Teaching improvisational piecing

I was teaching some quilters improvisational piecing I have described some weeks ago.
Do you remember the idea? Collecting big pieces which you have by hand, cut them and resew.

















There are different results - all of them amazing and interesting.

Now some blocks are finished items.

 

All were satisfied and motivated.
Thanks for participating and new ideas.

Stained glass window

Sometimes the beginning of the day is the most creative time for me.
That morning when drinking coffee I realized that sewing stained glass window patchwork would be sew easy using new technique if insert a dark strip after rearranging the parts.
What I mean?
Do you remember my improvisational method of piecing from last post?
I have added a 3/4 inches stripe. And voila.

Look at this

Now the strip is half inch.
No need to stitch it with perfect quarter inch seam allowance.
It looks more naturally and vivid as a real stained glass window.

Which one do you like?

How to make the perfect circle mug rug

I have designed a daffodil stained glass picture and realized that binding it usual way with bias tape won't look pretty.
I wondered what fabric to choose, thought a little more and decided to make it as cushion cover - place top and back right sides together, stitch and turn over.
The difference is that instead of leaving a hole for turn over when stitching along the perimeter, you have to stitch WHOLE perimeter and make a slash on the back for turn over. This ensure you have a perfect circle shape.
I have seen this method on the Lisa Call's site - an interesting fiber artist I have found two years ago.
In fact she made ACEO mini quilt - they are small rectangles 2.5″ x 3.5″only, but the idea is the same.

You will need 7" circle batting , 7" circle backing, 3"x1" strip non-woven fusible interfacing and finished top.

1.Lay the batting and prepared top right side up and stitch around at a quarter inch from the edge
of the picture to fasten two layers.

 2. Fuse a strip of fusible interfacing on the wrong side of backing and cut a 2.5” slash.

 

3. Lay the backing right side up and place on it the prepared  top  from step 12 right side down.
Stitch round perimeter follow the seam you made earlier to fasten batting and top.

4. Trim the batting only close to the seam.

5. Turn over the mug rug through the slash you have cut on the back.

Iron well, stitch round close to the edge.
Place a strip 2 x 5” on the slash on the back and needle turn applique
a strip to hide the hole.

6. Now you have a perfect circle mug rug.
Make a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the spring.

Easter bunny stained glass mug rug

After some attempts with easy shapes I decided to make more complicated picture as stained glass.
Because Easter is round the corner it is obviously I aimed my efforts to this scenario.

I have appliqued the same way - look at the tutorial HERE.

The difference now is that I want to have a finished item - mug rug,
The only possible quilting would be stitch in the black. Anyway I don't want to touch beauty of black stripes with thread stitching.
I quilted the backing and batting first.

Then place this sandwich right side down and place the finished top on.
Stitch round the perimeter at a quarter inch from the edge of the picture  and trim to 3/8 inches from the edge.

Then add binding as usual.

Grab the pattern from CRAFTSY or ETSY.

Tip:
I have chosen pastel fabrics, but think more vivid colors would give a better look!

Appliqued stained glass - tutorial

I love stained glass!
There are  so many  different items - from classical windows and doors to quilts.
Usually when sewing it is used a narrow bias strip to separate different pieces.
This is 100% sewn by hand and for someone who doesn't like hand stitching it is so boring.
If you like to applique by machine this stained glass method is perfect for you.
The finished block is 6 inches.

Are you interested?
Keep reading then.


You will need:
8 inches square black fabric, fabrics for application, 8 inches square non-woven fusible interfacing, double side fusible web, suitable threads

And a diagram, of course.

Download it from HERE or from CRAFTSY  FOR FREE

1. Choose the fabrics and write down colors on the printed diagram.

2. Transfer the MIRROR image of diagram  to the double sided fusible web.
There is no need to print a mirror image, simply turn the printed diagram before stick on.
I usually stick on the window to use the daylight.
Be sure you  transferred correctly all the numbers.

 3. Cut round each piece. Pay attention to cut between every two pieces.
This ensure a little allowance to make fusing onto the fabric easier.
You will trim this down later

4. Fuse all pieces onto the back of the selected fabric with a hot, dry iron.

 

5. Trim each piece along the line. 

6. Transfer the number from back to the front of the fabric with disappearing pen.

Tip: place each piece on the corresponding place onto the printed diagram - for instance number 1 on the number 1. This will help you later when have to peel the paper and order on the black fabric.

7. Fuse the non-woven fusible interfacing onto the back of the black fabric with a hot, dry iron.
8. Place the black fabric on the ironing board and began order the picture.
Remove the backing paper from each piece and position it onto
the black fabric's top on the proper place beginning from the corner.
Place next piece keep in mind to leave black line between them.
If needed reposition the pieces till you are satisfied with the look.
Tip: If needed use a dry glue stick for easy order.

9. Fuse with hot iron carefully.

10. Using zig-zag stitch sew along the edges of all pieces with suitable threads.
Tip: You could use one and the same thread in the bobbin - simply loose the tension of the upper thread.

To prevent bulk of threads I end the stitching close to the beginning, pull the threads on the back side and make a knot to secure them.

11. Proceed the same way with all pieces.
Tip: Use the foot for application.

When finished you can use this block as you like - for coaster, for cushion or wall hanging if enlarge.

I have designed some different pictures. Grab them from ETSY or CRAFTSY.