May 26 2013
Hello
Every year my sister goes to the Houston Tx International Quilt show. I had asked her to buy me a laser cut nativity, a cut out, that i had seen in a local quilt store. I even sent her a link to the item.
When she went to the show, she instead found, and bought a kit for a cut out nativity quilt. The kit included a magazine, Quilt It For Christmas 2003, which had an applique designed by Dilys Fronks. It also included instructions and the pattern for the nativity. It came with orangeish batik fabric, which i did not care for, but i had some beautiful blue batik fabric.
This worked out MUCH better, i could make a few.
First, i needed lots of fusible web, black fabric, and tiny scissors.
Using the rotary cutter, rulers, and cutting mat, i cut the fabrics and fusible webbing to the size i needed, with some extra. (always add extra for around the sides, the fusing isn't the best on the edges) I had to tape sections together, because the webbing was not big /wide enough.
I traced the nativity pattern onto the paper side of the fusible web. I had "colored in" with my pencil the sections which would be the base, So i did NOT cut that part out.
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| Cut out the white portions. |
Following the fusing instructions of the web, i fused it onto the wrong side of the black fabric.
Holding my breath, took my scissors and cut into the fused fabric.
The magazine instructions called for 3 sections, but i only did two, and straightened off the top, to make it easier to hang.
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| I was getting sore fingers cutting, it took me a long time |
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| ALL DONE !! |
Now the final trimming, then audition it against the batik fabric.
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| Reverse side |
I have done several of these for family members. They are SO beautiful! But a lot of work.
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| BEAUTIFUL! |
At one of the quilt classes i had taken, the teacher said, unless you are doing a binding around a curve, you do not have to do bias binding. BUT on this, the cut work binding is SO beautiful, i have to do it that way.
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| Need Blue-Black-Blue sections, and Black-Blue-Black sections, to alternate. |
Two segments, one blue- black- blue, and one black- blue- black. Cut at a 45 degree angle. The instructions called for some strips to be cut at one inch wide and some at 1" and 1/4" wide, i did them all the same at, 1+ 1/4".
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| 45 degree angles. at 1 and 1/4 " inch wide |
measure twice, cut once ?
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| Pieces all cut |
Need to sew them together alternating the segments, sewing them together at an ANGLE.
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| Need to sew them together at an angle |
You eventually get the swing of things in sewing them together, and needing to leave a little point sticking out.
Pinned the bottom section, and ready to sew the top to the bottom, together as one through to the Backing and Batting.
First I stitched the middle strip to the top part.
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| Sewing the top section, to the bottom, as I sew it all through to the Batting and Backing. |
I turned the top part down, on top of the bottom, and sewed the two pieces together, through all the layers.
After pressing the top section i pinned it to the Batting and Backing.
First stitching was the other side of the middle strip.
I Sewed with a straight stitch all around the cut outs, through all the layers. I did try to work from the inside to outer edges.
I Sewed with a straight stitch all around all the sections, through all the layers.
Next, adding the binding.
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| Adding the binding. |
Trimming away the extra batting and backing.
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| Make sure the corners are well tucked in. |
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I had a slight mishap as i trimmed away the extra. I hadn't made sure the folded binding, in the corner, was out of the way, and snipped it a tad. Thankfully i was able to fix it.
I added 2 loops as hangers as i sewed on the binding.
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| Two years later, WHEW! |
BEAUTIFUL!!
Love Diane
