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Monday, October 6, 2008

Marie:

About your photos, it must depend on how you loaded them. I noticed that the photos you added of the church and graveyard can be double clicked on while your applique progress photos do not. Did you load them differently? For example, if you double click on mom's progress photo the computer will take you to picasa and not a larger view. I brought that photo in from picasa. If you click on the last photo I just posted of my work it will enlarge because I loaded it straight from My Pictures on my computer.

I too had planned on pre-strip-sewing my half leaves and roses. However, I guess I am lazy and haven't felt like doing the pre-work. By the time I am at a ballgame without my sewing machine it is too late unless I want to skip them.

ABOUT MY UNUSUAL METHOD OF APPLIQUE': I learned it from quilting friends and prefer it to all other forms of needle turn I've tried. (Believe me, I've tried 4-5 different methods in the past).

Step 1: I draw my applique' on the WRONG side of the background fabric. This has to be done in morror image so that it is correct on the front (except for in this case where you can just draw a leaf/flower any shape you like). In order to get mirror image pieces, I photo copied my applique' onto overhead sheets and just flipped them over. Sometimes this isn't necessary if you have a good light table that will see through the wrong side of your pattern paper.

Step 2: Next I place the applique' fabric over the spot on the FRONT where it will end up. I flip to the WRONG side and baste right on the line I previously drew on the WRONG side of the background fabric.

Step 3: I flip back to the front and trim 1/8"ish outside my basting stitches.

Step 4: I remove the basting stitches as I go and use the basting stitch lines as a guied to where to turn under. For some reason the fabric wants to naturally turn inder where the basting stitches were. I have been surprised and pleased to turn my applique' to the back and see that I have usually stayed EXACTLY on the drawn line.

Why do I like this method? It stays perfectly stuck in the perfect position without pins. Also, I have had a hard time staying right on a drawn line either on my applique piece or on my background fabric from the front. It either shows or my applique gets distorted.

What I don't like about this method? It may be slower, but I like avoiding pins.

1 comment:

  1. Interesting method and it makes sense. I never would have thought about drawing the pattern on the back. I'm going to try it and see how it works for me.

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