NEW NEW NEW quilt block swap

[quilt-silly]

I love it but it took me a while to make it. Is it just me or does it take a while to do appliqué?

Just you and the universe, hunnybunny! It really does take some time and I used every short cut in the book.

I did the blocks assembly-line style and that really helped, but still when you break it down, it took a good 3-4 hours per block.

I drew all the patterns on the non-fusible side of lightweight fusible interfacing, all the bodies on one piece, the shoes on another, hats on another, etc. - about ¼" apart. Then I took the fusible for Sam's hat and pinned it with the fusible side to the right side of the fabric for Sam's hat. Then, I free-motioned all the hats on the drawn lines.

When they were all sewn together, I cut them apart, clipped the corners and curves and cut a slash in the fusible only. Turned the hats right side out through the slash, finger-pressed the edges then ironed the fusible side to a Teflon pressing sheet to make the outside edges crease.

I followed these steps for all the pieces including the leaves that go with the yo-yo flowers, then I arranged all the pieces for one block on a 13½" square of the background fabric with the template underneath to show me where the pieces went. Covered with a pressing cloth and ironed them down. There was just enough goo left in the fusible to hold the pieces in place.

Then the hand sewing. Very relaxing when all the corners are already turned for you and you don't have to struggle with those teeny-tiny little hems! Ugh! I'll never go back to needle-turning, again.

I had a bunch of old movies DVR'd from AMC and TNT, so those keep me company when I have hand work to do.

[tndenim]

It is relaxing to sit in front of the tube and sew. My Aunt Bert makes these patchwork puppies. Since she is almost blind - well - she misses a lot of seams. Since these go to charity - I've started to go back over ach one and "fix" them for her. And no - she does NOT know I do this. I would never tell her that as it would make her feel bad. She sent over about 20 puppies. These are going to a group that does things for child of prison inmates. It's not the kids fault that their parents are screwed up.

She donates all the ones she makes to kids - we've sent some to her local fire department and police department. She makes and donates a dozen or so to Toys for Tots each year as well. I get the job of cutting all her blocks for her - then I take them over and she feels like it's Christmas all the time - lol. She loves fabrics as much as I do.

[artist_bre]

Elizabeth
I thought that was what it might be but I have never had that happen that bad before when taking pictures and I take tons of them of my paintings not to mention other stuff.

Wow the way you did your appliqué was so much easier than how I did mine. I Drew it all out in picture form then made patterns from that. I looked at yours for what they should look like. Then I folded each piece under 1/4'” and ironed it that way, and then I put them onto my background with the double sided fusible web and ironed them all again. Last I used some of the hand appliqué stitches my machine has and sewed them all on tonight, but I forgot I had to put on the ornaments and star on yet and I should of did that first, but since I didn’t I went ahead and did them anyway.

I used embroidery designs from my quilt machine and then of course my background was an eighth of an inch to small so I cut them out and redid them on another piece of background material. hehe It looks great but I sure could of done them a quicker way and I got a lot of ideas from the way you did them hun THANKS.
Tndenim
I always do something when watching tv too usualy I crochet. I have to keep my hands busy all the time I guess.
Happy quilting
Bre

[quilt-silly]

Bre, I learned this way from Eleanor Burns - and it's just so easy, I can't imagine doing anything else. Lightweight fusible interfacing is so cheap and all but indiscernible in the finished piece. And there's not enough "goo" on the fusible to harden and make it difficult to sew by hand like double-sided web can do.

tndenim, how lovely of your Aunt to do such a thing - and how kind of you to not tell her that you fix them. Angels among us!

[artist_bre]

Elizabeth
Do you have videos of hers or how did you learn it from her books? I would love to know.
Thanks and Happy quilting
Bre

[artist_bre]

Elizabeth
I just looked I did buy the light weight fusable too when I got the double sided web. I am headed to Joannes now to get a couple things, but when I return I am going to try it the way you described.
Bre

[quilt-silly]

Here's a full-length video that shows her method:
http://quiltinaday.com/theater/victory02.html

That will give you the idea.

I didn't have to applique' any complicated piecing as shown in her video. To do the pieced appliques, I just sewed a strip of shirt fabric to a strip of overall fabric and pressed the seam to the overall fabric. I pinned a strip of interfacing (fusible side down) to the right side of the strip of two fabrics and then traced the body template onto the fusible, leaving at least ¼" between bodies.

I did the same thing with smaller strips of hand and sleeve fabric. You can see through the fusible well enough to line up the seam line in the right place on the piece.

[artist_bre]

Elizabeth
I love you hun, Thank you soo much. The video is a great help and much appreciated too. I buy from her site all the time, but I still want to get some of her books. I had never saw her actually do any of the techniques she mentions until now, once again hun thanks.

The way she (you) do it is so much easier than the way I did my first one hehe, but I sure will do it this way from now on you can bet on that; starting later today when I make some more.

Once again”you helped to create a monster" ............
"An appliqué monster" hehe, and I am soo happy about it, that I want to thank you for it.

Tndenim
I forgot to mention earlier in my post, I want to say I sure do agree with what Elizabeth said. You are so awesome for doing such a sweet thing for your auntie. You truly are one of the angels among us. I have a suggestion for her that may help her out.

There’s are several light-up magnifying glasses you can buy that would probably make any of her stitching easier for her (and you too ). They work very well; I have one I use for detailing on paintings. They are a bit costly but may be a great help for your auntie; and if it helps her to see better that would make it worth all the money in the world, believe me.

This is the one I have and there is a stand available for it too, just click on where it says "Daylight Ultra Slim Magnifier Accessories", to see the stand and they also have higher diopter lenses for it also.

We got one like this for my son's father-in-law a month ago. At first he completely lost his site at the age of 46 from diabetes we think. When it began to return over a 6 to 8 month period he still couldn't work anymore, go on his PC or even read which he loves the most. So a month ago we got him this light and he was able to use it to read and even to go on his PC for some things. He still hasn't gotten full site back but were hopeful he will and this light has been a God send for him, and maybe it will be for your auntie too.
Here’s the link to the light if you want to check it out, hope it helps.
http://www.dickblick.com/products/daylight-magnifying-lamp/

Happy quilting
Bre

[tndenim]

Thanks for the tip on the magnifying glass - we already got her one with the light. She uses it to sew with and to thread her needles. We got her a needle threader too that works well so she can rethread them. My uncle threads a bunch of them when he and my other aunt go over. Both of my Aunts have macular degenration and both are close to being blind. I got a third aunt who was just diagnosed with it. And yes - I get tested for it annually and for other eye problems as i'm a diabetic too. Other then new eyes - we've gotten her everything we can think of to help her see. She sews as much by touch and feel as by anything else.

[teddy_rn]

Bre I too pray for your son's F-I-L and his sight. Diabetes takes so much from a person. Praise God that the light helps. I don't know if you are aware but blind people can get special tape players/books on tape for free. Check with the local library hun. Best of luck to all.

[artist_bre]

Tndenim
Your welcome I am so happy that you already have it for her and also sorry for her and your familys problems with their sight. So sorry to hear another aunt dianosed with it too. I pray you are spared of those problems with your joy of sewing/quilting. I know as for me I can live without most things but that incapacitaes you so much its hard to live without it.

Deb
Thanks hun, and no I did not know you could get that from the local libray. I'll have my son check it out.
Bre

[tndenim]

Brenda - don't know about your area - but some places there are groups for blind people or with bad visions that help with books on tape as well. We had my aunt signed up with one a while back

[teddy_rn]

Hey Bre, found a web site to help your family. Hope that you can use it.
http://www.loc.gov/nls/

[artist_bre]

Deb
Thanks hun it should help him a lot. He seems to get a little better every day but still can't see back to normal yet. Thats a great site and I will tell my son and daughter - in law.
Tndenim
Thanks hun I'll do some reserch and see what there is where they are at in MO, I am in Florida.
Happy quilting all
Love Bre

[srobins96]

Do we have a full list of everyone that is in the exchange yet and where are we sending our blocks to? I know this info is probably here somewhere, but I can't find anything this AM

SUE

[quilt-silly]

No, the signup doesn't close until Sept 15th, so we won't know until then. A few messages back, there's a list so far, and I think there were 17 or 18 on it.

[teddy_rn]

Do we have a full list of everyone that is in the exchange yet and where are we sending our blocks to? I know this info is probably here somewhere, but I can't find anything this AM

SUE

Hi Sue, haven't seen you for awhile Glad to see you today.

Our list so far:

1. Quiltsilly
2. Artist Bree
3. tndenim
4. TeddyRN
5. klarina
6. Munchkinmaker
7. Naturechick
8. DollyJ
9. srobins96
10.susieQ
11.boblynn55
12.stripe
13.Mrs. Buckeye
14.DForest60
15. Luna
16. Embargains
17. Bibliostone

Don't forget that you can get family and friends to join in this too! They can become a forum member and enjoy our fun.

[srobins96]

Thanks Teddy rn..I have some of the blocks done and want to make sure I have more than enough in case anyone else joins us..you are a doll

SUE

[teddy_rn]

Thanks Teddy rn..I have some of the blocks done and want to make sure I have more than enough in case anyone else joins us..you are a doll

SUE

Thank you for the warm fuzzy's!! Actually I am hoping tha more people join because I need 42 blocks for my king size quilt

[klarina]

I have a question: when joining pieces, how do you make sure your seams are precisely 1/4 of an inch? I'm having trouble keeping them at the same wide. In my sewing machine manual it recommends the use of quilter, but this accessory is for wider seams. I see last swap blocks and the seams are just perfect. How do you guys do that? Please help...