In looking for some more hand stitching, found my Anna's Garden, WIP #17.
I started this wall hanging about 3 years ago when I knew hardly anything about applique. I prepped this block a long time ago and spent this last week hand appliqueing. I learned I used way too much starch when attaching the pieces to the background. It made it hard to whip stitch in the seam fold. What order does one do the pieces? Does one start on the edge and go inward so it's easier to hold? They had freezer paper behind most of them. Better to take them out as Kerry does at
Simple Bird Applique. Sometimes the least expected color of thread works best with an applique piece. Those gold needles are great for sliding through the fabric.
Any tips you'd like to pass on? I'd love to read them. Leave me a comment. I'm linking to Sarah's
Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?, Kathy's
Slow Sunday Stitching, Amanda's
Finish it up Friday, and Lyn's
BOMs Away because this block is actually done. Off to take my evening meds.
I can't give you any applique tips, but I wanted to say this is a cute block. You are making great progress on the WIPs. I need to get to mine too - when I did the trunk show, I realized that many of my best quilts were unfinished.
ReplyDeleteAs i am totally applique-challenged, no tips here either--but i LOVE your little block--I am working Quilty's 365 circles to practice smooth edges and the actual stitching...right now...slow but sure hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little block!! Practice, practice, practice so they tell me when I whine about my applique skill??
ReplyDeleteI use Magic Sizing sometimes which is a bit lighter than starch. It depends on the piece...a big easy piece ? Starch. Small and fiddly? Sizing :) Your little block is adorable! :)
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving day Angie. You seem to be getting much done, with you still being down. Thinking of you often and lifting you up to the Healing Lord. Blessings my friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? I don't starch. I do needle-turn, so it's a completely different method, and I don't have a pressed in line that must be just so. I always do first the things that are underneath and move up toward the things that are on top, not appliqueing any place that will have something on top of it. I don't even put the top pieces on until the back pieces are down. I just have a little mark to show me where they'll probably go. Since no one is going to hold the block over the pattern, it doesn't matter if it's exactly in the same place as the pattern. =)
ReplyDeleteThese birds are the sweetest thing! Looks like a really nice old project to pull out. I usually use back-basting needle turn, so there's no starch involved. I love that and really enjoy the process. Sometimes, though, I want to have prepped pieces to move around and find what I like best. Then I usually do the starch-the-edge-over-some-freezer-paper approach. Not my favorite, and I hate the process, but it comes in handy from time to time.
ReplyDeleteSorry to be late to comment (I am so far behind in my reading ) however a friend of mine uses sizing rather than starch and it gives a nice soft edge that is easy to needle (unlike starch which can be stiff). Unfortunately we can't buy it in Canada. Lately I have been using starch but have watered it down and that seems to do the trick.
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