MONTH 8 -- Ask Questions Here

[Barbara B.]

Please use this TOPIC to ask questions about Month 8.

[Laura C.]

My glued petals on the small circle were difficult to keep in place when I sewed them. In hind sight I think I should’ve stay stitched the points and let the rest of the petal meet in the middle. Food for thought…
In looking at the close up photos of the quilting, I wonder if the scallops were done before the appliqué

[Barbara B.]

I don't understand what you mean by "scallops were done before the applique". What are the "scallops" you are referring to? And are you talking about the six tiny little petals that go on the middle circle of background fabric from Month 7?
I bet from 6 feet away your quilt will look fine. We can always find things we don't like looking up close.

I can't view the video is there a problem or my PC.

[Barbara B.]

I can see the video without problems.

[Connie H.]

Barbara, Are the vine leaves made using any of the leaf patterns from prior months? I would love to be able to complete those as well.

[Barbara B.]

No, the Vine Leaves that are provided in Month 9 have not appeared before. But they are simple leaf shapes.
Vine Leaf Small is about 2" long and 1" wide at the widest part.
Vine Leaf Large is about 2 5/8" long and 1 1/4" wide--more or less.
You can draw your own simple leaf shape if you can't wait until Month 9.

[Patricia G.]

Hi, Barbara! Love your help! Are the petal patterns from a different month? The flower petals seem a different shape from the picture we see of the quilt. The picture shows a more rounded petal.
Congratulations on almost reaching your goal!

[Barbara B.]

Not that I can tell. They petal shapes appear to match the quilt. You can draw any shape you like as long as it fits the space intended for the petal flowers.
Did you see the "bowtie template" idea I posted in Month 8 --Show Your Progress Here? My friend Margo has a great suggestion for combining two petals into a bowtie, making it easier than cutting/sewing 4 petals/flower.

[Connie H.]

Thank you Barbara! Congrats on your great accomplishment!

[sewskeel]

Thank God ! I watched Barb’s video before I started sewing on the appliqué. I got all of them ready before I went into hospital for TAVR heart valve replacement on August 2nd. Then it dawned on me I cut these borders at 9 inches and didn’t make enough allowance when placing them. Now that my mind is back with me I got everything corrected

[Donna M.]

Has anyone else discovered that they only have 1 3/4" strip of Divax left? Not quite wide enough to get four tulips out of it. It started as an 8" strip where in month 1 we cut 2 1/2" strip and then in Month 6 we cut two 1 7/8" strip. I'll be digging into my stash. I have a lovely dark purple from a prior project that will go well.

[Barbara B.]

There will be more information about this fabric soon.
I always use the leftover strip before cutting a new strip. Perhaps you have left from Month 1--that is wide enough for the tulips.

[Melanie H.]

I have only a little left after cutting this month's tulips. I know we will need some for the cabin roofs, so I maybe digging into my stash, too.

[alycesandra]

i’m just starting this project. can somebody please explain the pattern direction for fabric.what does 3”; 6”, etc, mean in yardage. and where do i buy the fabric. thank you

[Barbara B.]

That is the width of the strip of each fabric that was in the kit that was for sale 10 months ago. Use those amounts as a guide to gather your own fabrics.

[Marilyn M.]

Hello Barbara.........I'm a bit concerned because I have just tried to post my progress and have received the response that my post will be treated as spam and needs to be approved by the moderator, which I'm guessing is you. I wonder why this has happened? I'd be grateful for your explanation, with thanks in advance.

[Barbara B.]

I don’t know why it happens occasionally but I fixed your post. It is showing now.

[Jennifer C.]

Is the border with the star attached the top and bottom and the other borders left and right? Just checking -- I think I've seen pictures laid out both ways.

[Barbara B.]

Yes, they are the top and bottom borders.

[Jennifer C.]

When selecting colors for machine applique thread do you select darker than the fabric or lighter?

[Barbara B.]

I try to match closely. Lighter if I have to.

[NinaMarie]

I want to say that I started using an 80 wt thread for hand applique and I'm amazed how the stitches disappear. Since I'm just starting my collection of 80 wt, I don't have all the colors but the neutrals light, medium, dark grey and black seem to color a lot of the fabrics I'm using. If you had told me that I could have gotten my stitches to disappear like that, I would have switched over long ago!

[Jennifer C.]

I'm doing raw edge machine applique.(except the circles.) I watched the videos as recommended. I do not have a Bernina sewing machine, I have a Brother Innovis 3050. When I move the needle to the farthest right side, and use the open toe foot, I do not have a perfect guide along the side of the appliqued shape. When in that position the needle falls into the applique not the background. So I'm forced to "eyeball" the perfect place for the stitch. My question is should the needle fall into the edge of the appliqued piece or should it fall into the background. Also, to prevent "bunching" should I be holding the fabric taunt or just let it flow. My issue is when my guess is off I get fraying or I can see the stitches along the applique in the background fabric. I also find I can tell I don't have the same color in my bobbin--not tragic, but distracting. I would appreciate any tips from all of the fabulous quilters on this blog as well as from our fearless leader Barbara.

Hope this all makes sense.

[lehab375]

Hi Barbara - I saw your comment about using a lighter color thread and all I could hear in my head was my junior high sewing teacher chastising us for not using a darker color! Something about threads sew in lighter is what I remember. We were all supposed to be doing topstitching on our aprons and back all those years ago, no one dared to contradict the teacher and ask for a contrasting color even. It's amazing what pops into my head periodically.

I just wondered if you had ever heard that before as I've done it ever since that class and I've not been disappointed yet. My choices have always been a match if possible, darker if not possible and contrasting if that's what I'm going for. I've never tried lighter.

Linda

[Barbara B.]

Can’t say that I have heard that. With 80 wt thread it probably doesn’t matter, it’s so fine it disappears.

[laltmayer11]

Hi Barbara, and others, I am just checking that the long leaf that is next to the blue flower at top of circle is the same leaf by the vine flowers (tulips with tops)- also where is the placement for these? No directions were included- without you Barbara I would have totally messed this whole section up.