Paper Piecing in the Hoop

[Susan B.]

WOW Libby!
How long did the star take after you had digitised it? I mean, just the sewing?

[Judy M.]

Sounds fascinating, Libbi--I always enjoy learning how quilters go about their work! I enjoyed Carol Doak's segment on TQS, but I still enjoy hand piecing a mariner's compass. I hand pieced an oval compass which will be the center of a quilt in progress. Jinny Beyer's segment on TQS has me CHARGED!!!

[Judy M.]

Libby, fantastic! It looks like you are doing what HoopSisters do, which is combine quilt piecing with embroidery. You can check out their stuff at http://www.hoopsisters.com.

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Liberata T.]

I'll try to answer all questions at once:

Through browsing the Yahoo group for the Series 8 I saw a mention about HoopSisters and the BOM that is called Crazy Compass. I enquired but told it was sold to dealers and I have to sign up for a course. Fat chance here in Switzerland. When I examined the photo of the quilt, I realized that it wasn't the look I wanted to achieve. I wanted the result to look the same as if it had been pieced the "normal" way. So I started on my own.

Having time on the train from Lausanne to Villeneuve, I started to examine Carol's templates. I have taken Joanne Winn's course on applique at QU in which we constructed 2 Dresden Plates. Again close but not what I wanted. The Dresden Plate closes the circle by carefully turning over the final edge and stitching it down with a small straight stitch. The center circle and the outside edge of the plate are finished with decorative stitches.

Also having done lots of applique in the hoop, I decided that I could construct the segments in the hoop using these techniques but I would have to compromise by joining the segments the old fashioned way.

How long to digitize: To actually digitize takes minutes because it is all straight lines. The trick is to organize the pieces in the proper order, to separate them by color, and to create a placement line to accurately and efficiently place the following piece so that right sides are together.

When I realized that the Jumbo hoop could contain 4 segments. I reorganized the pieces so that I could sew out all 4 outlines, then sew down all the "1's" and the placement line for the "2's". I sewed out all 4 "2's" then removed the hoop, flipped them over, pressed & lightly glued them down. Reattach the hoop, sew placement lines for "3's", positioned them, sewed all, then removed the hoop, etc. When the final piece is pressed and glued, I sewed the triangle outline to retain the shape without any distortion. Removed them from the hoop and trimmed.

Time: Now it takes me 10-15 minutes to digitize and organize. Only do one segment, then duplicate and rotate. It takes me about 30 minutes to sew & trim the 4 segments but I waste a lot of time because I have to press & glue in another room.

Now for the photos following Amanda's instructions
Sorry...long post ops:

[Liberata T.]

I believe hoop size may be the limitation for the 730, not the design or stitchout. The dimensions for a segment are approx 6x6x8.5 or 152.4x152.4x 215.9 mm. If the 255 x145 was a square, you could get one segment (1/8 th of the template). The mega would work for 2 segments but you'd have to be careful about the seam allowance. And then there's all that moving the hoop up and down.

As for aquamesh, I'm going to try the soluable I have but I am afraid my brand is too fragile. We'll see.

I'd have to sew the Stable Stuff sheets together to fit the jumbo hoop but I've sewed stabilizers together before.

The price for Glue Baste It here (2 oz) is 11.40 CHF or $10.97 ... not as bad as I thought.

[Liberata T.]

Just an update on my testing of different stabilizers.

Didn't like soluable at all. Had to be very, very careful because glue would start dissolve process and whole sewout became difficult. Even though I was working with a dry iron, shrinkage started. Maybe other brands wouldn't have this problem but mine did and that's what is available in my area.

I will have to look for a leave-in or continue with tear away & thin backing fabric.

[Annis C.]

Fun-dation by the yard comes in 20" widths. I purchased some last year from softexpressions.com. It's similar to Stable Stuff but not as thick. I haven't had time to use it yet to see how it feeds through a printer but I have used the 8 1/2 x 11 sheets and they printed fine.

[Liberata T.]

I have found my ideal stabilizer. It is a leave in product, Vlieseline L11, which I believe is a soft garment interfacing rather than a quilting product. I don't know what the equivalent USA product would be. It holds its shape in the hoop and provides a soft hand to the finished block. With that product and a generous supply of glue baste it, I am ready to construct a quilt of B&W stars.

[Debbie L.]

:shock: Really beautiful, love the colors as well. So your saying an interfacing? A thin or med weight. Debbie

[Debbie L.]

Libbi, AWESOME! I love black and white!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Debbie L.]

Very nice Libbi!

[Liberata T.]

Debbie,

The product is thin and very lightweight. The manufacturer is German and their website describes it as soft interfacing for sewing by hand or machine. It is washable to 95°C and also dry cleanable. It is recommended for shaping collars, cuffs on blouses and dresses on fabrics whose textures do not lend themselves to stiffening. So it holds its shape without adding weight.

I find that it holds up in the hoop, can be ironed, etc.

[Debbie L.]

Wow, Thanks Libbi, I will give it a try. I am goin to start a a crazy quilt project for a freind. So this will give it just the body it needs. I understand the type of interfacing you are talking about. I have made garments in the past. But I will do a sample and let you know. But first I have to get to the Store to get some.
Thank you so much. Debbie Please keep up the amazing design work.