  But the dog was not done very well at all.  Oh well, you lose some you win some.  The doggy is a loss and the kitty is a win. 🙂  They both required detailed attention to get them done perfectly and with the doggy I didn’t have it.  Another learning lesson for me.

Linking up with A Quilting Reader’s Garden for Applique Tuesday.

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03

Dec. ’13

Raining Cats and Dogs, an update and a pen review

The hubby and I are off to LA tomorrow.  I’ll be there for a few days.  He’ll be there through the weekend to catch up with friends and have some time doing what boys do.  I’d like to stay with him and meet up with the wives of the boys but I’ve got to head back to take the girl to her cheer comp on Saturday.  As I usually do when I head to LA, I prepped some hand work to take with me for the trip.  And right now, that hand work is Raining Cats and Dogs.  I considered doing something different like the Hawaiian Quilt from PIQF or getting some hexies together for the Flower Garden.  But I held off, I only have 2 blocks left on this quilt and there is no point in getting me sidetracked with an old UFO.  So I already started on Block 2  with a couple of umbrellas and a dog/cat combo a couple of weeks ago.

Raining Cats and Dogs top of Block 2 as of 12/2/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
top of Block 2
as of 12/2/13

All I have left here is the dog.  Now, I am off to LA with the hubby so I may not even touch this project.  However, there is the chance that I do and if I do – I know that this wouldn’t be enough for me to do in 3 days.  So, I had to prep the next few pieces for me to move on.

I pieced the backing for the main part of the block.  I have to digress and say that this block is huge!  From top to bottom, it’s about 18″ high.  It might be a little smaller as I’m just estimating and I don’t want to go to the other room to retrieve the accurate information from the pattern.  It’s part of the reason why I decided to do the top part separately from the main part.  The edges of the fabric unravels fairly easily so I didn’t want the ends to fray too much by working on it a lot.  This way, I can get parts done with a little less fray.   And even with all that, the backing isn’t really done.  I’ve got another 2.5″ to the left of fabric that I have to piece together.  But since nothing will be appliqued onto it, I’ve left it off for now.  Next, I traced the pattern onto the backing.

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 2 as of 12/2/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 2
as of 12/2/13

Then I traced the next few parts onto their corresponding fabrics. I use the Frixion pen to trace.  I love this pen.  It puts on a dark clear line and when I want it gone, all I have to do is iron it.  Surprisingly, I heard from a number of people some negative comments about these pens.  I have a couple of issues but they work better for me than other marking tools.  I do not like the pencils because I often cannot see the line.  I do not like the light blue pen because when I want to remove it I have to spend so much time wiping it away.  It’s irritating.  But with the Frixion pens – all I have to do is iron.  The issues I have is that it seems to dry up faster than other marking tools.  The second issue is that after a little bit of using it on a lightbox, it’s harder to mark.  So I usually end up drawing and re-drawing and re-drawing to make sure I can see the line once I remove it from the lightbox.  Anyway, compared to the pencils and the light blue water pen, the Frixion pen is the best for me.

Raining Cats and Dogs Block 2 as of 12/2/13

Raining Cats and Dogs
Block 2
as of 12/2/13

It’s hard to see as the lighting wasn’t very good and I had to do these pictures in the dark with a flash.  But you can get the idea.  Now I’m ready for the plane trip and a few days without children. 🙂

Linking up with A Quilting Reader’s Garden for Applique Tuesday.

Posted by . Categories: Grandmother's Flower Garden, Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs. Tags: , , , , , , . 4 Comments

23

May. ’13

Fabric Stash…Yardage…Guilty Pleasures!

I started listening to quilty podcasts around Fall of 2012.  That was when my mother was diagnosed with Leukemia and I was travelling back and forth between Fremont and Los Angeles.  I was away from my family a lot.  To keep me entertained I found quilty podcasts.  I started listening via Stitcher and there weren’t many podcasts out there.  But I found a few.  As I listened to them they referenced other podcasters that I found on the Podcast app on my iPad and that broadened my quilting station.  They led me to Twitter and Craftsy and to quilting blogs.  Over the last few months, I found myself wanting to share my own stories and my quilting and crafting experiences.  I also thought that it would be a great way to document my progress or lack thereof.   At the very least, it would be one way to motivate me to finish something.  Each blogger and podcaster have given me different ideas.  I’ll try to credit the idea to the appropriate person when I remember and I apologize now if I forget.  Just to start somewhere, I really enjoy Pam’s (http://www.hiptobeasquarepodcast.com/) method of documenting how much fabric she uses and how much she brings into her stash.  Of course, she may have gotten it from somewhere too.  Right now is a great time to start my count.  My stash is currently stashed at my mom’s house so I do not know how much fabric I’ve actually got.  So I’m just going to start with the little bit I have with me right now – with more to follow after the move.

Current Fabric Count: 5 yards

Here’s a pic… mostly fat quarters I purchased for the Grandmother’s Flower Garden I’m doing by hand while I wait to be reunited with my sewing machine.  Sorry for the low quality.  While I do have a decent camera, it’s just easier to use my iPad.  🙂

My current stash in my possession.

My current stash in my possession.

Posted by . Categories: Grandmother's Flower Garden, Quilting. Tags: , , , . Leave a comment

22

May. ’13

The First Needle!

My family is in the middle of moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Due to some rash decisions I left all my sewing machines up North at my mom’s house last March thinking that I’d be back and forth to grab projects as I needed them. I kept in my possession a hand appliqué project that I felt would last me a month. It’s an appliqué BOM I stared November 2011 at my local quilt shop. I’ll reference the designer and stuff at some point when I find it because that info is stashed along with my other quilt projects at my mom’s house. I’m not a very fast hand applique-er but since it’s all I’ve been doing since March I finished the two blocks I took with me. I tried to post the most recent finished block here but I’m not sure how to. I’m doing this with my iPad and I’m not up to speed with the WordPress app.

Well without my sewing machine I’ve been a little unhinged so I’ve been exploring the online quilty world and have discovered so many people writing about their quilting and crafting experiences. I’ve been inspired to do the same. Here’s to the first post!

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Posted by . Categories: Quilting, Raining Cats and Dogs. Tags: , , , . 2 Comments