May Block

[Sandy L.]

Marge, Maggie and Bonny Thanks for your nice comments.

I did cheat and start a little early. I put the star on my background and made lots of berries so I could pick & choose when I got ready for them. I also made the bias stems for the flowers and berries. It did save me a lot of time when the pattern was available.

Bonny, I'm sure you'll like the MA. It definitely is a lot faster and I've got a couple of applique projects that I would like to finish this year. I love the needle turn applique because it is so relaxing but it does take longer to do. Good luck to you.

Sandy in Phoenix

[Sandy L.]

OK ladies. Deep breath. I've posted my machine applique tutorial online. If there is something that is unclear or completely left out, please let me know. This is just how I am comfortable doing machine applique. I'm so glad others are also letting us in on their techniques as well! This is such a fun and educational group! And Margo -- you are wonderful to do this every month! Applause!

http://bridgetlilja.homestead.com/MachineApplique.html

And I'm putting out a disclaimer on the condition of my hands and nails -- the weather's been nice and I've been out gardening all week. (My daughter said, "Eww! Are those your fingers?")

Now I'm off to post my block and maybe give myself a manicure!

[Margo C.]

OK ladies. Deep breath. I've posted my machine applique tutorial online. If there is something that is unclear or completely left out, please let me know. This is just how I am comfortable doing machine applique. I'm so glad others are also letting us in on their techniques as well! This is such a fun and educational group! And Margo -- you are wonderful to do this every month! Applause!

http://bridgetlilja.homestead.com/MachineApplique.html

And I'm putting out a disclaimer on the condition of my hands and nails -- the weather's been nice and I've been out gardening all week. (My daughter said, "Eww! Are those your fingers?")

Now I'm off to post my block and maybe give myself a manicure!

WOW!!! BRIDGET THAT'S GREAT!!! Thank you so much for adding a whole new technique for the BOMettes to work with!

And, Bridget, I think that we should be allowed to post a warning that "hands in photos are younger than they appear"!!! LOL!!!
I was shocked to see how bad mine look! :shock:

I've just posted pictures of how I folded some of the fabric in my stash since some ladies have asked about it.

http://community.webshots.com/user/T...host=community

(Not only do you have to promise not to look at my hands but the fashion police will probably notice that I've been painting!!)

[Sandy L.]

Bridget What a wonderful tutorial. You covered everything from start to finish. You must work with computers to make such a professional presentation. Your tutorial will be a great help to all of the newbies and those os us who have been quilting for a while.

Thanks for all of your work in putting that together.

Love your block, it looks great.

Sandy in Phoenix

[Denise L.]

OK ladies.



I've just posted pictures of how I folded some of the fabric in my stash since some ladies have asked about it.

http://community.webshots.com/user/T...host=community

(Not only do you have to promise not to look at my hands but the fashion police will probably notice that I've been painting!!)

My husband will love this tutorial, he's been wanting to come in an refold my fabric. I don't mind the mess but he can't stand it. We share the room, he's on the computer and I'm in the sewing area. It's my way to see everything as it's hanging. Hey if he wants to bother, go for it!

denise

[Denise L.]

Bridget, WOW! great tutorial! Thanks for all the work!

Maggie

[Denise L.]

Margo, great ideas! But I'm afraid if it were so nicely folded and stacked, that I wouldn't want to use it! LOL!

Maggie

[Denise L.]

Bridget- Thank you for putting all that info up on the forum. What a professional presentation! You owe yourself a manicure and a hand massage for all the effort. Boy, that sounds good to me too! Sally in sunny (for the moment) NE Ohio

[Denise L.]

Margo- I only wish my stash was as tidy as yours! I have started to fold my fabric pretty much the same as you, but unfortunately, I began this about 25 years too late! LOL! I wash my fabrics before adding them to my stash (I have a small mountain waiting by the washer) then iron, fold and put away....on a good day in a perfect world! I am guessing that I have 30 huge footlocker size plastic bins holding most of my stash and over 3/4 of it need to be refolded in this manner. I am attacking this in a baby step fashion...a little bit at a time because I would loose all my sewing time if I tried to get it all done at once.Not how I want to use my lifetime! Thanks again for all the time and help you extend to the forum. Keep Stitching! Sally

[Denise L.]

Bridget - love the tutorial! I was just telling my dh this weekend that I wanted to try machine applique and do a second block of the month with a dark background. Now I have a starting place for instruction. This is very similar to a hand applique technique I had already done, it never occured to me to stitch it by machine though. Thank you so much!

[Denise L.]

Thanks everyone!

[Denise L.]

Bridget- thanks a million! I am going to start immediately! What great instuctions...I guess I will start on May's block and work forward and backward at the same time! Wish me luck-

Janice

[Denise L.]

Bridget, Great job on your tutorial. I am going to try our method on a new quilt.

Margo, I love our ruler to fold technique. I have a hard time keeping my stash folded all the same size this will help. Thank you again for all your wonderful knowledge.

[Denise L.]

Bridget,
What a great tutorial - very professional and easy to follow! Thanks for all your time and talent that you have given to us.
I am definitely going to try this.

Your block is beautiful by the way. Great fabrics!

Bonny

[Denise L.]

Margo, thanks for sharing your organizational skills with us! I will be setting up a new quilting/sewing room with our move to Arkansas, and I will be sure to use your folding technique. Right now I have the fabric washed, then folded lengthwise (twice) so it's ready to cut, and then it's hung on wire hangers in a clothes closet. Works OK but I often need to refold it (and press it again)when I'm ready to use it, so it's not so handy, after all. Thanks too for posting my April BOM so quickly! It's so much fun to see them all posted. It's as if we were all working in the same room, for the same seminar at some quilt class! I really appreciate all you do.