MONTH 7 -- Show Your Progress Here

[Marilyn M.]

Still playing "catch up" with eight more small stars to create, then on to July pattern/instructions. Hopefully, I will be able to launch myself into those in a few days. Looking forward to more applique.

[lehab375]

Ha ha ha. I'm still working on my last 8 stars as well. I just set them aside to do month 7 as it is obvious we won't need them for a few more months. I figured it would be OK to do them as I had a bit of extra time here & there & I'm better off more or less keeping up. I did have 16 stars to do, so I got the 4 done that I needed for month 7, then had time to get another 4 done and now I'm down to 8 left.

Linda

[lehab375]

I actually finished before the end of the month! Now if I can get the rest of my stars done, I'll be happy.

Linda

Wow, you’re really trucking along! Looks fantastic. I’m behind but trying to catch up. New at this hand appliqué thing so it’s slow going.

[lehab375]

If you zoom in on the photo, you can see that I'm using machine applique. I did the 24 leaves by hand back in month 3 maybe - the hollyhock sections. I really struggled doing the hand work, so now everything is by machine. I've got severe arthritis and just can't do the hand sewing that I used to do. Linda

[Carol G.]

Month 7 One border is done. 3 wagon wheels ready to go, all the tabs are ready to go. I still have to mark 1 border & sew down those vines. I'm loving this quilt

[lehab375]

I like your colors. They're very cheery.
Linda

[Judith I.]

Thanks Helen. No computer or graph paper...just math calculations. Love the challenge of working out the sizes.

[Karen]

Still catching up and back to the Forum with my next dilemma. My center block is an entire half inch off. I read through Helen's suggestions to others who were short just a bit but am not sure how to add interfacing to solve the problem with such a big difference in size, so I will add a border (boo hoo). I can use the pink with orange dots like the border around the house, or maybe I should use the matcha fabric so that it mimics the stems at one quarter inch wide??? The photo shows what the pink fabric would look like.

For future reference--My first attempt on machine appliqué and I wonder if my tension is too tight or what might be causing the fabric to draw in so much. I am usually pretty accurate with piecing, but noticed a lot of distortion of the background fabric with each section of appliqué, most of all with the hollyhock sections.

[Barbara B.]

Machine appliqué does draw up the background as does hand appliqué. Your tension may be too tight. It helps to use stabilizer, even starch helps, or Terial Magic. This makes the background stiff so helps cut down on shrinkage from the stitching.
Your narrow pink coping border is a good solution.

[Renee M.]

When I machine appliqué I use a lighter weight thread in the bobbin, 60 wt.

[Helen W.]

Still catching up and back to the Forum with my next dilemma. My center block is an entire half inch off. I read through Helen's suggestions to others who were short just a bit but am not sure how to add interfacing to solve the problem with such a big difference in size, so I will add a border (boo hoo). I can use the pink with orange dots like the border around the house, or maybe I should use the matcha fabric so that it mimics the stems at one quarter inch wide??? The photo shows what the pink fabric would look like.

For future reference--My first attempt on machine appliqué and I wonder if my tension is too tight or what might be causing the fabric to draw in so much. I am usually pretty accurate with piecing, but noticed a lot of distortion of the background fabric with each section of appliqué, most of all with the hollyhock sections.

Karen, When there is a lot of applique, it does draw up the fabric in the background. That is why most applique directions
say to oversize the background. The other thing it does is cause the background to to get a wavy look near the stitching.
I use stabilizer. I agree with all of Barbara's suggestions. There are lots of types of stabilizers. It was created to keep
fabrics from being distorted by the stitching. There are wash away, tear away, leave in and fusible stabilizers just to mention
some of them.
When I can, I like to use super light weight fusible stabilizer. Here is a picture of the black that I used on the back of
my quilt. It too can get a little ripply looking, but it easily pulls loose of the fabric and even though it stays in, It is only
attached at the stitching. It all sounds a little complicated, but I get the look I want.

I love you color combination. and the pink coping border will look like it was designed that way. You are putting it on
all 4 sides aren't you? If not, I would just make the background strip for that one spot the same color as the white
dot background. Love your fussy cut cat in the doorway. HelenW

I tried a number of times to post the picture. I made it real small and I still got a ? in a box. Will try again at another time.

[Karen]

Thank you, Barbara, Renee, and Helen. I did get the Terial Magic for the month 7 borders, and ordered titanium needles and am using a 60 wt thread on top. I really appreciate the advice!

[Helen W.]

Karen, Here is the picture of the fusible stabilizer I used on the back of my background fabric. HelenW

[Karen]

Thank you, Helen. I so love and admire your interpretation of the patterns. I will see what happens with the Terial Magic and use a stabilizer for month 8, if month 7 doesn't go well!

[Carol G.]

I finished Month 7! Not sure if my vines will line up with the corners, but I will adjust as necessary. It is now wider than my design board so I folded the center

In the last 3-4 months, I've been invited to join 2 different quilting/sewing/applique groups. One is through my guild. The other 1 I was invited by a guild member but this groups is local to my small town. My guild is 27 miles away, so 2 miles makes it nice. I was able to get a lot done at those gatherings.

[brigitte.wieser]

To be continued ....

[Barbara B.]

Excellent, and great photo too. That will help some people understand how the vines are placed. Thanks for sharing.

[Melanie H.]

Month 7 completed!

[Renee M.]

I am ready and excited for tomorrow.

[Renee M.]

[Monique G.]

I have the vines in place, just need to do a bit of pressing. I didn't cut any of the vines as I will wait until I know my placing for the flowers etc. Still a bit behind everyone but hopefully I will catch up soon.

[Kati]

I am running a little late as I was terrified of needle turn appliqué, and this particular piece in my view can only be done using that technique because the leaves are so tiny. 1 done, 3 more to go.

[Marcia H.]

Finally finished with Month 7....now for flower power!