Thread: Tiffany Stained Glass

Tiffany Stained Glass has tight curves and small pieces that would be impossible with the bias tape normally used for stained glass quilts.

I start with a real stained glass pattern, one meant to be cut from glass. Dover Publications is a great source. They can be blown up by printing companies.

The applique process for the pieces of fabric are exactly the same as for regular applique that you would be doing a saten stitch on the edge.

Trace your pattern on the backside of the of the pattern.
Trace your pieces on paper backed fusible web allowing for overlap where two pieces meet..

Messy cut ou the paper backed fusible web
Iron pattern pieces onto back of fabic

Cut the pattern pieces out on the exact lines

Iron the applique pieces to your background fabric. I put my paper pattern undernearth my background fabric and glue them on with a glue stick. I tape my pattern to the window, tape my background to the window and then use the glue stick on my applique pieces

Iron the applique pieces to your backgroud fabric.

Quilt the piece now before putting on the leading lines. You can travel on the lines where the "leading" is going to be put.

Now we are ready for the "leading" or in this case the yarn. I use Red Heart 2 ply black yarn. Why because it is available in my small town. Others will work.

This is the end result. I just thought I would show you what you are shooting for

In the spotlight you can see that the foot has no obstructions to seeing the line you are on or when you are coming to a T in the line.

I set my zig zag stitch to 1.5 width and 2.0 length. This is with a top number of 5.0. I take my yarn and put it in a small groove in the center of the foot. You don't need one but it helps. To start I make a bar tack. A bar tack is several stitches close together. This secures the end of the yarn and I can cut it off flush. Pull gently as you cut it so that all the ends are under the tack. I can stitch as I would normally do for a saten stitch maneuvering around corners in the same way as a saten stitch, not sliding around them. I have the best time in a class. I put my machine backwards to me and tell the class how they have to be so careful. Then I put my foot on the foot petal and start sewing, turning the fabric without even looking at it. The zig ans zag of the stitch bounce the yarn back and forth keeping it in the center

I took a close up so that hopefully you can see where I bar tacked both to begin and to end. Start on something small. I do the heart with the rose in class because it has inside curves outside curves and places where the leaves have to have an underlap under the rose.. I combine both the Tiffany style and the came style (bias strips) in many projects. The bias strips are great on the outer straight edges or in the rose, the circle and all the lines in the purple fabric. The purple fabric was done with set a color. The Rose is one piece since it is pink broadcloth and painted. The leaves have some pink in them to make the green seem like the perfect color for the leaf. The background is a tone on tone. I had it quite wet and put watered down fabric paint on it to resemble what you would see through the glass if it were really glass and hanging in a window. The wet fabric allowed the colors to diffuse.

This photo shows one of the pieces of a straw holding the yarn as it comes down to in front of the needle. You can put them on with painters tape and not get a mess. But I use mine so often that it is on with duct tape. I have the yarn on the right of my machine, there are two more pieces of straw across the back of my machine carrying the yarn to the left side of my machine. Normaly I would have one more piece lower but not necessily lined up with the needle. Mine is to the side.

This also shows the bias used around the border and the tiffany on the inside. The inside part is also painted and is a Dover design Notice the tendrils and the small buds. These would have been covered up by bias tape but work well witht he yarn.

I'm new to stained glass quilting but didn't like the bold lines of the bias tape in the center. Your tip on the use of yarn is great and will use it. Your work is beautiful! Wish I had the confidence to paint my design......not there yet, but some day . Would love to see more of your work. You can email me if you have time to share. Many thanks!

Amazing!!!!

This is so gorgeous! There's just something about the look of stained glass... I've never seen the yarn technique and would like to Bookmark this thread. (Can we still do bookmarks here??)

This is absolutely stunning and what a beautiful talent. I am so inspired by your creative tutorial. Now I truly want to learn to quilt. Thank you.