Month Three (March) Ruffled Roses

[Jill B.]

Thanks for that Margo great to look at

[Kathryn S.]

After hand sewing on 14 of the 16 swags, I read that Monopoly thread was better to use than nylon monofilament thread to sew the two swag pieces together, because the nylon will melt . Guess which thread I used? I pressed my sample with a fairly hot iron, and it looked OK afterward. I know that Harriet Hargrave uses nylon monofilament to quilt her quilts, and she washes and dries them in the dryer. Will my swags be ok? Do I need to go back and hand sew over the zig zag part with cotton thread?
Kathy

[Margo C.]

After hand sewing on 14 of the 16 swags, I read that Monopoly thread was better to use than nylon monofilament thread to sew the two swag pieces together, because the nylon will melt . Guess which thread I used? I pressed my sample with a fairly hot iron, and it looked OK afterward. I know that Harriet Hargrave uses nylon monofilament to quilt her quilts, and she washes and dries them in the dryer. Will my swags be ok? Do I need to go back and hand sew over the zig zag part with cotton thread?
Kathy

Kathy, for what it's worth, I've used nylon monofiliment for over 20 years and have NEVER had it melt when hit with a hot iron, and have never had trouble with pieces falling off when frequently used quilts are machine washed and dried repeatedly. I've been to Dr. Bob's seminar and he says that his polyester MonoPoly is superior to any nylon. It may be, but I haven't had any trouble with the nylon and think that your applique is going to be just fine! Just my two cents worth.

[Kathryn S.]

Whew! thank you for that info. Your two cents is worth quite a bit. I sure wasn't looking forward to going over that piping with cotton thread. I did do some quilting in the past with nylon monofilament thread but decided that I liked "real" thread better, so hadn't used it much since then.

I'm looking at the photo of the quilt, and noticing those 4 applique corners further on, which also look like more than a month's worth to me. And also thinking that it's good that the swag border isn't further out, since that would make it longer!

I do like doing applique but it seems like most of my time off work is spent hunched over my magnifier Ott lite with a size 11 milliner's needle.

Kathy
Happy Easter

[Margo C.]

I do like doing applique but it seems like most of my time off work is spent hunched over my magnifier Ott lite with a size 11 milliner's needle.
Kathy

Kathy, this will definitely be a time consuming project, but you are creating an awesome quilt and it will be a real treasure when you are done!

Enjoy the process!

Margo

[Constance G.]

Kathy, speaking of the struggle to deal with our aging eyes I came across Foster Grant "LightSpecs" while at the drug store this week. I LOVE THEM! The magnification in my bifocals just wasn't keeping up with the desire for small hand applique stitches for this project. I knew I needed more light AND more magnification. I bought the +2.50 magnification, and it has made the process ever so much easier for me. Now, I'm sure I look like a creature out of a sci-fi movie, but for the sake of pleasurable hand sewing I'm willing to bear it!

Here's info at their website:
http://www.fostergrant.com/FG_LightSpecs.htm

[Kathryn S.]

I went to the Foster Grant website, wow those specs are cool! I use prescription magnifiers right now, because I have astigmatism too. Between the Ott magnifier lite and the RX specs, I can see the individual threads. I wonder if those lighted glasses would work?
Thanks for the info.

This applique stint is teaching me patience and perseverence. I'm noticing that my technique is getting better too.
I'm on to doing the hearts in the March corners, then after that I can start making the roses.

Are you doing the BOM? If you are, where are you up to?

Kathy

[Constance G.]

Kathy, I'm doing the BOM also, but not caught up. I've got my March swags done, but still working on the roses, then on to the corner blocks. Since I changed the center design in January, I need to come up with a coordinating design for the March corner blocks. I'm also working on April's 4-patch border. I'm going to Paducah next week (my first trip ever to a 'major' quilt show!) and I'll have both hand and machine work I can do in the evening, if I'm not totally exhausted from all the daytime fun!

[Kathryn S.]

Connie, you lucky person, going to Paducah! The Road to California show left me exhausted in the evenings, and it's smaller than Paducah. I hope you will have some energy left after going through the day.

I'm sticking to the Ruffled Roses design so don't need to come up with something new, thankfully.

Have fun!
Kathy

[Norma H.]

I'm very busy with other things right now, so I totally forgot to write here that I posted a photo in Show & Tell. I will be late on the next few month but I come back after July and then I'll catch up on April, May and June. Happy Quilting to all of you in the meantime

[Kathryn S.]

Finally finished with month 3!!!!

I put the last stitch in the applique today. I really like how it looks. Only took me 37 days to do!
Now on to April.



Kathy

[Margo C.]

Gorgeous, Kathy!

[Nancy R.]

Kathy, that is really beautiful! I really love the richness of your background fabric!

[Kathryn S.]

Thanks, I'm using the Beloved Beauties fabric. It's really gorgeous. Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Kathy, I really like it too!