This is just a Tribute - to my disappearing blog post re: Applique banner

Blogger app just deleted the post I just wrote so I'll leave it 'til the morn to remember what eloquence was portrayed in this space just moments ago! I was having a bit of a crisis anyway as my machine had completely eaten my fabric. Humph. I don't know who was more tired, me or the machine, but one of us definitely had to stop sewing!

The (very eloquent I might add) blog post definitely had something to do with applique... Anyway, here we go...

This is an applique banner I'm making for my friend who has just moved into a new workspace! I thought I'd customise a little strip quilt I've been working on and give it a new lease of life (as it hadn't quite developed into a project by that point)) by making it into a colourful and decorative banner for her which can be hung (from tabs) on the wall.

My work in progress. Reckons it's looking pretty cool. It's quite patterny. If I were to do another applique letters project I'd probably choose a block colour for the background to make more of a contrast - so that those letters REALLY stick out. (I wanted to use the pig material, though, and this is the last of it as I've had it for a couple of years just looking pretty. I might look for more farm-related fabrics in the future too.)

I realised, too late in the cutting stage, why I had originally wanted to use the squares material (other than it being really colourful) .... 

because applique-ing curves is so hard on a machine!

- but I have my walking foot now so maybe it will be easier. I only have a couple of letters left to do but it's always worth having a play. 

  

Mum's insight

Why is it always after your mom says, "isn't that sewing machine due for an MOT? (hilarious concept but let's go with it)" that the needle falls out of the space where the needle lives, your fixed needle gets jammed, and your overlocking goes squiffy. Whether it's me or the machine that's tired, it's time for bed!

N.b. If the needle drops out on you, just poke the needle back in the hole and screw the little screw so the needle stays in place. Similar trick - but a different screw (you'll be needing a penny for that) for when the machine foot drops off! No drama. Check out this post 

Baby quilts - Make it their own!

Appliqué is a very simple technique in quilting which adds some personality to a lovely patchwork! You may want to try this on a sample square, like I did, which you can use again. I quilted one square of blue fabric and appliquéd a red heart onto it for example.

Adding an appliqué letter to your quilt

My niece's name begins with an 'e' so I found a font I like, Cooper black, and blew it up to 560 pt which means the 'e' fits in my 5" square.

I printed out the 'e' as an outline, cut it out (as a pattern), checked it fitted the blue linen square I wanted to put it on and then found some leftover pig pattern fabric from my patchwork (to use for the 'e') so that it would match.

Checking the size of the space

N.B. Think about where your pattern will fall on the letter. To check, hold your fabric and letter pattern together up to the light. I didn't want to cut off the pigs' eyes or anything too much so this helped me to figure out what I wanted.

I then pinned the paper 'e' to my leftover pig pattern fabric and drew around it with a pen. I then took the paper pattern off and cut out the fabric with fabric shears. I placed and pinned my fabric 'e' where I wanted it on my quilt. I decided the bottom right hand corner square would be a nice place for it. 

I put the same colour sewing thread in the sewing machine for the top thread and bobbin thread because sometimes a different colour comes up on certain interesting stitches (like Arrowhead stitch). Using the buttonhole setting on my sewing machine I simply sewed all around the 'e', making sure that I sewed equally between the pig pattern fabric and the blue fabric. This will stop the 'e' from fraying and make the stitch look even.

TIP: You might like to start with simple capital letters in a straighter font as it can be tricky sewing curves. You could also double up on your stitch to make the sewing a bit bolder.  

My pretty 'e'

I'm not sure how other people do it but, in hindsight it might be easier to appliqué onto the patchwork (before sewing the quilt together) so that there are only two pieces of fabric to sew through. But, you don't get the lovely quilty, flumfy effect that you get from quilting the fabric together like I have done. The way I have done it also means that I know the 'e' will be in the middle of the square exactly, no matter what happens with my crazy sewing!

Why not try making an Alphabet quilt?!