Month One Ruffled Roses

[Mary R.]

Robin, your design looks great! I really like the placement of your design pieces. It's going to be a wonderful block. Enjoy stitching!

[Mary R.]

Robin, your design is great! It's going to look fabulous!

linny t

[Jo H.]

Robin,

I've been gone all weekend and just got back online to see your newly drawn block. It is beautiful and perfect. Start your cutting!!!! :lol:

[Dawn S.]

I am so-o-o-o behind on this thread! Ladies, you are all doing great things with this BOM! I have enjoyed scrolling down over all of the wonderful blocks! This will be a great BOM to watch grow!

Robin, I love your new "Tweets" pattern. Will your fabric choices remain the same? You will have fun with this one. Perfect design!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Jo H.]

Eileen, I used stable stuff and appliqued the block I made for Margo by hand. It was a little tougher simply because the applique was stiffer and didn't bend as well as I was working on it but not unduly so. After I washed the block it was perfect and I loved the effect of using it.

JoJo, I love the block that you posted last Tuesday. What are the stems made of?

Are you referring to Margo's block? If yes, the stems are made from Madeira's Lana thread. It's wool on the outside and poly on the inside. It's a wonderful thread.

[Pam D.]

Margo, I am sure that you have addressed his issue many times in this forum. I am trying to use your method as I want to use RT stable stuff. If your starch your fabric before you cut out your applique pieces doesn't it make it more difficult to turn them to the back? I can see that you starch your berries when they are finished. Also as this is my first applique I have done a small test piece, the little vine at the top of the block. However as a beginner I find it very difficult to keep the vine the same width and all the curves and branches make it very challenging. Last years appique blocks look much easier now with their straight vines, lol. I am feeling rather dispirited at the moment :cry: , but know that I need to go on and learn rather than being defeatist. BTW I have printed off the information under Crayola markers where you show how you spray fabrics on the floor. I am quite braindead at times, :roll: so would be soo grateful for some clarification. Thank you.

[Pam D.]

Robin, what a great design, waiting to see it in fabric.

[Margo C.]

Eileen, I used stable stuff and appliqued the block I made for Margo by hand. It was a little tougher simply because the applique was stiffer and didn't bend as well as I was working on it but not unduly so. After I washed the block it was perfect and I loved the effect of using it.

JoJo, I love the block that you posted last Tuesday. What are the stems made of?

Are you referring to Margo's block? If yes, the stems are made from Madeira's Lana thread. It's wool on the outside and poly on the inside. It's a wonderful thread.

The Black is the Lana thread! The green is rick-rack! And it is an wonderful technique for unique stems and this is the first time I've seen it! THANKS AGAIN JOJO!!

[Margo C.]

Margo, I am sure that you have addressed his issue many times in this forum. I am trying to use your method as I want to use RT stable stuff. If your starch your fabric before you cut out your applique pieces doesn't it make it more difficult to turn them to the back? I can see that you starch your berries when they are finished. Also as this is my first applique I have done a small test piece, the little vine at the top of the block. However as a beginner I find it very difficult to keep the vine the same width and all the curves and branches make it very challenging. Last years appique blocks look much easier now with their straight vines, lol. I am feeling rather dispirited at the moment :cry: , but know that I need to go on and learn rather than being defeatist. BTW I have printed off the information under Crayola markers where you show how you spray fabrics on the floor. I am quite braindead at times, :roll: so would be soo grateful for some clarification. Thank you.

Pam, when I use the Stable Stuff as a foundation for appliques I do NOT use starch on the appliques, except for the berries which are a different technique. The Stable Stuff makes the fabric plenty stiff enough to hold the crisp edges. I DO starch the background fabric because I think it is easier to stitch on stiffer fabric.
If you have used Stable Stuff as a foundation for your main vine in this block, you should be able to make it the same shape and width as the pattern. The shape you cut your Stable Stuff should be the shape of your applique after the edges are turned under.

As for the spraying on the floor....that's how I starch my "chunky cuts" for piecing, and my background fabrics for applique. After the starch is dry I iron the pieces flat and then cut them to the proper size for the project. http://forum/i-need-quilting-related...shable-markers

Let me know if that doesn't help explain it!

[Pam D.]

Margo, that does clarify things for me. I think I was wanting a perfect block which as a complete beginner at applique is abit unrealistic :roll: . I think that I may need to trace my vine again onto SS, as the vine I have cut out seems to have varying widths. Another example of why accuracy is so important. I have to remind myself that once the block's got borders round it and is quilted alot of the imperfections aren't noticeable. So onwards and upwards, back to try again, feeling encouraged. :-) Thank you for all your help.

[karen f.]

Robin I love your birdy applique block!

JoJo those stems are the coolest!!
Thanks to both of you for sharing your great ideas.

[Margo C.]

Margo, that does clarify things for me. I think I was wanting a perfect block which as a complete beginner at applique is abit unrealistic :roll: . I think that I may need to trace my vine again onto SS, as the vine I have cut out seems to have varying widths. Another example of why accuracy is so important. I have to remind myself that once the block's got borders round it and is quilted alot of the imperfections aren't noticeable. So onwards and upwards, back to try again, feeling encouraged. :-) Thank you for all your help.

Glad to help, Pam! I hope you are able to create a block that you are proud of with all the tips that you will get from Sue's directions and my additional tutorials.
Please ask if there is anything else you are not sure of!

[Margo C.]

I love your block!!! I haven't started yet but you have given me ideas! I am definitely going to do it scrappy!

Here is my center block at the moment. I haven't squared it up and cut it down yet, but I will. When I have my corners put on, I will post a picture. I did freezer paper, needle-turn, hand applique on my block. As I keep saying, it took me a long time as I am very slow....but I am really enjoying it.

[Margo C.]

Margo, just so that you know all of your help the last couple of days with my questions about mitered corners did not go unused.....I practiced and practiced and practiced mitered corners today. Some were okay, some were good, I think ONE of them might have actually been great! :lol: However, I still need a lot more practice...but Thank you again!

[Barbara S.]

January block is done. Not perfect, but done.

Thank you for all your help Margo. I never would have tried a block this complicated without all your wonderful tutorials and encouragement.

Barbara