Stitchin' Queen 2014 #2

Hello again! Has it been a month already??? How time flies when you are stitching! I can't wait to show you what I have been up to, but I will save that for next week when my project is finished and ready for print.

On to this months lesson of becoming a Stitchin' Queen! This month we are going to be making another label (I sure hope you are coming along with me on this journey. It is going to make a really cute project by years end.) This time we are going to start with something just as simple, and can be done the in the same way as last month, but I really want you to focus to see if you can give this new method a try. This is my go-to method and I use it most often on the projects I create.

OUR SECOND LESSON

We will be using a freezer paper technique this time. We will be making another label that you can use on a dish towel, bag, or a quilt block. I am designing a project for these pieces to be incorporated in, so hang on to them if you are planning on making the final project at the end of the year with me. We are starting with the easy things first.

This method is my very favorite method. It uses freezer paper just as we did last month but without the preparing part. We will be turning the edge of the fabric under to match the freezer paper, the freezer paper takes on a leading role this month. This project took me about an hour to complete from start to finish.

Become a Stitchin' Queen!

Hello all! I am so glad that you are here.

If you have been an admirer of applique but never had the opportunity to learn.....
          If you want to learn some new applique techniques.......
                      Or if Applique is known to you as the "A" word, fear no more!

This year I am dedicating to you. I want to bring more of you to love my craft, applique.

Every fourth Tuesday I will be featuring a project for you to learn to applique ~ or maybe show you a few tricks to add to your already perfected skills. I use several different techniques depending on my project, and hope to start with something simple, and end with something pretty complicated. Come on this journey with me to become a Stichin' Queen and conquer applique! All the projects will be free, and available on my website. I hope to have a "fruity" theme to all of the projects, so that you can create a sample quilt to document your progress at the end of the year if you wish to do so.

OUR FIRST PROJECT

This month we are going to start with a prepared applique technique. We will be making a simple little label to add to a bag, a dish towel, or to a quilt block. This project will help you to discover how you feel about hand stitching. You will be focusing on the blind stitch - trying to perfect the stitch you will be using to sew your applique to the background using any hand sewn applique technique. Hopefully you will feel the freedom of stitching without being tied to your sewing machine.  Applique is a very time consuming hobby, but well worth the end result. I have found that all applique techniques take about the same amount of time to complete, it just depends if you want to spend your time preparing your piece, or actually appliqueing it.

We are going to start with a project that uses a prepared applique technique so turning the fabric is done easily by pulling it around a template and ironing it to hold it's shape followed by a basting glue to secure it to the background of your fabric. This project took me about an hour to create from start to finish.

Sew Tweet Tutorial - Part 1

Hello everyone!

I was hoping to have this up by the end of January, but here it is the first week of February. Time is getting away from me. For those of you who have purchased this pattern "Sew Tweet" here is your "mini class" on my method of applique. You will need freezer paper, a mechanical pencil (I like .05 size because it is the smallest lead and is easier to cover with embroidery floss) needles, thread, as well as your fabric and iron.

-My method uses freezer paper. For those of you unfamiliar with it, you can find it in the grocery store in the paper goods section, usually next to the aluminum foil and sandwich bags. A whole roll should last you for the rest of your life. But I must warn you, once you start using this paper, you may find many uses for it in your quilting. Freezer paper has a dull side and a shiny side. You will need to trace your pattern on the dull side because the shiny side is the side that sticks to the fabric when ironed.

My Modified Needle-turn Method

For Pam.....

Lately it seems there are quite a few of you out there pulling out your stash, and getting out those unfinished projects. After a couple of emails, I thought it was time to show those who are interested the way I do my applique.

There are many ways to go about your project, many different and effective techniques, I find this one best suited for me, and I hope you will get some use out of it, or learn something new along the way.

Necessary items...

1. Freezer Paper: If you live in my area... you can find this in the grocery store -the isle with aluminum foil, saran wrap, and sandwich bags.
2. Pencil: I prefer a mechanical pencil because it always has a sharp point.
3. Scissors: Paper and fabric scissors.
4. Pattern: It's up to you. I am using my "OLD MacDONALD" pattern.
5. Pins: Preferably applique pins, they are really short pins, sequin pins work well too.
6. Needles: I prefer Bohin Appliquer Long needles, size 9 or 10.
7. Thread: Use coordinating thread. It tends to hide your stitches better if matched with your fabric.
8. Fabric: This one is a given right?