Cool Trick: Buttonhole Applique

This was posted on the Quilter's Renegade FB group, and I thought it such a neat idea.

Instead of guesstimating or using Tiger Tape, mark your finger and use it as a guide when doing buttonhole applique by hand. How cool is this?

Prepping Fabric for Hand Embroidery - Redux

I originally posted this in 2011, and, in anticipation for today's release of The Splendid Sampler, I thought I'd re-share. I'd added some updated comments in blue.

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So much to do and so little time!  A friend asked how do I prep my fabric for embroidery because I don't use a hoop so I thought this would be a good time to share.  The below instructions work for me, and I hope you find them useful for yourself!

If you are participating in a Block of the Month (BOM), prepare all your squares (plus one or two extra) ahead of time.  That way, when you are ready to transfer your new pattern, the squares are all ready to go!  I like to prep 1 or 2 extra squares in case something happens when I'm transferring the pattern.  If I don't need them, then I can use them afterwards for a quick project to give as a gift (like the Mug Rugs I made last month).

Embroidery 101: Prepping the Fabric

1. I love Kona Cotton (though I will use others if it suits the project). I always buy more than I need, wash it, label it, and set it somewhere safe. Note, not all white fabrics are equal so always ensure you have enough for a project because matching it later will be impossible.

I STILL love Kona cotton, but, for scrappy projects, I will mix and match my background.

2. When cutting, always cut slightly larger than needed to allow for edges shredding or a little distortion when embroidering. For Birdie (image above), my finished block is 8.5" square so I cut it into 10.5" square.

3. When pressing, I like to use Mary Ellen's Best Press to give the piece a little stiffness and a very smooth surface.  

And I still LOVE Mary Ellen's Best Press. It's light, does not leave residue on your iron or ironing board, and does not spot on the fabric.

4. I cut a piece of Pellon's lightest fusible interfacing about a half inch smaller than my fabric and fuse it to the wrong side. Several good tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure your fabric has no lint or pet hair on it prior to fusing - it will show!
• After I fuse, I let my fabric rest for a moment or two giving the interfacing time to cool/adhere.
• JoAnn Fabrics sends out regular 40% off coupons so I buy my interfacing by the bolt.

5. Using my fabulous light box (also purchased with my 40% off coupon), I will transfer my design to my fabric.

• Print pattern and cut any extra paper away from the design.
• Tape pattern to the light box. To prevent the tape from permanently adhering to the box, I will apply the tape to my jeans first and then use it to tape the pattern down (fuzz on the tape prevents it from permanently sticking to my light box which causes a bumpy transfer surface later).
• Tape the fabric to the light box (centering it using a ruler) and tape down with more "fuzzy" tape.
• Trace pattern using color Pigma pens. I always trace the lines in the same color I will use to stitch because it guides me to color placement later and is covered by the floss.  Here is my February block for Birdie Stitches: 

6. After transferring the pattern, I will carefully remove the fabric from the box and peel off all the tape. Then I will press the fabric (no steam) to set the ink. 

I've had phenomenal success with these techniques and hope they help you, too. 

Elisa

Tip: The Ease of Adding a Label

I'm so geeked - so close to finishing my sister's quilt!  But I wanted to make sure I didn't rush the ending of it so today I focused on the label.  I've discussed tricks to creating decorative labels in the past, but, since the rest of the quilt is pretty "busy", I wanted something simple and sweet.

Here's my method for adding a label to the quilt. I perform these steps after quilting & trimming the top but before adding the binding.

1. Using leftover fabric from your backing (I normally used the strips leftover when I trim my quilt after quilting), sew 1" strips to each side of your label.

2. Using the edge of your white fabric as a guide, press the top and left edges of your backing fabric to the back of the label.  These will be your applique edges.

3. Align your label to the lower, right corner of the quilt back.  Pin in place.  Hand-applique the upper and left edges of the label to the back of the quilt.

4. Perform your normal steps for adding the binding to the quilt, catching the right and lower edges of the label in your machine stitching.  When you sew the binding down in the back, it will cover the raw edges of the label.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

This method has several advantages:

• Because you border all sides with coordinating backing pieces, the applique stitches blend in beautifully into backing.
• Also, since I'm not appliqueing the white square directly to the background, the seam won't "shadow through" to the front of the label.
• For those that don't enjoy appliqueing, you only have 2 sides to stitch down.
• The other two sides are secured in the binding. 

Binding in Solid Black

These eyes aren't getting any younger!

Too often, lately, I've had to use a black or dark blue binding on a quilt (love the way it frames it).  Do you know this trick?  Since the front and the back of the fabric is solid - you can't tell them apart - make sure you mark both ends with a yellow or white pencil.

That way, when you join your binding strips, you can place "right sides together" instead of sewing haphazardly and creating a serpentine mess!

Why does this matter?  You don't want to sew 7 strips together and then discover, when pressing, that some seams face up and some don't.  AARGH!

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

TIP: Threading the Sewing Machine Needle

Sometimes it's the littlest things... old trick but worth repeating.

SCENE: This weekend, late at night, when my eyes were tired but my spirit was high.

I was quilting a gift when I needed to change spools.  Well.... late at night, tired eyes, black thread in front of a black walking foot.... frustrating, right?

I glanced over and saw the white scrap of fabric.  It covered the black part of the walking foot, reflected the sewing machine light up, and made the needle eye more apparent.  Threaded it in the first try!

Sometimes if just feels like you've won the Super Bowl, and, yes, I did a victory dance!  Sometimes it's the smallest things.... 

Simplifying Solid Bindings

I loved that last Memorial Quilt - I had a really hard time handing it over.  I'm particularly pleased with the way the binding really framed the quilt.  That binding, however, was a pain in the heinie.  It was a solid fabric - same color on both sides.

What's the big deal?  You don't want to join your strips together and, while pressing, discover that you have some seams facing up and some down.  When you sew together 200+ inches, you don't want to sew "right" sides together and, 40 inches later, "wrong" sides together.

So here's my little trick. Since you can't tell which side is the "wrong" side, I marked them!  No big deal as any markings on the ends will be trimmed away. It's not a very good picture, but I've laid 8 strips atop each other and marked them.  Then I rotated the pile and marked the other ends, too.

When you grab two strips to sew together, you just make sure the markings are on the same side.

I wish the pictures were a little clearer.

Happy Stitching!

Elisa

Newbie Mistake!

Well... that will teach me to get cocky.  I'm working on a memory quilt for a friend (his mother passed last year) using all these fabulous Oxford shirts she has.  It's beautiful because she had so many of them in varying colors.

I was thinking as I was prepping the yellow shirts that I should tag them so I don't mix them up when piecing the final blocks because the shades & textures were so similar.

Yellows weren't a problem.... I blew it with the greens! Doh!

I have no valid excuse.  When I cut the fabric, it was daylight outside and my eyes were fresh, but I pieced them at night after a day on the computer.  Normally I would've used my numbered flower-head pins (or numbered safety pins for larger pieces).

But I didn't.  I'm hoping there's something good on TV tonight as I sit and unstitch.

Lesson learned (again)!

Happy Friday!
Elisa

Tool Tip: Masking Tape

I made a set of drawstring bags for myself and my sister for our upcoming GeoBash (theme is Mardi Gras, I'm heeled at how nice they came out. I found this nice pattern for a lined bag at In Color Order. The only made a slight change - I wanted the dot fabric to peak over the top but didn't want to line the whole inside with such a dark fabric so made the interior half dot/half light.

Do you use masking tape? I use a lot of masking tape for guiding machine quilting and top stitching. I don't like the mess marking pencils make (especially on very dark or very light fabrics). You can see here where I used 1" masking tape to use as a guide when stitching my sister's drawstring casing.

To keep the tape from being too sticky, I'll run the tape over my clothes first so the adhesive gets a little fuzzy. Easy on and easy off!

I'll try to get a picture of my sister's bag to share soon.

Hugs to you all,

E.

P.s. Lauri, still plugging away on my butterflies!

Tool Tip: O'Keeffe's Working Hands

Had to share! This time of year my hands dry out and crack. The more I quilt, the worse it gets. I've used many things in the past including Bag Balm and Udder cream. I now have a new favorite.

My Sweetie bought me this from the local hardware store for a few bucks. You need VERY LITTLE. It goes on smoothly, dries quickly, does not smell and instantly softens. I love the feel of it.

He Has Smarticles

My boyfriend is a sweetie, and he likes to cook. Being the lone cook for the last decade, I've missed some pretty neat tricks.

When I brown beef or cook bacon, etc, I've been buying those little foil pans to collect the drippings (I don't use coffee cans anymore because I don't drink coffee, metal cans are hard to find, and the can tends to mold quickly).

We cooked Sloppy Joe's the other night, and Steve lined a ceramic bowl with tin foil. Huh. Why didn't I think of that? After the grease hardened, he wadded it up and threw it out.

He has Smarticles.

For The Love of T-Shirts

What is it about t-shirts? Don't you love the feel of them? The smell of sun-drenched cotton? Cozying in one is the all-American comfort of home. (sigh) I even love my clean cotton candle in my bathroom.

Why wax nostalgic? I'm making a t-shirt quilt. Below is a pile of 12 - 14" t-shirt blocks waiting for the perfect sashing fabric.

Ok, so time to make an index card with little reminders:

• Best to prep the shirts first assembly-line style. Wash them, iron them, fuse them, trim them.
• When you take the shirts apart, trim off both the neckband and the waistband so the shirts don't pucker when fusing with interfacing.
• After taking the shirts apart, fuse the interfacing to the back and THEN trim to size.
• Use a non-stretch fusible interfacing like Pellon 906F.
• Make sure interfacing is big enough to cover area because pieced interfacing shows.
• As boring as it is, take your time pressing so the interfacing fuses properly.
• Use a discarded t-shirt back as a pressing cloth - some iron ons will start to smear when over heated.
• Careful! Press and not iron. If you iron in wrinkles, they are permanent!

Ok, back to my quilting.

Have you ever made a t-shirt quilt? Don't you just LOVE the feel of cotton?

Elisa

 

Sometimes It's The Simplest Things....

As simple as..... One layer cake:

Equal 4 sets of charm squares:

I know. Obvious to everyone else. I'm making a butterfly quilt for my sister that requires 4 sets of charm squares. Brilliant me remembered at the last minute that equals a layer cake, which was cheaper (sometimes you can find good sales on them, especially on Etsy).

So, next time you begin one of those charm square projects, consider a layer cake instead.

Cheers!

Elisa

 

 

Small Finish - Easter

Last night I spent my 15 minutes of quilting time cleaning up my Quilt Room. I realized I had too many pieces of 'almost completed' projects floating around so I'm going to try to finish off some smaller ones.

Here's my Easter Egg for Nancy Halvorsen's 2011 Count On It book. It was supposed to be the April block, but Easter sometimes occurs in March so I changed it.

This quilt will fit in that 12" square free-standing Ackfeld wire frame.

It's not often I "birth" a quilt rather than bind it, but this was a kit from a local shop and the fabric was cut pretty exact. One trick I have learned over the years: When I have it layered, I don't sew 3 sides, flip it out, and then hand sew the 4th. That 4th side always looks wonky to me. Instead, I sew all 4 sides, make a slit in the center of the backing, flip it out, and then ladder stitch the cut close. The sight of the slit is where I add my label (on this little fellow, I fused one on over the slit).

I think I finished this one first because I'm ready to take my Winter wallhangings down and see a little Spring!

Cheers!

Elisa

Half-Triangle Tip

I wish I remembered where I read this, heard this, saw this...

We all know the trick about making two half-square triangles. Sandwich two squares, right-sides together, draw a diagonal line, and the sew two quarter-inch seams (using the inked line as a guide).

 Now comes the trick. Pressing the blocks open. 

Normally you cut the unit in half, along the inked line, and press open. But, with the bias seams, those squares can stretch out of shape and get wonky.

Instead, press FIRST...

...and THEN cut them apart.

 Pretty nice, eh?

 Happy Stitching!

Elisa