Fusing Fun

Book:
Fuse-and-Tell Journal Quilts/ Laura Wasilowski

Time to reveal my next project... I finally decided on “Peaceful Landscape: A Deceptively Calm Day” on page 48.

Book and Fabrics

Thinking It Through

What I found most difficult is settling in on one project that I could make… and then… it was even hard to stick with the chosen design.

Perhaps, it was because when creating a journal quilt it really is better to write your own story. As I very rarely follow any project exactly as it is created, this was no exception.

So to begin, I figured it best to just START with the design and allow the magic to unfold as it wanted to…

Construction Process

My first major roadblock, was finding out the quilt shop didn’t carry the fast2fuse interfacing. So, I bought the Pellon 809 Decor Bond, instead.

For the fusible web, I usually use Lite Steam-A-Stem 2. I love working with fusible web designs. One day I would like to try some of the other fusible web products.

So to begin… I chose my fabrics and cut them ALL to the required sizes. Then, after attaching the fusible web to the fabric pieces, I began. To keep the confusion to a minimum, I added a label to each colour.  (i.e. sky, water, grass, etc.)

Applique Fabrics

Next, it was time to play with those pieces and fit them into place. I really have difficulty with just tossing random pieces onto the background fabric. So, I changed it!!

Here’s what I thought it needed…

I didn’t have any silk fabric pieces. As I had ironed the fusible web to all my cut-to-size pieces, I wasn’t able to fray the edges. However, I did have another piece that was already frayed and laid it underneath the piece in question.

A Frayed Edge

Then, on the green strip; I clipped the top edge to make it look more like blades of grass. I put a piece of the release paper under the clipped edge when pressing the quilt, so it wouldn’t fuse flat.

Grass

I liked this layout. And thought a frayed edge on the background fabric would look nice placed onto another blue fabric. So I added strips of fusible web to attach both fabrics.

Design Layout

Then, the embroidery stitches were added… And, I did them ALL by hand. I enjoyed trying out so many different stitches.

I used: straight stitch, cross-stitch, running stitch, pistil stitch, French knots, couching, scattered stitches, and backstitch.

Embroidery Thread Options

After, the embroidery work was finished… I just didn’t love the blue fabric for the background. So, I cut the frayed edges. Then, I added a piece of fusible web to attach it to another fabric. I settled on a dark purple.

Attaching to the Background Fabric

So… here is what it looked like after the embroidery was complete and attached to the new background fabric.

Close-ups of Embroidery

 

Because the Pellon interfacing only had one iron-on side, I first stitched the back fabric onto the interfacing with gridlines and then assembled the layers.

I added a feather stitch with the sewing machine to attach the picture to the background fabric.

Another fancy machine stitch was added around the edge of the blue background and the baby rick-rack was sewn through all layers near the edges. And, then, fancy heart buttons were added to each corner of the quilt!

Baby Rick-Rack & Buttons 

My Finished Quilt

 

Finished Size: 18.5” x 15.5”

I love to follow Laura’s blog and see what new ideas she comes up with… they are so inspiring!! Also… check out her section on where and how to use embroidery under “Thread-u-cation”.

If you haven’t yet tried making a journal quilt.. then this may just help you decide. Write YOUR OWN STORY… soon!!

Next Week...
It is time again to do a three month review of the five books I've reviewed in July, August, and September.

If you wish to see which books I’ve chosen for next month you can check out my website for more details.

Happy stitching, everyone!!

Butterflies with Buttons

Book:
Nature’s Elegance/ Jan Kornfeind

Time to reveal my next project... I choose “Butterfly Fancy Wall Hanging”. It is shown on the front cover of the book.

There are eight awesome and colourful projects in this book that include nine different butterflies, flowers, insects, and birds. It was the butterflies on the cover that caught my eye that had me buy this book, and so I have now had the opportunity to stitch them up into a quilt.

Selecting Fabrics

I do enjoy choosing colourful fabrics. This project would be perfect for using up some of those great fabrics from your scraps.

Drawing and Cutting the Pieces

Machine applique is still my favourite technique in quilting and I do love all the steps involved in creating the designs… drawing out the patterns, choosing the fabrics, cutting and attaching them to the fabrics, and machine stitching them to the blocks, using a buttonhole or zigzag stitch.

Stitching the Butterfly

For this project, I matched up the thread colours I had as closely as possible to my fabrics. I used thread from my collection that consisted of a polyester/cotton blend, 100% cotton and 100% polyester. I find all of these thread types work equally well.

Finished Quilt Blocks Ready for Assembly

I had the choice of making them into smaller quilts, pillows or using all of them in one quilt. As I had decided to follow the project’s layout, I made them into one quilt.

THE BUTTONS

I did want to do this project because of all the buttons!! So, if I had made pillows, these would not have been added.

Butterfly No. 3

Buttons on Sashing and Butterflies

There are a total of 70 buttons used on this quilt. They were all added after the quilt was assembled and quilted. I think it would have been easier to sew the buttons onto the butterflies before assembly, but I chose to follow the directions.

The Binding

I really enjoy working with machine applique, but when working on this project, I really wished I had done one of the bird projects first, because then I would have had enough fabric for the center blocks.  And, later I could have bought more light fabric for the butterflies. However, it is now completed, so here is the finished quilt.

My Finished Quilt

(Finished Size: 25 1/4” x 25 1/4”)

PS…

My post was almost ready to publish, when I hit the wrong key and ended up with a blank screen. So… my only option was to rewrite this review, and I’ll assume it ended up better written.

Enjoy the creative process… and take time to spend some of your time outdoors!!

My Button Reveal

What is it about buttons? Are they just practical, decorative, beautiful, colorful or all of these? Or does this photo explain it all?

If so many of us love to collect them, why are they stashed in simple boxes or bags to not be seen, until needed for a project? Hopefully, we aren't embarrassed that we have so many, or else... perhaps it's time to have a button party and share them with others!

I recently blogged about the book, “Turning Twenty... Again” and was honoured to receive such a wonderful email from the author. And when I checked out her weblog, I found she displays her button collection in such beautiful containers, I thought I'd include the link to that particular posting. So, if you wish, go take a look and see if they inspire you to do the same with your buttons!!

Yes, it definitely takes a lot of buttons to fill all those fancy containers….

This inspired me to get my buttons out of their various sizes of ziploc bags and out of that worn old brown box they were stored in and out to where I could enjoy them. I found out that I don't have near as many, but why not display them, anyway!

Two Simple Jars

Buttons On High

I do realize that it will be much harder to get to those on the bottom, but for now they are available to view. And it will be delightful to pour them out into a tray or baking dish when I wish to make selections for that next great project.

Seems to me… that running my fingers through an assortment of buttons is as delightful as playing in the dirt when doing a gardening project. So, there you go…

Enjoy your buttons and all those cool items that make creating so much fun!!

ELEVENTH PROJECT - JULY 2010:

My eleventh project will be shared next week...
Quilting For the First Time/ Donna Kooler



More Books...

If you wish to see what books are being featured you can also check out my website for more details.

Enjoy your quilting adventure for... 2010!!