McKenna Ryan Quilts
 

She was on Fons and Porters tv show yesterday. Her quilts are beyond stunning. I had no idea they are all raw edge applique.
I went in search of after the show. There are lots of patterns to choose from. Small ones that can be combined with others to make a whole quilt.
I would love to try one. But I'd need a kit to be successful with all those color choices to be made. Not my strong point. The only kits that were in the "try it out" price range were snowmen.
A bed quilt kit was over $500. Not in this lifetime.
And also what about raw edge applique for a bed quilt? Seems it would only be safe for a wallhanging.

Has anyone done any of her patterns?

SVAL

My F&P show is on Saturday morning. What was the show number?? Patrick Lose was on last Saturday.

They are just raw edge fusible... I would never use one as a bed quilt. I think they a beautiful... but like you have a strong aversion to the price.

I love them and love the way she uses color. But her patterns and kits are way too expensive for me.

McKena Ryan
 

I have done several of her fusible appliqué quilt patterns: from scratch with her fabrics; and from purchasing small kits.
the only recommendation I can suggest is to read the instructions several times until you understand the process completely. Do not fuse anything until you have laid it out and are sure of your placement

I've made many of McKenna's patterns, a few block kits but most of the time use my own fabrics. I blanket stitch around my appliques. They are patterns that often appeal to guys, outdoorsy, the bed quilts have held up just fine. I don't make wall hangings. I use lots of wall hanging patterns & turn them into queen/king sized bed quilts. Fusible ( raw edge) applique stitched down last just fine. I've been a big fan of her patterns for well over 10 years.

I made a bed quilt for my Grandson from an older pattern of hers. I enlarged the design and fused, then satin stitched the edges of the items in the design, just to make sure it held. As far as I know, it has held up. Haven't heard any complaints.

I did the same with the Otters playing in the snow. I don't trust ragged edge appliques and fusible.
http://www.pineneedles.com/ProductDe...ductCode=WFG06

Funny you should ask! I enjoy seeing the patterns and finally just decided to buy and try one of the patterns. It's not difficult, and I didn't use her fabrics, but similar. The background is what I couldn't get close to with fabric from stash.The end result is okay. I stitched as close as possible to the edge of the fabric. It's going to be a mug rug for someone who likes squirrels. Probably this is my first and last McKenna Ryan. I'm more into piecing than applique.

I like raw edge appliqueing and using a blanket stitch also.

I have done some of her quilts too. I did a Back at the Farm as a block of the month in a class. I love her stuff.

I've made 2 of her patterns. The 1st one was a Santa in a sleigh with reindeer pulling it. I used fusible web with my own fabrics. There were so many small detailed pieces, it was kind of a pain cutting them all out. I FMQ'ed around each piece using matching thread. Then I made one of the really small quilts using a kit with the laser cut pieces. It was nice because the pieces all had fusible web on them already. I also did the FMQ around all the pieces, changing thread colors to match the pieces. Both turned out cute and they were pretty fun to do.

They're beautiful quilts! I've found that it's easier to stitch all those little pieces down with free-motion.

My friend makes a lot of those quilts and she has no problem with them, maybe it is just what you get used too. I have never even bought one, as I am a chicken, although I think they are beautiful.

This is what I do also. I enlarge the pattern and satin stitch. The quilts go through the washer and dryer just fine! Out and About (with the bears) was a raffle quilt. Sea Breeze sold and the Market Basket is not yet finished.

I'd been collecting patterns for years for raw edge applique. I've seen McKenna Ryan do her thing on t.v. and I love the cuteness of her creations. I particularly like the bird & birdhouse blocks. None of her stuff is priced to fit my budget.

Finally last year I did my first fusible/raw edge creation; the quilt is very cute and turned out well, but I was shocked to find that I HATE the process ... everything about it. I'll just stick with needle turn applique from now on; I love to do that.

I much prefer the needle turn applique-maybe 'old school'. However, I am just finishing a quilt for a grandson that has raw edge applique motifs. I used the machine to blanket stitch around them. I hope they stand up in the wash-I am a bit apprehensive to wash it after I finish the quilting.

I too love Ryan's patterns and have made several with several more in the queue. I also straight stitch the edges down using clear thread after fusing with Warm Company Steam-A-Seam 2 Lite. I think the process is either one you love or hate because the cutting can be intense with all those points and valleys to cut although being super accurate is not necessary with tree branches and the like. For some unknown reason, I like it a lot but then I love her nature patterns and know I could never applique those pieces any other way. I also have BigFork Bay Cotton Co. patterns (now out of business) that I am working on. I was lucky to find two of them as kits at a very good price. Kits can be very expensive especially when using batiks as those fabrics in general are pricey. The quilt world has something in design or technique for everyone's taste and I think that is so great.

I have done one of her patterns. I got it from Hancocks of Paducah. It has the best pricing on her kits. I was short one color and they sent it right away. The pattern was for my daughter's wedding. Yes its lovely but an awful lot of work. It is only an art quilt not meant to be used especially since she has two large dogs that think the bed is for them.

outta my price range too!! You can usually go to your scrap box and find just what you need for each piece of applique. You'll be surprised with what you can come up with!

I remember seeing a pattern of hers in a magazine. I just checked and it was F&P's magazine. If she was on their show, they usually have the person's pattern in their magazine. Here is the info: http://www.fonsandporter.com/article...onal_Art_Quilt

I have done a wall quilt that I was not happy with but my husband loves it. It needs more quilting. I was not happy with one of the shapes but overall it was a good pattern.

If you can't/don't want to blanket/straight stitch each piece of fusible, then you need to make sure that you quilt each little piece. Fusible isn't forever and it needs the stitching to keep it in place. To get precise placement of each piece of fusible, use quilter's plastic (inexpensive at Joann's) and a fine-point Sharpie to draw the pattern out on...place the plastic over the design to make sure that you have placed each piece perfectly before pressing each piece. Slow, yes, but it does create perfect placement of each piece. I am working on a fusible applique quilt for my bed right now and since it is ash gray for the backing fabric, I know I will be washing it often. I did blanket stitch around each piece. You can see a picture of the top here: http://farmquilter.blogspot.com/2015...-finishes.html

This was the FIRST quilt I ever made- so just have patience and it will be fine! I used steam a seam 2 also, and blanket stitched every piece. I did some thread painting, too. I was fortunate enough to buy my fabric from my LQS at 40% off, and it was McKenna's line she designed for the pattern. It was so much fun!! The fabric does have a nice tight weave, but if you have larger pieces, I did use the interfacing method, too. It has been washed several times as my Aunt that it was gifted to , has a large long haired cat. I did purchase McKennas Bella Garden kit that I found a small sale on, but they are VERY pricey. If you but your own fabric, I suggest printing off the original samples from the Manufacturers web site to mimic them as closely as possible.

I did one of her quilts and it is a wall hanging. I love it, love it, love it. It does take patience but well worth the time. A couple of tips: 1) do sew the pieces down (I did mine with FMQ and I would suggest that you do them one block at a time.) 2) If you plan on having your quilt quilted by a long-arm quilter, you may HAVE to sew your pieces down. 3) Do use a pressing sheet. It was essential for me and it works great. You can fuse your pieces down (together) and then lift them off and press them to your fabric background.

I made several errors, but I don't think anyone but me could ever find them. Believe me, you will love your quilt when it is finished. This is mine "At Home in the Woods":

[ATTACH=CONFIG]521160[/ATTACH]

I bought one section of her Moonshadow quilt. Now I need to make it. I love her quilts. At my old LQS, one of the gals used to make her quilts.

Her quilts are beautiful but kits and patterns are way too expensive for me.

All of the raw edge applique patterns that I have seen call for some sort of decorative stitch (buttonhole) to secure the pieces. I have used mine on the bed as have those that I have gifted. It is my favorite piecing method. And they have all held up beautifully.

This is the same quilt that I made and I too love it! You are right about any little mistakes, they just don't show up as the pattern is fairly flexible when it comes to cutting and placing. Wish I had sewn them down one block at a time too as it certainly would have been easier. Ryan does have suggestions on her website as to how to make her patterns. It's very helpful to at least read them before getting started.

I have 4 McKenna patterns and some of the fabric and have never touched them. After buying them, my interest changed to modern quilting. They are beautiful works of art.

So fayzer, you should put them in the "for sale" category on this board as I am sure someone would want to take them off your hands for the right price.

I got the block with the otters, but have not done it yet.

I love her patterns too and found 5 of them for $7.50 each at the Sewing Expo in Minneapolis 7 or 8 years ago......Never got around to using them, and sold them on Ebay.....regretting that now..... but i do see her patterns (not the kits) on Ebay now and then, so keep checking there.....

A while back she had a big sale on her old patterns. She has retired a bunch of them, and I stocked up!Just enlarged parts of Sea Breeze andthe jelly fish for a new under water scene. Maybe whales in the background.

A friend bought an applique pattern (Accuquilt) from an LQS. She was concerned about applique coming off. The quilt store recommended covering the whole piece with some kind of netting, and quilting over the netting. They had one sample which didn't look too bad - the netting wasn't that obvious.

Has anyone else ever heard of this or tried it?

I used the blanket stitch on the otters and have another otter pattern. Would like for info on using netting. I could cut Otter out on Silhouette and have it ready to go.