Work in Progress-Hand Dyed Apples

Quilted Apples, Art Quilts

Today is Work in Progress Wednesday and I am reviving an old project.  This project was derived from an art book study in value.

(NOTE--In order to keep a smooth stitched line, do not stop in the middle of this "sweep". If you need to adjust your quilt, wait until you are at the top of the sweep and before you are ready to change directions.)

They say, “Value does all the work and color gets all the credit.”

(NOTE--In order to keep a smooth stitched line, do not stop in the middle of this "sweep". If you need to adjust your quilt, wait until you are at the top of the sweep and before you are ready to change directions.)

 

It was a perfect project for my hand dyed fabrics. The reason I abandoned the project was that I fused the pieces with regular Wonder Under.  Because there are so many layers in some areas, the squares are as stiff as cardboard and resistant to free motion quilting.

(NOTE--In order to keep a smooth stitched line, do not stop in the middle of this "sweep". If you need to adjust your quilt, wait until you are at the top of the sweep and before you are ready to change directions.)

 

I still have the pattern I designed, so I’d like to try this again.  Should I fuse it again with a light weight fusible? Should  I appliqué it-by hand or by machine?  What will I do with it once it’s finished?  These are the design decisions that went unanswered before and landed this project in a bin in the basement.  Can I resuscitate it this time?  What would YOU do?

Maybe I’ll just go make a pie…

Lori

13 responses to “Work in Progress-Hand Dyed Apples”

  1. I would love that hanging on a wall! The new shape flex by Pellon is very lightweight and moveable. You may be able to quilt over it. I use it on all of my tshirt quilts now and am able to quilt through it beautifully.

  3. I try to cut away the extra wonder under in the center of the piece before I fuse it. (So, your fusible is just a skinny “doughnut” around the edges of the design.) It does decrease some of the layers, a bit.

    I especially love that blue piece. I hope you find a way to finish!

    1. I’ve used the method described by Lori above and it works well. You can also cut away the under layer of fabrics (don’t fuse them first though!).

      Good luck!

  4. I think I honestly would wrap it in plastic and drive it to the Grafton dump – not your project – just if it were one of my many unfinished projects. I would never dump anything you had made!!

  6. How about using a fine line of glue on the back of the applique. A glue like Roxanne’s would work. I actually use Elmer’s School Glue. It leaves the applique pliable and it washes out too. Bonus!

  7. Paula, I am working on a raw-edge applique project and I am using that same technique! It’s been working very well to hold things in place, although it would be a pain to hand-quilt through the glue once it’s dried. At least, it’s a pain to sew binding on through the patches where the glue went over the edges…

  8. Thank you all for your great suggestions. I have used a glue stick occasionally, but love the idea of wash out Elmer’s. Also, I have not tried the light weight fusibles like Misty Fuse or Shape Flex–thanks so much for the information. I will add those products to my “bag of tricks”.

    1. I love the Elmer’s School Glue and use it with a Sharon Schamber’s tip – available from her website. Also Soft Fuse is delightful for fusing. Feels like regular fabric, even with the fusible on. And I think you could hand sew through it.
      Sue

  9. After you draw your shape, echo it about 1/4″ inside. Then cut on both lines, and only fuse that 1/4″. It saves on bulk and broken needles… Love the apples 🙂

  10. I would add “stitches” with fabric pens. It’s an arty type quilt piece anyway and if it’s done carefully could look like hand quilted stitching.

Comments are closed.