Lazer Cut - Appliqued Quilt

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.

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.

I was getting sore fingers cutting, it took me a long time

ALL DONE !!

 Now the final trimming, then audition it against the batik fabric.

Reverse side

I have done several of these for family members. They are SO beautiful! But a lot of work.

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.

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".

45 degree angles. at 1 and 1/4 " inch wide

measure twice, cut once ?

Pieces all cut

 Need to sew them together alternating the segments, sewing them together at an ANGLE.

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.

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.

Adding the binding.

 Trimming away the extra batting and backing.

Make sure the corners are well tucked in.

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.

Two years later, WHEW! 

BEAUTIFUL!!

Love Diane

Daisy Purse two

May 6 2013
Hello Ok, i was wrong, it was not Timtex, but Peltex. It is an Ultra Firm Stabilizer. I cut the pieces short on all sides, so really didn't have any problems, until i went to turn it inside out. OUCH!!.
The first one didn't have outer pockets, and i decided i HAD to have outer pockets.
I put one big one in the back side of the purse, and quilted the front section.

Peltex interfacing/ stabilizer

Front (on right) is quilted, Back has a pocket, bottom is its own piece.
I cut the Peltex in from all sides, making it a bit easier to sew the seams. It is a bit thick!

I didn't have enough fabric to do the bottom as one with the front. I had to make it its own little piece, which is what i hated about the purchased patterns. It took me a while to figure how this was going to work with the corner treatment, but it worked out just the same.
You are supposed to steam heat the Peltex into shape, it only worked soso. I used my Tailor's Pressing Ham and curved it with that.

Pressed under the top seam allowance, where i will turn it under.

It is a little curved. It is enough for me.

I cut the Peltex in, about a half inch or more, and sewed the seam allowances between 1/4 and 1/2".  The Bernina doesn't like bumps, and this way I didn't have trouble sewing with one side of the foot, on a sidewalk kinda issue.

The Lining i did as i did the other one, adding inner pockets, and extra interfacing where the magnetic snaps would go. The lining bottom i sewed into one of the lining sides, so it is one long piece.
This also caused me some issues, as how to do the bottom corner. But it all worked out ok.
The strap i did a little narrower, because i didn't have as much of the fabric.

Lining and straps

Bottom worked out ok.

 The pieces sewn together.

Holding it's own shape.

The BIG problem was sewing around the top, sewing the lining and outer part together. I had to fight the Peltex. If i had had the energy i would have pushed the machine into the upper position on my cabinet, then I could have sewn it using the free arm.
AND boy i had a struggle turning it inside out.
But it looks GREAT!!  I have even gotten a few compliments.

COOL!! SO CUTE!!

 Oh the goofy camera, when i take out the memory card i must hit the battery and the date resets. I did NOT make this in 2009.

Love ya!!

Daisy Purse

Daisy Purse
April 21 2013
   This purse was an experiment on using Timtex. It is a thicker, heavier interfacing, a form of stabilizer. I read some reviews, and people didn't like it. I found someone who suggested cutting it short, and adhering it with fusible interfacing, to the main fabric purse pieces. I figured i would use some pieces of Flannel i had from making pajama bottoms. And use Batting in place of the timtex. It is about 13.5" by 11". On the other one, i would trim the Timtex a bit more in from the edges, and corners.

Front pattern pieces, with batting fused with fusible interfacing

The corners are cut out, so when you sew the sides and bottom, you flatten the sides and sew a flat bottom. 

The inner pockets are sewn to the lining.

Inner pockets are sewn to the lining.

I had a hard time deciding on the strap. 

Did i want a double strap or a single?

I went with a double. I cut them 36" by 1.5". I pressed the edges in about half an inch, and in the center, then folded them all up. They turned out about a half inch wide, i then top stitched them.

Straps all pressed, fold in the edges, then into the center, so it is about half an inch wide.

I had the sides and bottom all sewn, when i decided, I WAS going to quilt all around the Daisy's. So i had to rip it all back out, with JACK! *

I pressed little pieces of interfacing to the top middle of the lining, to add stability to the sew on magnet snaps.

And pressed under the top edges, so later i could top stitch around the edges.

at top are the lining pieces, at bottom are the outer pieces. :)

Sewed the side edges and bottoms together.

Lining and outer pieces all sewn together.

Squish the bottom corners flat

flatten out the bottom corners

 sew the corners so your bottom is flat and wide.

sew the bottom corners

 Check out the magnet snaps, and quilted outer pieces. I didn't do all the flowers, just the yellow and orange ones.

I am all excited, it is turning out so well.

Sewing the top edges around, and catching in the bottom ends of the straps.

If i had done a single strap it would have gone on the sides, where the side seam is. 

This would have made it a bit hard to sew them on.

Watch out for the pins.

WHAT do ya think?

SO CUTE!!

Someone we see all the time in joanns, said, She loved it, and it was ME!!

* Jack the ripper.
Ignore the dates, when i take out the sd card, it sometimes resets to the beginning date. This was an April 2013 project. 

  Next the Timtex version. I have created a paper pattern, but the leftover fabric pieces are not big enough. I will have to piece the bottom. Which is one thing i didn't like of those purchased patterns. :(

love diane

BackPack Purses

Started on Jan 20, 2013. today is April 20
Back Pack Purses

My first Back Pack purse i followed a pattern. I like buying them when joanns has a .99 cent sale on them. But they were a bit too technical, and too many pieces. This one is a bit shorter and wider. I forgot to cut the main section as one, therefore had 2 more pieces to quilt. But as one large piece I had a problem with trying to figure how to handle the large outer pocket. I managed that with sewing it up the side.
Okay, i have 4 main sections. I did a free hand quilting stitching around all the butterflies. i used some flannel as backing, i had leftover from some PJ's i had made, and cotton batting.
I also sewed a handle/strap.

I stitched around all the butterflies, which pulls in on all sides. So it is now a bit smaller in size.

I trimmed the sides to neaten it up and cut it down in size a little.

You can't really see all the stitching.

There are 4 main pieces. Front, Back, and the front and back pocket pieces.

You have to do the inside pockets BEFORE you put the sides together.
OR you catch the outer pockets in the stitching.
But you can see the pockets were sewn in.
I made them large enough to put the cell in, and keys.
You sew the sides up, catching the outer pockets in the stitching.
The bottom seam is sewn up too. Sewing the seams was a bit difficult, it was pretty thick and heavy with all the layers, and batting.

I made 10 buttonholes evenly spaced around the purse, one inch wide, so i could easily pull on the strap, to loosen and tighten as needed.

I started the strap in the center and weaved it in and out then down to the bottom corners. When you sew the corners closed, you catch the strap ends in.
You can see how the bottom corners are stitched closed here.

I turned under the top edges and top stitched it. When i did the buttonholes, i left enough room for the top edge to be turned under.

WA LA

The first one i did is a bit bigger. 12 X 16.5. I did the main piece as one, 24 x 16.5.
I also added a top band on the outer pocket.
You need to cut out the bottom corner, do a square cut, or rather take a square out of the corners. When you stitch it closed, you flatten it, and tuck the strap in. I double stitched, so I would catch it good. ( But don't do it so good you can't undo it later. I had to take mine apart when the strap shredded and needed replaced)
Sorry you can't really see the corner, but cutting the corner out, this flattens it and makes the bottom flat and wide.

When you flatten the corners to sew the bottom, you need to catch the straps for the backpack in the corners.

When you sew it you have to be careful you don't break a needle, all the layers are very thick.

Finished project.

love diane

Scrubbies

Scrubbers, Scrubbies  July 4, 2012

We usually buy several yards of net at a time, it goes faster. Joanns has it on sale regularly.
Cut the net into 2" inch strips ( they would be about 70" inches long)
Leave the net folded up, as it comes off the bolt, this makes it much easier to chop up.

Leave the extra yardage to the left as you cut the strips. I use my rotary cutter, and cutting board.
I put the edge on the 24" mark, and cutting 2" strips, and when i have cut 6, i should be at the 12" mark. 

 I bundle 6 of the strips up with a huge pin.

 Mom takes the 6 strips and ties them together in a knot,  And rolls them into a ball.

Crochet chain of 4 loops loosely.  Pick up the back stitch of the first loop.  (This makes a rib stitch.)  Make 2 SC in 1st loop, and 2 SC in each hole. (Circle completed.)

From now on make 2 SC in each stitch (picking up the back loop of stitch) for 2 lengths (2 strips).  Keep knots on reverse side from now on and make 1 SC in each stitch until you come to the last knot.  For strip 6, decrease by SC in every other hole. 

 She takes the end, ( usually not this long) and tucks it into the scrubber, hiding the end inside of it.

After I posted this, Ma decided she did not like the instructions. So I had to go BING and look for better ones. Sorry, I do not crochet, I hope these are helpful.

1. Make a slip knot and ch 4 (counts as first dc).
2. 11 dc in 4th ch from hook, join to first dc in the back loop (12 sts).
3. Ch 3 (counts as first dc). Dc in same st as ch 3. Then 2 dc in each st around, join to first dc. (24 sts)
4. Ch 3 (counts as first dc), in BLO work dc’s evenly around, join to first dc. This will create the sides of the scrubber. (24 sts)
5. From this point on, work in a spiral without joining at the end of each round. Ch 2, in BLO *sc in each of the next 4 dc, dec over the next 2 dc. Repeat from * around. (20 sts)
6. In BLO, *sc in each of the next 2 sc, dec over the next 2 sc. Repeat from * around. (15 sts)
7. Skipping sts to keep the work flat, dec around in BLO until you reach the center.
8. Fasten off and weave in ends. I just use a crochet hook to pull all of the ends to the inside.

OR

Crochet (dc) or half-double crochet (hdc) as you choose.

Row 1:  Make a slip st and chain 4. Dc 9 into the 4th ch from the hook, join.

Row 2:  Ch 3, 2 dc in each st around and join.

Row 3 : Ch 3, * dc in next st, then 2 Dc in next st. Continue in pattern from * and join.

Row 4:  Ch 3, *1 dc and decrease in next 2 sts, repeat from * around, join.

Row 5:  Ch 3, decrease in every 2 sts around until you can close up the hole in the middle. Fasten off. While crocheting, you will come to know where it is tied, work these to the inside, which will give them more scrubbing power.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/sewing-quilting-needlework/303688-crocheted-mesh-dish-scrubber.html

Love, Diane