It's Comin' Along

[beingcricket]

I know I've been away from here for a while. I have so many post ideas floating around in my head, but the time just keeps eluding me. *sigh* Anyway... on to cheerier things!

Here's what I've been up to lately (okay, ONE of the many things I've been up to) - designing and making a pattern for a quilt I'm making for my niece, Alexa:

Comments

[carrieb]

I just commented on your Flickr set from FB, but now I see it here, so will comment again. I can never track comments on Flickr. It looks awesome! Do you have fabrics picked out yet? Have you ever done applique before? I have done a little bit, but not enough to call myself anywhere close to an expert. More like a novice.

[beingcricket]

Honestly, I didn't even know this was applique. :D I just knew what I wanted to do for the blanket and started creating it. So, no, I definitely have never done this before. :) What is freezer paper (you mentioned it on Flickr)? Can you tell I'm just making it up as I go? LOL.

I'm actually using fabrics that have already been used to make some of the other things in her bedroom (there are a few pics of them in the Flickr set) - a light pink is the background, then the pieces are brown, a soft light green and a pink plaid.

Do you have any resources I could look at on how to do this (web sites, etc.)? I have ideas about what I'm trying to do, but could use some guidelines. :) Thank you for the encouragement!

[carrieb]

I can't think of any off hand, but there are a ton of tutorials about applique if you just look it up on google. It has been a while since I've done any.

Freezer paper is pretty essential to making it go a lot easier. You find it with the foil and parchment paper at the grocery store. It has two sides--a paper side and a wax side. You trace your design on the paper side and cut it out. Then you can use a warm iron to make it stick to the fabric, which makes everything about a million times easier. I can't remember the specific order of how you do it. Basically you cut out your shape a little bigger than the template, then you fold the edges over and then you sew everything down (there are specific little needles for this. Silk thread works best). Then you have to go back and cut the shape out of the back and remove the paper.

I'll try to get back to you with a good tutorial, but you might have to remind me.

[carrieb]

Oh, and there are ways to machine applique but I am not good at doing curves. I applique by hand. You can also use fusible web and do raw edge applique, but I have never thought it would be strong. I haven't ever seen an example of it in real life.

[deetour]

YAY @ you being back! I have missed your posts. :)
And that looks amazing. Thanks for sharing, Cristy.

[beingcricket]

Aw, thank you, Dee! I miss posting so much. I need to just allow myself to do it, right? :) I'm working on it.

[travelbug27]

Wow, that is a huge project but wow it's going to be awesome.

It's so great that your motto is basically go big or go home. Love that! Go getter!

[beingcricket]

Thank you, I hope so!

I think it has more to do with stubbornness, a lack of patience with tutorials and then unwillingness to repeat the exhaustive hours I tend to spend obsessing over projects like this. :) But, thanks. :)