tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post8809328792078249582..comments2024-03-27T20:05:01.726-04:00Comments on Rebecca Grace Quilting: Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3: Needleturn Applique Experiments ContinueRebecca Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-10977201762157769892014-04-11T09:23:51.221-04:002014-04-11T09:23:51.221-04:00Thanks, JoEllen! What a coincidence -- I just stu...Thanks, JoEllen! What a coincidence -- I just stumbled across SimpleBird's blog yesterday and was awestruck by the gorgeous album quilt border she's working on right now. :-)Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-79187802356771676212014-04-11T03:47:35.805-04:002014-04-11T03:47:35.805-04:00I have been trying to find the best technique as w...I have been trying to find the best technique as well! I am not willing to spend all the time and effort to not have a good result. I have been spending time on the website. <br />Simplebirddesigns. Kerry is very a very talented appliquer and has done her own learning curve to see what method works best for her and her work is lovely!JoEllenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07131043439988012499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-67201838353309446322014-04-10T13:20:33.358-04:002014-04-10T13:20:33.358-04:00I thought I should mention it. I did the same thin...I thought I should mention it. I did the same thing when switching my blocks around. It looks good both ways though!Vivianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00536461109186323239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-20571850008517808322014-04-07T20:18:33.020-04:002014-04-07T20:18:33.020-04:00Good point about the cardinals, Vivian! I didn...Good point about the cardinals, Vivian! I didn't even notice that. I only had the blocks on the wall for about 10 minutes before my husband got home from the store and made me take everything down so he could attach the design wall more securely. I think I will switch the birds as you suggested.Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-12740728167896756232014-04-07T12:18:35.370-04:002014-04-07T12:18:35.370-04:00Your Jingle Quilt looks great. A pieced inner bord...Your Jingle Quilt looks great. A pieced inner border will look nice and the two solid fabric outer and inner border will look nice also. The outer border can be red and you shouldn't notice it's even a border. I did notice you moved the first applique block (cardinals on the branches) to the left side of the quilt when it was center top in the original design. I am not sure if you noticed but all the cardinal blocks (4) are centered on the quilt (like a clock, 12 o'clock,3,6,9). It still looks good, but I didn't know if that was something you noticed. Still love your fabric choices. Vivianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00536461109186323239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-28088562060662195322014-04-07T09:59:04.444-04:002014-04-07T09:59:04.444-04:00Thanks, Pat! That's what I was thinking. I r...Thanks, Pat! That's what I was thinking. I read in the Thimblelady's book and also, I think, in another book that smaller pieces were easier to applique with batik fabrics. I know that's partly due to the higher thread count, but batiks definitely have a crisper hand as well. I may have even prewashed some of these fabrics in regular laundry loads which would have had fabric softener... Another possible culprit!Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-74949232700196579582014-04-06T10:27:48.821-04:002014-04-06T10:27:48.821-04:00I'm sure starch will make a lot of difference ...I'm sure starch will make a lot of difference and will make your applique pieces much easier to handle. As an avid needle-turner, I mark with only two tools, a brown Pigma pen and a white Clover marker than disappears with ironing. Your work looks very close to perfect to me.Pat Pollockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00799962391743601893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-14119396565959376052014-04-06T09:11:01.569-04:002014-04-06T09:11:01.569-04:00I agree-I think it looks lovely! I have done littl...I agree-I think it looks lovely! I have done little applique but I'm a fan of heavy starch for many things. It's so easy to work with a stiff piece when I'm doing something fidgety. I admire your perseverence!Jenny K. Lyonhttp://quiltskipper.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-79736266642508046422014-04-05T17:42:45.559-04:002014-04-05T17:42:45.559-04:00Thanks for the vote of confidence, Karen! I'm...Thanks for the vote of confidence, Karen! I'm not really stressing about it or being hard on myself. I enjoy the challenge of trying different things to see what works best for me, and I have high standards. I have never entered a show before, but I certainly have admired many magnificent ribbon winners and would love to be able to do something like that some day. It's not that I'm worried others will know the point did not come out correctly, but that I want to improve my skill level to where I can create something in fabric that matches the vision I had in my mind. After all, these are big pieces that I'm practicing with -- I want to be able to do beautiful applique with itty bitty pieces. I enjoy the trouble-shooting process of trying to identify all of the variables and tweak them one at a time to see which yields better results for me.<br /><br />Also, I suspect that quilters who win blue ribbons strive for excellence in all of their work every day, because how else could those Japanese quiltmakers ever attain the skill level to do what they do in their show quilts? Rebecca Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14801489818836195754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816121512164080677.post-29277879266151748592014-04-05T15:30:25.954-04:002014-04-05T15:30:25.954-04:00Just my opinion but as a person that does needle t...Just my opinion but as a person that does needle turn applique I think you are being too hard on yourself. The first photo that you show looks great - if a curve is not quite as curved as a pattern shows or a point not as pointed who is to know other than yourself. Unless you are planning on entering in a show and really want a ribbon continue to try to be perfect but if it is for you to enjoy let yourself enjoy it and not stress over the process!Karen - Quilts...etc.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07293429657903986492noreply@blogger.com