WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays
You can see that LE is a very full quilt and every spare space has something lovely added to fill it in. I am aiming to have a box full of broderie perse 'ready to go' for when I need it. When I reach the stage of having my quilt top finished, I want to spend a few days just picking through my cut outs and 'auditioning' them in different spots throughout the quilt top. I don't know if I'll use any of them until that time comes, but I want to be ready with a good varied selection before then.
So I'm cutting out any shapes that interest me: I just don't know what will work at that final stage so I'm not limiting the range - whatever appeals is in. Today I have selected some trumpet lilies on a black background and I'm going to iron them and wash away fusible them in readiness. None will be wasted; whatever doesn't end up on LE (most of the pieces I assume) will find its way into another project. It's just another small project that compliments LE and you can do it any time when the pattern becomes too intense for you.
What's Your WOW ?
Esther, your process is fascinating to me as an applique newbie! Can you explain what you mean by "washaway fusible" to your flower cutouts? Do you do your broderie perse as raw edge fused applique, or do you have a special process for turning the edges using fusible web when you cut motifs from the fabric print? I'm still working on my "learning block" but I have downloaded and printed out each of your gorgeous LE installments. I want to get comfortable with applique of different shapes and sizes before starting the LE project.
ReplyDeleteHi Rebecca, 'wash away fusible' irons down nice and firm so that I can go ahead and cut out the shapes I want and create my turn edge applique (just like my "applique with freezer paper technique).
ReplyDeleteThen, when washed, this backing simply dissolves away. So in that respect, its like the freezer paper technique but much faster and simpler because you don't have to remove thee freezer paper after you have turned the applique edge. Always test your wash away fusible first because sometimes, some brands fail and don't wash away. This is something you should always test for.
As it is now, LE is small and fiddly and probably too intense to begin for someone starting out in applique, however - next year I will be releasing "Love Entwined 2" which is a quilt made from the center of LE, but enlarged. It is still very beautiful, but at 54 inches is far more approachable, so you may want to keep practicing until you know you are ready to begin. I also suggest Jean Sullivan's book 'Simply Successful Applique' (its on my sidebar) she is the queen of applique and that book covers everything you need to know about this technique as well. In fact, this is the book I have my DDs when they were learning applique. It's so useful.
I love the idea of making pieces like this 'just in case'. I'm not always good a making pieces like this unless I know that they will be part of a specific 'end product' - but hearing you talk about them like this makes me wish that I was, as I love the idea of a complimentary piece!
ReplyDeleteYou always stay so busy.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what most of the words you use mean!
All I want to do is sew, sew, and sew some more, but I'm having a hard time trying to find the time.
This is a good point, and I will mention that my children are grown up. I would never have had the time to quilt during that stage in my life. I worked, raised a family with my husband and whilst I was always sewing, I didn't even know about quilting. We are all at different phases of life and different levels of time and dedication. This is my 'play' time!
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