I'm posting pictures of the blocks I'm working on so you can see. They are not finished. I'm still doing the blanket stitch. But I feel sort of insecure about the "knot" my sewing machine ties. I can tell it to tie a knot, and the needle goes up and down three times in the same hole. But when I clip the threads, they still seem as if they are going to come apart. Soooooo . . . I've been putting a little dot of "Fray Check" on them. I can't see it on the block as it dries invisible. But, as a beginner to this, I'm wondering if there is any reason I SHOULDN'T do this. What do you think?

You are doing a marvelous job. My grand daughter said the cats are groovy (spelling). If you mean the knot at the beginning and ending of the blanket stitch I use it all the time and haven't had any trouble so far but now will check them more carefully. Is this a cat of the month pattern? My grand daughter would like to have a similar one so just thought I'd ask. She has to go on my list of quilts requested.

Thanks. So glad about the Fray Check. Sort of helps me not to feel like my underpants will fall down, if you know what I mean.

The pattern is called "A Cat for All Seasons" pattern design by Patrick Lose, C&T Publishing. It is an excellent pattern, with clear instructions and good illustrations for the pattern pieces. I like it especially because the pictures are already reversed for you. (I've done some where I had to remember to reverse them myself.)

If you have trouble finding it, we could do a swap or something because I doubt I'd make it twice.

I made that exact pattern for my mom. She loves it!

Kool kats!

Great job! Fray check is good, use it.
judee

Pretty cool. Are all the stripes and circles pieces to appliques on?

Yes, everything you see is a little applique piece, including the whites of the eyes and the black irises. Still, I found it to be such a lot of fun to do. I couldn't stop. I'm generally not a person who enjoys tedium, but this was fun. Maybe it's all the bright colors.

Just one extra little tip that may make the world of a difference. It did it for me. Set your machine on straight stitch and take 5 or 6 stitches along the edge of your applique piece. Change it back to blanket stitch. Stitch the blanket stitch all around, even over th area that has the straight stitch. When you are done with the blanket stitch, change it back to straight and take a few straight stitches on the edge of the blanket stitches. Your start and end will be secured and it will never fray. It takes a few changes from straight to blanket, but worth it. What machine do you use? I use a bernina and with the Temporary Altered Memory your blanket stitch goes back to the size you selected initially.

Maria

Thanks. What a great tip! I'll give it a try. I too have a Bernina, which I've had for about 4 months, and I absolutely love it. It's a simple matter to switch stiches (say that five times fast).

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Maria. That looks so much better than what I've been doing--much cleaner, and I can barely see where I started and stopped. I knew I could count on someone to give me a good answer to this problem. I'll never do it any other way again.

You are welcome. I can not take credit. I learned it from watching Ricky Tims in The quilt Show. I now love applique.

The quilt is adorable and you're doing a great job!

Maride,
Thanks for a great tip for tying down the blanket stitch. :-D

I love your cats, I have only just started applique, and picking up lots of tips from everyone here, so thank you, I have learnt something new here today too.

Looking forward to seeing your finished project. :D

WOW!!! You are doing an awesome job on this :D:D:D
I LOVE the pattern too!!!

I use the straight stitch as Maride said. Cute cats, BTW.

Thanks Maride...that is a good tip. Will try it next time.

I love your cats. And the fray check is a great tip. I never would have thought of that.

These are beautiful!! I've made the same pattern twice now. I liked Maride's suggestion about the straight stitch along the edges. I'm going to try that. To keep the knots from coming undone on either small projects like this or block by block, I've used the lightest weight fusible interfacing on the back -- that has held up on multiple washings. Be sure to post pics of the finished project - can't wait to see it!

Love the cats... and I don't even like cats ;) - - Love the hint about backstitching... I would love to do an applique quilt in 2010!!! I'll keep the hint in mind if I can get around to the quilt! ;)
Just a note - and the straight stitch hint takes care of this issue, but... doesn't Fray Check wash out? I use it in Cross stitching and I think it does, but not POSITIVE.

Fray Check is permanent and washable.

they are stunning. I would try a smaller stich lenghth.

Precious! Does anyone know of a Dogs for All Seasons??

I have an old Bernina 910 that does not have a blanket stitch, is the blind hem stitch an acceptable alternative? I have always done either hand applique or fusible with a hand done blanket stitch

I'm not aware of one. I bought this pattern at least a year ago, and I kind of remember seeing a dog one. I just tried doing a search and nothing came up, but I've seen lots of other dog patterns.

Your cats are super cute. I have been quilting many, many years and I'm still not always comfortable that the stitches are secure.
I usually do one or two back stitchs.

Adorable! :thumbup: I, also, have a Bernina. It's a 730 and I haven't done any appliqué on it yet, but I'm wondering. It has a knotting stitch. Couldn't I use that at the beginning and end of the blanket stitch and not have to change stitches? Getting ready to do some appliqué, so I'm glad I found this thread. I've always been insecure about my seams coming out, so I've always tied them by hand. Since I got my new machine, I've made myself stop doing that. I know it shouldn't be necessary. :lol:

The method that was described above, using a straight stitch, is a better way to go than the knotting function. It looks much smoother. When I use the knotting function, I can easily see where I've started and stopped. When I use the straight stitch combined with the blanket stitch, it's smooth as can be, and a second person would be hard-pressed to find the beginning and ending. It's a much better way to go.

I'm not sure how your machine works. On my machine, I simply press one for the straight stitch, and then 45 for the blanket stitch. It's no more difficult that pressing the button for the knot at the beginning and end.

The blind hem stitch makes a beautiful machine blanket stitch. I'm pretty sure that's the one I use on my Bernina 1230. It makes about 3 straight stitches and then a "bite". I double my regular thread (just use 2 spools and thread together as if one thread) to make the black stitches stand out more.

I love the tip, my Friendship group makes a quilt every year to be won by a member and it is always done by machine applique. This is a wonderful idea to pass along.

Thanks, Barbara. I will try that. And thanks for the tip of using double thread, Prism99! Great idea!

One of the contributors to the Longarm University website uses a dab of Fray Check to to seal her "starts and stops" and swears by it. I'm going to try it on my next quilt.....

I'm very new to this Applique business, Which book should I use Basics of Applique or Paper Piecing Basics. I can download them. Also I have a Baby Lock machine. I can't find the Blanket Stitch in my book. Does anyone know what I can use.

Paper piecing is not directly relevant to applique. I would suggest Harriet Hargrave's book on machine applique. I don't have her newest edition, but she always seems to be very explicit and covers quite a few different applique techniques.

Look for the blind hem stitch. What you want is about 3 straight stitches in a row and then a "bite" (single zigzag stitch). On my machine, I mirror-image this stitch so it is taking a bite to the left rather than to the right.

I LOVE fray check! Go for it.

Really Kool Kats! :thumbup:

I have always liked cats and this is out standing. Nice work.

Hi Barbara...I'm glad you like my pattern for "A Cat For All Season" and you're doing a great job with it. I only want to say that it's against Federal Copyright Law/the Copyright on the pattern to share the pattern, including by swapping or selling, with anyone. The pattern is for your personal use, only, if you purchased it from me, C&T Publishing, or at a retailer.

This is how designers, like myself, make their living and it's not fair for people to be possibly diminishing the sales of our work by giving it away to others.

I hope you'll consider this and refrain from the practice.

Thanks a lot,
Patrick Lose
http://www.patricklose.net
http://www.patricklose.blogspot.com

You're right, Prism99, Harriet Hargrave's machine applique book is excellent.

Yes, Patrick, I can see your point. I would never have considered copying or posting the pattern, but I can see how a swap is no better. Thank you for pointing this out, and I will refrain from the practice in the future. My only reason for offering in the first place is that I was unsure whether the pattern was even available any more. I've had my copy for quite a while. In any event, your point is well taken and I will keep it in mind in the future.

I love your design, by the way. As a cat lover, it was irresistable when I saw it the first time. Also, it's well written. Even a beginner like me could easily follow it and complete it with relatively good results.