I’m excited to share a new free video series with you. The object in teaching this little quilt is to introduce three techniques for finishing the edges of applique.
I have created a pattern which you can download and print out. There are instructions included with a guide for how to place all the pattern pieces and three pages of applique pieces printable to scale for tracing onto freezer paper.
I had previously created this quilt after I had an accident at an art show. The quilt below used to be just the blue and gold abstract arrangement of light and shadow squares. At the show of my halogen lights had loosened and was leaning down on this quilt long enough to start a fire and burn a hole all the way through it. It even melted the mesh panel wall on which the quilt was hanging.
I took it home and it stayed in the closet for several months until I figured out how to repair it. I decided to patch the back and added batting to fill the hole. Then I added this arrangement of poppies. This quilt eventually sold to a good friend who purchased it for his wife’s birthday.
The above quilt was about 32″ square. The quilt in my video series is only 16″ square with a plain background. It is a very manageable size and can be finished quite quickly. There is a free pattern included which you can download here.
The first video shows you how to trace, add MistyFuse (or your preferred fusible) to the back of the applique fabrics, cut out and arrange all the pieces to the background. Video One
In the second video I demonstrate how to add stabilizer to the back of the quilt top and satin stitch around the edges of the small buds. Satin stitch takes time and takes some practice but results in a very polished clean edge. Video Two
In the third video I show you how to couch yarn around the edges of each petal with metallic thread. I demonstrate how to thread paint, adding dimension and definition to the foliage and petals. Finally, I show two different quilting styles for the background. Video Three
You will see that there are a few changes along the way in these videos. Part of art quilting is learning to go with the flow. I discovered that the arrangement of poppies on my quilt was not centered very well so had to slice off one edge of the background to fix it. Thus, my quilt ended up to be a rectangle rather than a square. Haste makes waste, right? I also had to redo my satin stitching on the first bud after realizing my presser foot pressure was not set high enough. You will see several of these little changes along the way in these videos. That is how I create – with a plan, but with problem solving along the way. I hope you enjoy the videos as much as I enjoyed making them.
Finally, I would love for you to join our Facebook Group. We have a community of supportive people who love to quilt and sew.
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