merry

Kastlekitty, Sorry about the confusion, LQS is local quilt shop. If you click on search at the top of the page & type in abbreviations, you'll find several topics that include list of the common ones on the board. When I was a newbie I book-marked the page so I could refer back to it & keep up with all the posts. It takes time :)Didn't receive a private message. You can't post pix (pictures) in private message, don't know why. Here's a link to my cross-stitch / embroidery wedding ring:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-112978-1.htm

Just click on the link & it will take you to the page. Have cross-stitched & embroidered for many years but eyes have weakened lately so now I do the Jack Dempsey Needle Art that has the patterns stamped on the fabric. When you finish, just rinse & stamped pattern comes out. All that's left is your needle work.
Was able to dl (download) your pdf Vintage leaf. Thank you so much. It's a beautiful pattern! Perfect for autumn. Have printed the Sweet William vintage wall paper & will play with that soon.
I use Wonder-Under & blanket or zig-zag for raw edge applique too. Needle-turn using freezer paper wasn't invented for my klutzy fingers :) Elenore Burns method using iron on interfacing or stablizer gives a beautiful needle turn look that can also be "stuffed" with batting to make it dimensional. Are you familiar with her method?

merry

Me again, Do you know there is a section on this board specifically about applique? Here's the link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/virtual...jsp?vsnum=1023

KastleKitty

Merry, Thank you for the links. I never saw "search" at the top of the page because I was looking for a box like on sales sights! lol Dummy me! I found the abbreviations and that makes things much easier. Your wedding ring cross stitch is beautiful! I don't think I would have the patience to finish it! You have undertaken a workload! I am not familiar with Jack Dempsey Needle Art and will look for it. That sounds like a good idea. I am waiting for ink for the printer that becomes an iron-on and then washes out in water to alleviate some of the steps I go through making my own patterns. Have you seen any? I wrote Nancy's Notions and asked, but they don't have such a product. Maybe I am wanting eggs in my beer! lol

I know about Eleanor Burns' method and think that I am going to use it on my circles quilt. (Did you see all the circles on the leaf quilt? Wow!) I found one even better on one of the Interweave sites. If you need to make a perfect circle, take a thumbtack and lay it on the table pointing up. Place a length of sturdy tape on it so the pin goes through the tape, sticky side holding the thumb tack flat. Peel the whole thing off the table. This you can tape onto the machine bed parallel to the needle, the appropriate distance from the it - 1/2 of your finished circle. Cut a piece of fabric a little more than 2x the distance of the tack. Place the center of the fabric on the thumb tack. Cut an eraser off of a pencil and push it onto the tack to avoid poking yourself. Sew carefully and the fabric will pivot on the tack and you will sew in a perfect circle. I was so amazed when I found this I am going to combine the two and use iron-on interfacing to back my circles like Eleanor Burns did! Then I can embellish them with embroidery! Is this Heaven or what!

Thanks for the link to applique. I marked it so I won't lose it. It will take some time to peruse! I am sure there is a lot of information on that link!

merry

Kitty, This July 4th had been working on the blocks 1 year! Have 8 blocks left to do. Of course NOT none stop. Work on it while DH watches t.v. Work on quilting projects before/during/after :)
Have only used June Tailor fabric/paper; it's permanent. Didn't know there was wash-out. Will have to Bing it & see what I can find. That would be wonderful.
Thanks for the tack-circle will definitely try it. Love anything that simplifies the process.
Am currently working on a Hawaiian applique (Hula Flower) block for Quilt Novel book club on this board. We read the novel, discuss it & make a block. We just finished Jennifer Chiaverini's (SIS) ((spelling in stupidity) Aloha Quilt.
Meanwhile am working on some seasonal table ruuners. Think your idea for embellishing circles is great! Can't wait to see your project! Did a wall hanging 2 years ago of pumpkins with leaves blowing in the wind. Used varigated thread for the veins in leaves & was delighted how it turned out. WTTYL, merry

KastleKitty

Leaves are my weakness! In the past Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays and I can't help but look at all the Halloween patterns out there. I love pumpkins (love to eat it too!) The other day I came across Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage. I looked at other things Meg Hawkey designed and she has a fun and interesting style! Do a search and look at how cute this one is. It's pieced and embroidered. I would love to make it, but it is another one that requires a great deal of time and stick-to-it-tiveness. I don't know that I have it. I am so flitty when it comes to needlework. I think that is why I do smaller projects, bags and pillowtops. I need to develop some discipline. This is one of the reasons I joined the board. I thought maybe it would help with that problem in particular, keeping me trained on one project. Hopefully my pineapple quilt as you go project! I would like to end up with a bed quilt!

I have a ink-jet printer. If you find and ink that becomes an iron-on and then washes out, PLEASE let me know! I don't think it exists! I have never heard of it, I just thought it would be a good idea! Maybe it is out there already. I have used printouts from the computer and use an iron-on transfer pencil. But that can be time consuming and I find it hurts my hands after a while, pressing hard to get good coverage. On thinking further, if they made a wash out ink that could be printed directly onto fabric sheets, that might do for smaller projects. It would limit the size, where iron-ons could be pressed anywhere on a larger swatch. Keep your eyes open for me! I do searches every so often and come up with other neat stuff, but not what I am looking for.

I love those Hawaiian blocks. Since my machine is so old it does not do a satin stitch very well anymore and it would be all hand work for me. I imagine you could fold a piece of fabric into eighths and make your own design for each block. Kind of like cutting out paper dolls in a string, the same idea. I have downloaded a few free ones from the net. My quilting To-Do list is enormous! I looked at the abbreviation cheat sheet and had to laugh! I have tons of UFO's, a long list of WHIMMs and I WIWMI or maybe WTheyWMThemselves! lol Kitty :-D

merry

Kitty, Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage is so cute & perfect for the season. Shy away from BOM since I'm so slow & so easily distracted. It says they send you the fabric - is it like panel-blocks? Looks like it's begging for embellishing, doesn't it?
Have a friend whose family owned an art supply store. Will call her tomorrow & ask if she's heard of printer ink that can be washed out of fabric. That would open the door wide for designing!
Like June Tailor's transfer fabric for printers. It already has the chemicals in it to prevent fading. You can print messages in Calligraphy or any font, flip & print on fabric then embroider over it or use a Pigma-pen. Of course you can always leave as is ;)
Book-buddy sent me an easy Hawaiian applique book; you fold fabric in half horizontally then vertically & then fold to make a triangle, trace your design & cut. You can use the positive or negative design. Didn't get around to it this weekend but did buy the fabric :lol:
Did you have a chance to cruise through the embellishments yet? I cheat & only open topics with pictures

KastleKitty

Merry, I never thought of printing on the back to embroider! Does it work well or does your work wander? Sounds like it is worth a try! If it does not wash out, you won't see it!

I thought Calendula Patterdrip's Cottage was cute as could be when I came across it. It is a little expensive for my budget, but I can put it on a wish list for the future! You know how it is, I was looking for something else and it kind of jumped out at me! I don't even know if it is new or has been around for a while. I liked the woman's other things too. It was cute for the fall. I have worked with crayons before and it is done with the same method. (My crayon piece is not done yet either! Ugh!) Not good at sticking to one project.

That is what I thought you could do for the Hawaiian quilts. They look like they are freehand, although I have seen patterns for them. If you use both the positive and negative of each, you get 2 blocks! I saved some pictures of some (where they are right now I don't know!) but I think the maker of the quilt did that and used it as an intrinsic part of the design, placing them next to each other. I have to get my sewing room in some kind of order so I can find things since I have such a horrible memory!

On the board I started in applique, but have not yet made it to embellishments. I had some housework today, not even the sewing area! But maybe by the weekend I will be able to delve into it. We had a couple of storms that snuck up on us. I was online and had to get off due to thunder. I was afraid of lightning. When I had dial-up I was warned about it. I guess this is the same. Not sure. KastleKitty

KastleKitty

Merry, went to the Jack Dempsey site. They have those pillowcases that I love with the embroidery on the edge! I have some old embroidery patterns I downloaded free for them. Recently I went out to buy some 100% cotton pillowcases and instead bought a sheet to make my own! They wanted $17 per pair on sale. A bed sheet cost me much less and I will probably get a couple of pairs of cases out of it! If you sew it seems foolish to pay so much when you know how to do it yourself!

After seeing the top you are working on, I bet you found it there. They had some really pretty stuff!

merry

Kitty, Bought my JDFA wedding ring patterns (12) from LQS that had a display. Believe it or not, they were almost $2 cheaper than the web-site.
Making pillow cases from sheets is a smart idea! Probably why I never thought of it :lol: I've made shams & pillow cases from left-over quilt-top fabric but never from sheets. Have a water-bed (waffled) so can't buy sets, just queen-size flats. Almost everywhere sells sets only.
This site has really nice free patterns for p-cases

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/

Have you seen them? You can scroll down & find the tutorial. Cannot believe how fast & simple they are to make & look so nice. Our local hospital doesn't accept donations of pillowcases, so can't do that challenge.
Have some white tone-on-tone fabric that has a small print that resembles ice crystals. Planned on using it with some fabric I have left over from my Christmas TATW -trip-around-the-world.
JDFA has wonderful sales after the winter holidays & mark seasonal design p-cases, etc at less than half price. Do you remember the winter "white" sales all the department stores used to have in late January?

KastleKitty

I remember the white sales when I was a child! They were a really big thing. Now it does not seem the same anymore. I don't really know why. Maybe it is because we are bombarded with ads all the time. And the sales in January are not limited to linens anymore. Life has changed a lot!

I like shopping instead of ordering from the internet. I have only ordered things twice and both times got burned! But my local area is limited as far as shopping goes. And I hate having to go so far to shop. That is probably why I use free patterns from the net or make my own. I find the same to be true about the pricing. Going and picking it out at a store is much cheaper than ordering it. I think you pay top dollar when you order things and then there is the postage and handling.

I discovered AllPeopleQuilt just before I got DSL. I am on their mailing list. I have it marked to go and download some of their free patterns! I did see the pillowcases there. They have that "roll it up" pillowcase pattern where you pull the case out of the sleeve of the hem. I thought that was clever!

I was planning on working on clearing up my table in the sewing area this weekend. (And my machine is piled up too!) It doesn't look like I will make too much progress. It was a scorcher yesterday and predicted to be hotter today. I have a hard time in the heat. The sewing room is the hottest in the apartment since it gets all the sun. My AC is going out and I am trying not to use it until I can get it repaired. And I am having trouble with my back and shoulder. I will do what I can and not worry about it! ttyl, Kitty