Sandra's waistcoat & other stuff along the way

[ragdall]

Aw, those are so cute! Where did you find all the wonderful pieces of fabric that are so suitable for each shape? Did you hand stitch around them, or can you do that with a machine?

Thanks,
rags

[sandrainsydney]

I have a very useful small stash of fabric which I've used for the tea towels, & the quilters of my acquaintance have large stashes, which I will use if I ever need more!

They're hand stitched. I've tried machining in the past, but can't get the stitches even enough.

sandra

[Joan]

Feb 13, 2014 0:27:51 GMT sandrainsydney said:

and these ones

they look to cute to use!!  you are patient and talented.

[sandrainsydney]

my sister's christmas pressie - poodle teatowels, only 3 months late!

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[sandrainsydney]

this will be used to make her 60th Birthday pressie (only 4 months late), a beige/sea green cushion with poodles on it.

I made her this bobbin lace poodle (the image is a photograph of a photograph) sometime in the late 80s/early 90s & will use the shape to make an applique - the curly topknot will be a single piece, & I'll use buttonhole stitch to make the curls

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[sandrainsydney]

a few more teatowels

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[ragdall]

Mar 20, 2014 5:48:23 GMT sandrainsydney said:

my sister's christmas pressie - poodle teatowels, only 3 months late!

Or 9 months early?

[ragdall]

Mar 20, 2014 5:56:33 GMT sandrainsydney said:

a few more teatowels

Beautifully done! Those must be songbirds?

[sandrainsydney]

of course! & I expect the musicians among us to play the notes!

[sandrainsydney]

the songbirds were part of a gi-normous raffle of approx 15 prizes on Saturday when we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Australia's oldest folk club.

sandra

[maryinkentucky]

Joan, you are sooooooooo lucky to have a lifeline! Glad you're doing better. I also believe every day is a gift.

Sandra, how do you do the machine applique? I've tried several times, but I always seem to have tension problems or the wrong material under the applique material. I may have solved one of my tension problems. I suspect my replacement bobbin case was defective (or I fiddled with it too much trying to adjust the tension) and it just flew apart one day. The new one works much better, but I haven't tried to do machine applique again. At least I can machine quilt with the walking foot now. That really helped when making so many baby quilts.

[sandrainsydney]

Mary - I never use a machine for crafty stuff, too much hassle getting it out, clearing a space on the table ....

The appliques are pinned & needle-turned, then because the tea towels will get used I buttonhole over the slip stitch.

I once tried to use my machine & could not get even stitches.

sandra

[jennieg]

ary, what brand of machine do you have? I have a Bernina (My Lovely New Bernina, which is nearly 15 years old now) and the bobbin case has a hole in the 'finger' - the hinged part which locks the bobbin place. The thread is taken from the bobbin and threaded through that hole before being taken up through the hole in the sole plate. That pulls the bobbin thread to the bottom of the fabric and makes for a better tension when using a machine appliqué stitch. Also, if you use a stabiliser behind the fabric (wash or tear away doesn't matter) or even give it a good spray of starch before sewing that should help with tension problems and stitch tunnelling.

[sandrainsydney]

what a great hint - unfortunately my lovely Janome (b. 1996 & recently renovated) doesn't.

sandra

[sandrainsydney]

latest 2 tea towels given to delighted friend who is owned by a 9-year old Lab puppy!

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