All Things Rhapsody

[Judith T.]

Dana, your quilt is gorgeous. I love the colors you have chosen. No wonder you want to make another one soon.

Judy in AZ who can't seem to pick the right colors

[Annette R.]

Ok gang I just have to say that I saw Dana's Rhapsody in person and it is even more beautiful than the picture. Dana you rock!!! the colors the workmanship everything about this quilt is magic and so are you.

(just a side note your convergence is beautiful too haven't said that before but now you know why I love them)

Can't wait to see you this spring and good luck with all your pending adventures Your friend and admirer Ann

[Ricky T.]

Hi everyone. I am wondering about a couple of things. I've started on my rhapsody quilt and I want to have it be the centre for a large bed quilt. Adding borders to it making it larger should work just fine.
Most rhapsody quilts are wall hangings and therefore don't get washed. I want to be able to wash the bed quilt. I have done alot of applique on wall quilts. I have never done raw edge applique though. I've been reading Ricky's book and fusing the applique down and then doing the blanket stitch around looks great. If I want this quilt to be washable should I maybe do the applique with the turned under edges? Or maybe a satin stitch covering the raw edges would be okay?
Do any of you have experience doing raw edge applique and then washing?

Cher in BC

Hey Cher - Actually, my first Rhapsody quilts are all full size bed quilts. Rhapsody quilts are easily made to be bed quilts. I can tell you from experience that putting a a border around a rhapsody center can look a bit odd from a design sense. You can create a Rhapsody the size you want it to be and the borders are curvy and incorporated into the design.

[Cher O.]

Thanks Ricky, I was wondering about that. My thought was if the rhapsody sat on the bed top, the borders would hang over. They were going to need alot of their own applique to get them to match and not look like add ons. The sizing isn't square though. So maybe I'll make it the whole rhapsody but stretch my pattern to be rectangular instead of square. That way it's all rhapsody and I don't need to worry about borders.
I'll do the applique your way instead of mine (needleturn). The thought of doing all that needleturn had me thinking I'd not finish for a very long time.
Now to go redo my pattern. Thanks

Cher in BC

[Cher O.]

This is greate...(as a new member I didnt realize we have a Rhapsody forum) ...I just posted skeleton for my first Rhapsody on the Blog :shock: ...I made it on my EQ6 and did work out real greate. If I decide to make the same layout on an other Rhapsody(....kingsize maybe) I just have to change the size of the block...Isnt that greate or what???

[Eileen K.]

Dana,
Omigosh!!!! That quilt is breathtaking!!!
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

Hanne-Grete, I just looked at the photos in your profile, and I had to comment on how beautiful it is in your part of the world! When I was little, my parents took me to visit their homeland in Finland, and I got to see the midnight sun. I've remembered how beautiful it was all these 50-plus years.

Brita

[Eileen K.]

Eileen, I like your new profile picture. The Swiss cheese fabric is nice, too!!

Sharon in TN

[Wanda M.]

Dana,

Your Rhapsody is gorgeous!!! Just beautiful!!! You are very talented.

WandaM

[Wanda M.]

I recently bought Ricky's book on the rhapsody quilts, and am trying out the practice piece for double blanket stitch. I own a Bernina 440 but I'm not able to get those perfect points and v's by selecting the beginning stitch, has anyone got any good tips on how to get this.

[Wanda M.]

Hi Gabrielle -- I have the same machine. I cheat a bit on my points. If I am approaching a "trouble spot", I will pivot the piece 90 degrees after the front and back stitches so that the "bite" stitches go right over the previous front and back ones and don't cut all the way across a small point. Since it's the double blanket stitch, all the stitches look pretty thick as it is so the extra couple of stitches aren't really noticeable. Just take it slow and get the rhythm in your head and you should do fine! Hope this helps!

[Wanda M.]

I've just posted my final design, my fabrics on the design wall and some embroidery designs. I'm ready for the next installment. Anyone else ready?

JanP

[Eileen K.]

Jan,
If you go to Ricky's Rhapsody blog, he's got info on the applique. I just got the book yesterday, so I'm going to be behind everyone else with this. Plus, I'm going to do all the practice things before I attempt a real Rhapsody quilt.
eileenkny

[Cindy N.]

I have posted my latest rhapsody in progress. All of the pieces are staystitched and I am now designing and choosing fabric for the applique. Right on schedule with Ricky Cindy in STL

[Margo C.]

Cindy, I LOVE your applique designs for your Rhapsody quilt!! Can't wait to see how it all comes together!
SEW LONG!
Margo in SE Tennessee