Applique and other things

I had a couple of free afternoons to work some more on the Aunty Green quilt and gathered up some courage to trim the last four borders of the quilt. Its always a bit nerve wracking for me because I'm always afraid I'll make some humungous mistake with the measurements and cutting.

If you've done applique, you would know all about the distortion that occurs after stitching. When it's a border it seems to compound. I folded each applique border in half and found that my center basting line no longer marked the true center.

I get around it by folding the border in half, pressing and remarking the center lines.

Once I had done that to all four borders and joined them to the center of the medallion, it was time to add the additional applique to the corners.

 There was some negative space that was a bit obvious that I didn't like so I've added a leaf here, a bud there to make the corners look a bit more balanced.

See the center bloom in the photo above?  That's been prepped using the freezer paper and starch method so even though its been glue basted in position, it still needs stitching.

 The stem, leaves and plaid bloom at the bottom above are extra additions to fill negative space. 

Here's a close up of a flower that was done with the same method, yet to be stitched.

The class starts up again at Quiltsmith next week so I want to get a start on the next border before then.

 I forgot to tell you that we had a new addition to the family. This cute little guy was born on Christmas eve to my stepson and his partner. Since they live in another state, we've only just met him last week when they came to visit family and friends.It's nice to be a Nana again.

Here's another addition to the Quiltsalott house. Meet Tully, a four year old Jack Russell.

We're providing a home for her for the next year as a favour to a family that has had to move interstate. They have a paid for rental for the next year that doesn't allow pets.

The challenge is on, she comes totally spoilt, untrained, barks, likes to dig for an escape, doesn't respond to her name but she's very affectionate. She's making me do my walks, a good thing.

I saw an ad in the vets window today that looks promising. Training for adult dogs. I'll find out more, it could be faster than me doing it on my own. This dog is going to learn who is in charge and it ain't her.

We've had two of our own Jack Russells and a Doberman in this house so we knew what we were taking on. 

Until next time, Janet 

Giving applique a bath

I got busy doing some prep for two applique borders before Christmas so I could sit and relax with some stitching. I feel like I've been productive now that two are done. The first is for my Baltimore and the second is for the Aunty Green.

The Baltimore border has lots of embroidered stems which I did using a wrapped stem stitch. You might be able to see if you click on the photo above.

I draw the pattern on the background with my special pens and I do use basting glue so my applique needs a good bath when I'm done.

I generally fill a sink with warm water, not too hot and leave the piece to soak for anything from 15 minutes to half an hour depending what else I'm busy with. I do swish it around in the water a couple of times and I'll only add a dye catcher sheet if I'm concerned about some of the fabrics bleeding. I don't need to use them to catch the ink in the pens. I pre-wash most fabrics but sometimes those reds bleed regardless. 

You can see how the water has changed colour from the ink,it's suspended in the water and has never affected my fabrics or run onto them. They are acid free and non toxic. Sometimes I steam press my applique with a hot iron and that doesn't even affect how effectively it washes out. I have left ink in a quilt for a couple of years and it still washes out beautifully. For more information, see this post.

I rinse a couple of times in cold water and then squeeze, not wring the excess out. I then flatten it out on a towel as in the photo above, roll it up inside the towel to get more water out and leave it flat to dry.

Once it's dry, I'll double a towel on the ironing board and give it a good press with steam. The soft surface stops the applique from pressing too flat and it helps to get the wrinkles out between the applique shapes.

 It's hard to get a good photo of long borders but you get the idea. I've left quite a bit of negative space to fit some nice quilting in and I also didn't want the border to be too busy looking. There's still more to do to turn the corners at each end but I can't do that until later when sides are joined.

I finished another border for the Aunty Green quilt and thought I'd show you more close up photos so you can see the fabrics. The above is the center section.

The right side

And lastly, the left. I have to do some math now and do some trimming before I join the last four borders to the center medallion. After that I guess I have to get on and fill the corner applique parts in. That could take awhile.
Until next time, happy stitching, Janet

More applique

I've been a very slack blogger for awhile now. I keep meaning to do it sooner but I'm getting so darn frustrated with our slow Internet service which sometimes runs at a third less than normal speed. That's a downside of living in a small town I think.

Now that I've had my whinge, I better get on with giving an update with what I've been up to.
I'm caught up enough on the Auntie Green quilt so as not to feel too ashamed when I go to class this week. The centre is all done and it gets put away now until it's time to trim it when the first borders are finished.

And the first border strip is hot off the ironing board. I'm just organising the prep for the second of the four strips.
I'm trying to keep to a reproduction feel with the colours and fabrics. It's hard to tell from a photo what the true colours are but I'm happy with how it's looking so far.

I'm way behind in my block of the month for the Jane Pizar but I did get this one done which took a really, really long time.  I actually had to do it twice because I mucked up the measurements the first time. This is a small block it's only going to be seven and a half inches square once it's trimmed down by another quarter inch all the way around. Some of the other blocks for this quilt are on my header.

I better get a move on with some more homework, I'll be back next time with something totally different to show.

 

Until next time,  Janet

A weeks worth of stitching

Panel 10 of the Trailing Vines pattern is ready for download at long last. You can access the panels as I do them over here or by clicking on the link below my header.

I'm behind myself on this project, I've started stitching on the ninth one and it makes me realise how much I've missed my leaves.
Pop on over to Dorothy's post to see her single bed size version done in a different colourway. It's looking pretty awesome.

I'm kept pretty busy these days with the Auntie Green and at the last class we got the instructions for the next stage which is the woven bias border and floral sprays that fit inside them.

These are just the leftover bias strips with plenty more to cut and stitch later on so they won't go to waste.

In the true style of the old quilt, the bias is laid down without a pattern so the end result will not be perfection. Oh the thrill and charm of having some inconsistencies is a nice change from trying to be exacting. This part is going to take awhile, it's slow but oh so pleasurable.

I did manage to get the last Mary Mannakee block finished, I took my sweet time with the finger shapes on the leaves and I know my circle is a bit oval but what the heck, it's staying put.

The next block won't be for ages, I'm trying to focus on just a few projects right now and am working towards a finish on one that's been hanging around for years.

Last weekend I popped out to attend the Stitches and Craft show. I've only been once before when it was mainly scrap booking and beading.

This time they incorporated the woodwork show which gave DH something to see. There weren't a lot of quilting stalls but I enjoyed the Japanese ones. I even got to play on the sit down Sweet Sixteen quilting machine and no, I have no plans to buy one.

I didn't buy much but I did pick up a tool that I've been watching out for and I must share with you.

This is one by Clover and looks like the tiniest crochet hook ever but in fact it's not for crochet.

You can click on the photo to get a closer look.

You've probably had those annoying coloured threads between the layers of a quilt with a light background. They are a real bear to get out with a pin which can damage the fibers.

Put the end of this tool between the layers and hook out that nasty thread without damaging the quilt, brilliant I say. It's also great for the getting snagged threads through to the inside of clothing too. It won't do any harm because that end is like a tapestry needle which separates the threads as opposed to piercing them.

 

Until next time, Janet

Fabric fail

Sometimes the fabric that you think will work brilliantly fails dismally. Such is the case with the basket in the Auntie Green center.
Since I could see my pattern markings from the back, I tacked  the underlying pink fabric on from the back of the piece just outside the sewing line. The next stage was to sew the bias strips through the layers.
It's all going smoothly until I took a long hard look at my progress from a distance, as you do.

The brown and cream fabric doesn't look right to me, I would say because there seems to be an equal amount of cream and brown in the print. It was getting blended with the pink and looked kinda mushy to me.

Check out the picture below of the real Auntie Green basket.

If I can't live with it, it has to come out and here was the perfect opportunity to try out my new seam ripper. It has a rubbery end on the ripper and the case and the idea is to rub back and forth over the broken stitches and voila, they loosen and pull out.

It might seem a bit gimmiky but it actually worked quite well and I do hate picking little wee thread ends with my fingers.

Here's the basket all finished with the new brown fabric which I'm a lot happier with.

In case you were wondering, I appliqued the inside edges of the two outside pieces, trimmed the excess pink fabric and bias stems off and then proceeded to applique the outer edges if that makes sense.  That way I knew I wouldn't have to worry about covering everything or being too short on my seam allowances. It's happened to me before so it pays to leave more on than you think you need.

I just need to audition a couple of fabrics for two center circles on the blooms but that can wait until later.

I just can't sem to get a better photo of the colours in this one but you get the idea. It looks creamier in real life.

Class is tomorrow and I'm enthusiastic to get the next stage of the pattern to work on.

 

Until next time, happy stitching, Janet

Auntie Green and Mary Mannakee

I've made good progress on my center for the Auntie Green quilt. There's still a couple of sprigs, some centers for the big blooms and a basket to do but I'm happy with my homework for class so far.
It's turning out differently than what I had planned, I was just going to go for some soft muted colours but after I got past the outside wreath, I found myself challenged to go with similar colours to the photo I was following. It's the thrill of the chase to find the right fabrics.

I don't know what possessed me to do another block for the Mary Mannakee quilt but I'm glad. It's been so long since the last one. It's is a slow back burner of a project so I like to just focus on a block now and again.

I picked another simple one to prep that I can pick up in spare moments. I have an overlay on the bottom half to place the leaves and I'll baste them to the background before tackling it as cutaway applique. The fronds would fray and distort if I trimmed the seam allowances before starting the stitching.

Until next time, happy stitching, Janet

My magnificent new project

I haven't done a class for ages.  Where I live means having to travel distances to get to classes and it's such a drama when I have no sense of direction when driving, even with a GPS to help. The only way it's not a hassle is when David is the navigator and even then I can't remember how to get to places, let alone how to get home. Sydney isn't easy to drive around you know.

A friend and I are travelling by train and bus once a month to get to Quiltsmith for classes with Sue Ross to make a version of the Auntie Green coverlet. This one has been whispering in my ear for years so when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it. I've never done a medallion before so it'll be a new experience.

It's most recently been pictured in Annette Gero's book, the fabric of Society. There is no pattern for sale so this is strictly an in class pattern where we follow our own applique methods and fabric preferences.

I'm going for an old look so it could turn out quite muted but who knows, I'll choose fabrics as I go. I'm using a cream background but the others in the class are using a more taupe colour which is equally as nice.

For the leaves I've chosen some teal fabrics and I only have a section on the left to finish off.

Hopefully I'll be able to get to some prep over the next few days so I can make a start on the center applique.

My word for this year is focus so I'm determined to make better use of my time and get better organised with my projects. Next week is set aside for drawing the next vine panel for the Susan McCord quilt.

 

About the Auntie Green coverlet.

 

It was made around 1860 by Mary Ann Wellen, Stepney, London.

Mary Ann was known as Auntie Green by those who knew her and the coverlet was made for her niece Anne Kirby who travelled to live in New Zealand.

It  was left to Anne's Australian niece, Mabel Williams who then passed it onto her niece, Mavis Roberts who is the current owner.

 

The coverlet uses a linen background and is unlined.

There could be as much as fifty metres of what looks like bias in the borders but is actually fabric cut on the straight of grain. There are consequently lots of tucks and ruffles in the borders.

It measures 96.5in x 91in

 

Until next time, Janet