Flu Got Me Blue

Hubby brought home a sick bug.  Runny nose, sniffles, and aching all over.  So,  I tip toed around him for three days trying to avoid contact without wearing a hazmat suit. But it still grabbed me hard! I am thankful to say that this year was the first time I got a flu shot.  They say there are no guarantees of not getting the flu but it should shorten the life and severity.  I'm now a believer.  It knocked me down for48 hours but I'm on the mend.

While feeling punk, I tried to complete a few berries. Since completing all 160 circles with a running stitch, I now needed to move onto the next stage.."Turn & Burn".  By placing the heat resistant template in the center, put liquid starch around the edge of the running stitch, pull the strings together causing the fabric to surround the template and apply the iron to the starch, dampened area.  When the starched disc has dried and cooled, remove the template and bingo, you have a lovely round berry to sew onto the block.

Sew Happy to Share...
Penny

Make'n Berries- Design Wall Monday on Tuesday

It's been a while since I've posted anything on Design Wall Monday.  Only to find out the things have changed and there is a new site taking our posts.  Thank you!  If you want to check out others, go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Also, I'm linking up with Quilting is more fun than Housework.  Because all of my applique is done with scraps I thought it would be a bit inspirational to show.  And another great link is Love Laugh Quilt. Take a look at what others are doing. 

Tuesday's post intended for Monday's Design Wall.
Preparing applique pieces, prior to sewing, is as important as prepping ingredients prior to cooking. It is a monotonous task but so important.

I've currently made 144 circles for the four blocks of the Lily Rosenberry quilt. Now preparing an additional 160 circles for the border.

Guess it's time to put on the earbuds and fire up the audio book!

Sew Happy to Share...  Penny

Invisible Machine Quilting

While looking around Podunk Pretties blog site I found instruction on 'Invisible Machine Quilting'.  Over the years, Lea Anne's blog has been a wonderful source of information and she always has links to other sources which are so helpful.  Generations, is another site full of instructional goodies.

 

Mono filament thread on the top, cotton 50wt in the bobbin.  Then finding a stitch to imitate hand applique. First tried this stitch and found I didn't like the outcome trying to adjust the length or width.

Found using the good old regular zig-zag stitch was perfect. Gives plenty of  room to adjust the width and length.
 Note to self~ on your Bernina, adjust the stitch width to 3/4 or .75 and the stitch length to 1.5

Another Note to self~  Set the tread tension to 1.2 or you'll get the bottom thread pulling up.  That's what is showing in the stem stitch-work.

 I don't particularly like the high gloss that mono filament thread gives.  This being my first attempt maybe that's why all the stitches are pretty obvious.

I do like the speed it allows to get a project done.  However, I need a lot more practice before it will look as nice as hand applique.

Another Year of Beginnings

Looking back at my list of posts I have come to the conclusion I'm a failed blogger.  So I've decided to make this blog a quilting/applique self reference library. A place to go when this old brain goes into the 'forgets', (lately, a bit too frequent).

I was introduced to a product that made my appliqueing life so simple.  In the past I would thread my needles, stick them in a little pincushion and wrap the thread around the cushion.  Yuck, what a mess!

But then I watched Jennifer's YouTube presentation of Clover's Dome Threaded Needle Case and life changed.  Click here to see how to use it.

With a few convenient tweaks of adding a tiny bottle cap pincushion I'm set.  The Dome lid is also a great place to stick leather finger tabs.

All my needles are threaded in red silk, ready to finish sewing 36 circles onto the last block.

This is an amazing quilt, Lily Rosenberry Quilt by Susan Garman.  However, I'm only doing four blocks and the border for a wall quilt.

I saw this quilted by Kelly Cline Quilting and was so inspired.  I'm hoping to machine quilt it myself.  After domestic machine quilting a queen sized I've decided to keep this one small.

Oh, my.  Look at all of the circles needed to be made.  I better get busy.
Until later...
I'm sew happy to share!
Hugs,   Penny