McKenna Ryan Pattern Help
 

I have been gifted a beautiful complete set of a BOM from Keepsake Quilting called When Friends Gather. This includes all the fabric. I am reading through the instructions and it appears these are constructed sort of like a quilt as you go. It looks like I would do one block of the fusible stuff, layer and then quilt. The quilting is done right on top of the pieces.

Has anyone done this? Did it turn out ok? Then these blocks must be sewn together with the quilting already done into a quilt. I am picturing some HUGE thing and trying to get these pre quilted blocks sewn into a quilt.

I am thinking I may decide to do one block as a time as an art type quilt instead. I have done fusible applique before but did the stitching around the pieces before the quilting. I am wondering if I could do it that way. Some of these pieces are really small.

McKenna's quilts are generally wall hangings, so, she saves steps, I have taken many project classes working on her patterns, you certainly can do the appliques on each block, put the blocks together and quilt as usual

I have made 2 multi-pattern quilts of Mckenna ryans and did not do them quilt as you go. I did one block at a time and sewed around each character after all fused down in a block then put blocks together. I saw her on simply quilts a long time ago. after fusing the parts down, she put the quilt sandwich together then quilted it by sewing around each element with monofilament thread.

I have a small wall hanging of the little otters "This Otter Be Fun". So far I have only put the fusible web on. A little chicken to go further. Someone in this group made a huge quilt of her pattern with the different owls all over it. I will see if I can find out who it was.

Back (two minutes later). It was PetPainter. You could send her a PM and see what she did with hers.

I looked up the pattern and it is really cute. Is the border the same as shown here? It really makes the whole quilt pop.

http://www.quiltingtahoe.net/When-Friends-Gather.htm

What a lovely gift.
I think you could do it as a quilt as you go. Reading her general instructions on her website, I think the intention is to fuse the blocks, then sew all of the blocks together, then make your quilt sandwich and then free motion quilt . I think that she stitches down her edges at the quilting stage instead of fuse, applique stitch and then quilt.
I have one of her patterns and I will fuse, applique stitch and then make my quilt sandwich. It will look a bit different from hers.

Thanks for all the help. BARB---yes it has that border. That looks a bit tricky to me. The lady bought all these from Keepsake Quilting at a BIG expense. She passed away before she did the project.

Patrick Lose does it both ways...stitching before the quilting and after. I think I will pick my favorite block and start with that one. It will take some time to get the tracing and fusing done.

I have started a similar quilt kit. I did the cutting and fusing. I am now at the stitching point. Also started stitching before layering, but not sure I should have. What will be left to quilt then?

I have left this sit for a year trying to decide how to proceed. I also used heavy duty wonder under, so now it has to be a wall hanging, to stiff for a bed.

Live and learn.

I recommend doing one block with some of your own fabric to get the process down before using the kit fabric.

I do a lot of her patterns and I personally prefer to enlarge things with small pieces so I can satin stitch around all the pieces and proceed like any other appliqued quilt. I have done the otters and snowmen from your pattern and they are a decent size and can be stitched down any way you prefer then pieced together into a top and quilted. You can also stretch the blocks over canvas and hang as a picture. They can be done raw edge, blanket stitch, hand applique, satin stitch or whichever way you prefer.

I did "At Home in the Woods" and I love it. I did not do it as a quilt-as-you-go. When I had the quilt top put together and asked my professional quilter about it, she told me that I needed to sew each applique down before giving it to her. I was able to take the quilt apart at the center and do half at a time. I really wish that I had sewn the appliques down on each block. However you decide to do your quilt, it will be amazing and I am sure you will love it as much as I do mine. Mine hangs on the wall of our landing.[ATTACH=CONFIG]502314[/ATTACH]