Good Morning, Quilters!
This week, I am working on my Boxes and Vines project– quilting the applique flowers and leaves. For all of my quilts, I have a general quilting plan as I begin, and allow the plan to evolve as I stitch.
Before I create my plan, I try to think about what I am trying to achieve.
For example, I would like the applique leaves and flowers to really stand out. In order to do that, I started by densely quilting around the applique shapes. (Read more about quilting around applique here.) Dense stitching compacts the three layers around the applique and lifts the unquilted applique.
My original plan was to leave the flowers and leaves unquilted. However, when I was finished with all the background stitching, the applique looked a little too plain. The applique flowers and leaves really need some embellishment.
Next Choice: Thread
I decided to stitch the applique flowers and leaves with heavy weight (30 wt) variegated thread. That thread choice posed a new problem. What would be the best way to travel from one motif to the next? I started with the flowers and quickly realized that I needed to cut my thread between each motif.
But I hate making knots!
Switching Machines
I currently have two sewing machines set up in my studio, a BERNINA 770QE domestic sewing machine and a BERNINA Q20 sit-down quilting machine. I used the Q20 to stitch most of the quilt. However, I decided to switch to the B770QE to stitch the flowers. The B770 has an automatic knot and cutter feature. By pressing one button, the machine stitches in place to create a knot and then cuts the bobbin and the top thread. This leaves a small tail on the back, so I’ll have a bit of trimming to do later. (I like to trim when I do the hand binding.)
Travel Stitching or Knotting Off?
When using heavy thread, sometimes the best solution is to knot off between motifs. While I would prefer to stitch one continuous line and connect the applique flowers, cutting off was the best solution for this design.
Martingale and BERNINA University
Progress continues on my third book-a series of lessons and projects! The editor and photographer from Martingale are coming to my house this week for a photo shoot. Guess who cleaned her sewing room!?
Next week, I am traveling to Jacksonville, Florida to teach at BERNINA University-a conference for dealers. Hope your dealer is there!!!
What about YOU?
Do YOU have any applique quilts in your collection?
How did YOU quilt them?
What thread did YOU use?
Have YOU cleaned YOUR sewing room lately?
We’d LOVE to hear!
Happy Stitching!
Lori
PS…My first two books–each with more than 60 step-by-step motifs and so much more are available at my Etsy shop!
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other purposes, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com. Thanks!
33 comments
Tammy Howell
This is a great tutorial on quilting around applique! Thank you. I have both your books and am looking forward to the third one. And yes, I cleaned my sewing room this week! It looks and feels so much better.
Marta
My heart only focused on one thing. Jacksonville is only ONE hour from me. Wish it was a public meeting ! I know you will enjoy it.They are lucky to have you !! Supposed to be cooler then, with heat wave finished.
Barbara Jansz
Great tips today! Anxious to try a heavier weight variegated thread. Would I use the same weight in the bobbin?? Thanks for your help.
vivian383
Lori, I would love to hear your thoughts on why you have a sit down longarm instead of some of the smaller longarm setups. I am trying to decide whether to buy a sit down model, or a smaller longarm with the new frames. I see a definite drawback in having to adjust your quilt on the smaller frames very frequently. I really don’t see any drawbacks to the sit down machines other than not being able to run pantographs or computerized quilting .Are there other factors that I’m not seeing? I should mention that I am partially disabled and wouldn’t be doing much stand up quilting. I do quilt large quilts free motion. I don’t have a lot of room- which is why I clean up my sewing room after every project! I’d love to hear your comments !
Mari Russell
Hi Lori! Good morning from Scotland. Fab applique quilt – I love it! I’m having new carpet throughout the house next week, including in my workshop, which is at one end of my open-plan living room! Currently on holiday on the Isle of Mull (til Sunday), so will have to get off the mark on Monday! A major Declutter & Destash is on the cards!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Thank you and greetings to you in Scotland!
Suzanne
The stitching you did on your flowers is magical! They were lovely to begin with and it gave them elegance and definition. Your variegated blue sashing and borders are gorgeous. Those blues are some of my favorite colors. I’m not a big fan of applique but enjoy it sometimes depending upon the project. I don’t much like handwork either, so I machine applique with piecing thread and tiny stitches. Just as you did with your flowers, some well-done applique can make a quilt unique and interesting. I’d never thought about adding decorative stitching on appliques but I’ll be trying it now!
About my sewing room, well, I’ve been working on cleanup and organization for a over a year now. It’s a small room, only 12×15 and is shared with our computer setup including 2 PC’s, 2 printers, 2 rolling chairs, a cable box, office supplies, a small TV and filing racks, all of which take up one whole wall filled with 3 levels of shelves.
In the other half of the room (more like 2/3rds actually) there are shelves on all the walls, even above the closet where I keep my stash. Some of the shelves hold scrap bins, some hold my serger, fabric cutter, supplies like Best Press & basting spray, sewing and pattern books, binders full of PDF patterns, notes on quilt ideas, boxes of notions and a big variety of other supplies I use for sewing and occasionally a little crafting.
I have just finished cleaning, dusting, sweeping and setting up my main machine, backup machine, cutting table and ironing board in a U-shape arrangement. The bottom of the U is my backup machine, in its own table, under a window and the cutting table & ironing board form one leg under 2 windows on the connecting wall. My new Arrow Bertha cabinet forms the 2nd leg, holds my Brother Dreamweaver machine and extends into the room rather like a divider. The table is great, and I LOVE the extension that can be set up for FMQ – no quilt drag!! My backup is a terrific vintage Kenmore 158-14000 which still purrs like a kitten. It’s very useful when my big machine goes in for a tune-up as it can do some of the same functions as the Brother, just with no bells & whistles. It’s too small to push much of a quilt through, but it’s great to have while the ‘big boy’ is away. I have rulers, rotary cutters and gloves hanging around on command strips and within easy reach. I’ve also put a compression curtain rod about halfway up in the window well behind the Kenmore. It’s a great place to hang strips and partially assembled quilt bits so they don’t get dirty or lost. Plus, they’re within easy reach.
My final step in this adventure (ha-ha) is to clean out the closet and re-organize my stash. I have a special shelving unit on order for this purpose. The closet is a wide one with two sliding doors and it’s packed! I’m dreading how long it will take as it’s going to be a VERY big job. Oh well, sooner started, sooner done!
As always Lori, thanks for your tutoring and inspiration, it is so very much appreciated.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Sounds like you are well on your way to a clean sewing room. Getting started is half the battle.
Julia Parrino
Please, oh please have a photo of your entire quilt, Boxes and Vines, in the new book. I have been adding to a drawing of it each time you show some of it. I’d love to see the whole quilt!
Thanks for all your directions and encouragement! Every blog is so appreciated!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Too late to put Boxes and Vines in the book but I will show a full photo here. I’m thinking of creating a pattern for it.
Julia Parrino
That would be fabulous! This is one of my “bucket list” quilts. Thanks, Lori
Martha O.
Invisible thread ~ so I won’t have to cut and knot.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
WhT brand and type do you use?
Lois Moran
What size needle do you use with the 30 wt. thread? Can’t wait for the new book! I use your other two as inspiration all the time.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Size 90 Topstitch needle.
Janette
Working on an applique baby quilt. Just putting all the layers together, then will do a satin stitch on the edges of the applique. Trying to figure out whether to use a 50 weight thread or something lighter. The appliques are of large animals that take up the center of the quilt. Working on a Bernina 750 QE. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help.😊
Lori Kennedy Quilts
I am working on a machine applique–Hawaiian style. I tested several stitches including satin stitch and my favorite is the blanket stitch with 28 wt Aurifil thread. The satin stitch samples weren’t as pretty–which surprised me! I’d love to hear what works best for you.
Sue H
This post is so timely — I am currently quilting an applique quilt and was wondering what to do after outline stitching. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Can’t wait to see it!
Barbara Daniel
I love all your posts but really enjoyed seeing how you tackle applique. I do a lot of fused applique landscapes and I can never find anyone with instructions as to how to quilt mountains,trees, grass, water, sky etc. that is what I would really like to learn. My other question would be on how do you quilt hand embroidered quilts. Especially when it is a scene. Thank you for all you share with us. I love your blog.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
I will see if I can come up with something for you.
Debby
When you use the thread cutter on the 770 it leaves a knot on the back. What do you do about that?
Suzanne
Hi Debby, my machine makes a little knot too, but I choose not to use it when quilting. I pull my project out from underneath the presser foot for about 6″ or so then cut the threads myself leaving approx. 3″ on both the top and bottom as well as 3″ out from the machine. (you DO have to reach under the quilt to snip the bobbin thread) Then I use the top thread to pull the bobbin thread to the surface, knot them about an 1/8″ from the quilt and run the two threads between my thumb and the top of a glue stick. (rub your fingers together and the glue will come off your skin easily) The glue dries VERY quickly so if you wish you can immediately bury them. The knot should “pop” under the quilt top when you do. I use a crewel embroidery needle for this because it has a nice large eye and is sharp enough to slip into the quilt. Even if you have a great deal of loose threads to bury, it goes MUCH faster when the threads are stiffened with glue. If you’ve pulled the quilt out far enough when snipping, you’ll have a long enough thread at your starting point as well and can do the same thing with those threads at the same time. I find this much easier than just snipping threads and then having the hassle of a lot of threads to bury when done. And no one will know you buried your threads on the quilt front. Assuming you don’t bury black threads under white fabric that is! ; -} It’s a nice feeling to finish your FMQ and perhaps have only a few threads left to bury, plus you end up with a nice neat looking quilt!
There’s Quilt-As-You-Go, now you know Bury-As-You-Go!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Thank you for that great tip and excellent description!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
I snip close to the knot so it’s not visible.
Lillian Krueger
I use my little snip scissors and trim the threads close to the knot. If you have used a busy backing, it is difficult to find the threads. Good luck with your quilting.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
I do that too!!
Sandy Witham-Atkinson
Although I retired at the end of 2017, I did a fair amount of relief pharmacy work in 2018. This is my 1st year of honest-to-goodness retirement! I am sorting, trashing, shredding, donating “stuff” from what I have called my “quilting studio;” we have lived in this house for over 8 years and I have never sewn a single stitch in my quilting studio! I started calling the room my “resource room” but there was no way I could find anything in there! I am trying to make it a real quilting studio now!
In addition to that BIG project, I am trying to stay on track with making 2 quilts for Christmas for my step-daughter, step-son, and their spouses. All 5 grandchildren have received quilts for high school graduation and now it is their parents turn!
I have done all my sewing downstairs in the family room to date. We rearranged and spiffed it up last fall. My Sweet Sixteen is there and I have really progressed in my quilting–all it takes is PRACTICE and I now have time for that! (Good free-motion resources – I have both of your books and love them – help, too!). My Accuquilt and cutting table are more accessible now and I will keep my Featherweight and small folding table in the family room!
I will have my 30+ year old Bernina in my Koala sewing table in the quilting studio and have access to my design wall in the quilting studio. I’d better get to work because I have a bunch of 9-patches to lay out on the design wall for one of those Christmas quilts!
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Lololol. Love the “resource room “!!!
Deanna Bowman
Hand applique is my thing–then I hand quilt the quilts. I usually use Aurifil thread (40 or 28 weight) to hand quilt with. i actually have started cleaning/straightening my sewing room. We lost my Mom suddenly last year—she had soooo much stuff, I’m trying to keep my space cleaner and more organized for my kids when I go lol. Thanks for all you do.
Lori Kennedy Quilts
Do you embellish by quilting the appliqué shapes? Harder to do by hand when you have to stitch through multiple layers. I understand what you mean about purging!
Valerie Duff
How are your appliqués secured to the quilt top?
Lori Kennedy Quilts
They are hand appliquéd.
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