Curved Applique with Pinking Shears

Hi All:

I just wanted to share my experience with using pinking shears to cut
curved applique pieces. I read about the technique on this group a
few days ago.

Works like a charm! I am constructing "moons" for my batik "moon over
the cascades" quilt I am making out of this month's American Patchwork
& Quilting. I'm using the Mylar template and starch method. I have
cut the moon pieces out with my pinking shears around the curved
portion. I then center the mylar template in the middle of the moon
and using a q-tip, apply starch to the exposed edges. I am then
ironing the edges around the mylar template. Other than the template
warping somewhat, this method is providing me with perfect circular
moons all ready to applique to the background and it is really easy.
Jean Well's technique was to use freezer paper and glue stick. But I
thought it sounded rather messy having to dampen the blocks to remove
the freezer paper, and the paper would not be re-usable. So I decided
on the mylar/starch technique. The pinking really makes a
difference. I did one cutting with my regular scissors and I had to
clip the curves to make them smooth.

Thanks to whomever posted the tip!

Another thing I am doing as per another tip I picked up somewhere is
storing the pieces, background and moon pinned with applique pins, in
a new pizza box. The DH picked me up two for $1.10 at our
neighborhood Round Table Pizza. He got me a large and medium. I
think I'll also get an extra large. My background piece measures 12
1/2x 14 1/2 and it barely fits in the large.

Now I need to fire up my Bernina and thread with clear nylon thread.
I am going to machine applique the pieces using the blanket stitch.

Mardi
Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat

I'm glad it worked, Mardi!! I still have yet to try it, but you know, it was too
good of a tip not to pass on. Of course, i'd really love to see what you've done.
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"M. Wetmore" wrote in message
news
Hi All:

I just wanted to share my experience with using pinking shears to cut
curved applique pieces. I read about the technique on this group a
few days ago.

Works like a charm! I am constructing "moons" for my batik "moon over
the cascades" quilt I am making out of this month's American Patchwork
& Quilting. I'm using the Mylar template and starch method. I have
cut the moon pieces out with my pinking shears around the curved
portion. I then center the mylar template in the middle of the moon
and using a q-tip, apply starch to the exposed edges. I am then
ironing the edges around the mylar template. Other than the template
warping somewhat, this method is providing me with perfect circular
moons all ready to applique to the background and it is really easy.
Jean Well's technique was to use freezer paper and glue stick. But I
thought it sounded rather messy having to dampen the blocks to remove
the freezer paper, and the paper would not be re-usable. So I decided
on the mylar/starch technique. The pinking really makes a
difference. I did one cutting with my regular scissors and I had to
clip the curves to make them smooth.

Thanks to whomever posted the tip!

Another thing I am doing as per another tip I picked up somewhere is
storing the pieces, background and moon pinned with applique pins, in
a new pizza box. The DH picked me up two for $1.10 at our
neighborhood Round Table Pizza. He got me a large and medium. I
think I'll also get an extra large. My background piece measures 12
1/2x 14 1/2 and it barely fits in the large.

Now I need to fire up my Bernina and thread with clear nylon thread.
I am going to machine applique the pieces using the blanket stitch.

Mardi
Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 01:53:24 GMT, "Jalynne"
wrote:

I'm glad it worked, Mardi!! I still have yet to try it, but you know, it was too
good of a tip not to pass on. Of course, i'd really love to see what you've done.

Hi Jaylene:

Ok, here are some pictures.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon.jpg
This shows the first block ready to applique.,

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1_back.jpg
This shows the pinked backside of another moon. I actually cut this
seam allowance a little large, but it still lays nice and flat.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1.front.jpg
This is the front of the above referenced block. You can see how nice
and flat and neat the curge on the moon is.

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat

Mardi wrote:

snip
Works like a charm! I am constructing "moons" for my batik "moon over
the cascades" quilt I am making out of this month's American Patchwork
& Quilting. I'm using the Mylar template and starch method.

What's the "Mylar template and starch method?" OK, I get the Mylar
template part, but the starch? How do you use it?


***
And I saw the pics.... neat! I'll have to look for that magazine next
time I'm out shopping. I like your mountain fabric with the animals.

Cina

Looks great, Mardi! I really love the fabric you used for the moon, is it hand dye?
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"M. Wetmore" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 01:53:24 GMT, "Jalynne"
wrote:

I'm glad it worked, Mardi!! I still have yet to try it, but you know, it was too
good of a tip not to pass on. Of course, i'd really love to see what you've done.

Hi Jaylene:

Ok, here are some pictures.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon.jpg
This shows the first block ready to applique.,

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1_back.jpg
This shows the pinked backside of another moon. I actually cut this
seam allowance a little large, but it still lays nice and flat.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1.front.jpg
This is the front of the above referenced block. You can see how nice
and flat and neat the curge on the moon is.

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat

No, it's a batik. I was planning on doing the whole quilt with
batiks, but when I looked at my hand dyes many of them asked if they
could come to the party, so I think I'll let them.

Mardi

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 06:52:10 GMT, "Jalynne"
wrote:

Looks great, Mardi! I really love the fabric you used for the moon, is it hand dye?
--
Jalynne
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"M. Wetmore" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 01:53:24 GMT, "Jalynne"
wrote:

I'm glad it worked, Mardi!! I still have yet to try it, but you know, it was too
good of a tip not to pass on. Of course, i'd really love to see what you've done.

Hi Jaylene:

Ok, here are some pictures.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon.jpg
This shows the first block ready to applique.,

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1_back.jpg
This shows the pinked backside of another moon. I actually cut this
seam allowance a little large, but it still lays nice and flat.

http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/moon1.front.jpg
This is the front of the above referenced block. You can see how nice
and flat and neat the curge on the moon is.

Mardi

Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat


Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 00:46:36 -0500, Cina wrote:

Mardi wrote:

snip
Works like a charm! I am constructing "moons" for my batik "moon over
the cascades" quilt I am making out of this month's American Patchwork
& Quilting. I'm using the Mylar template and starch method.

What's the "Mylar template and starch method?" OK, I get the Mylar
template part, but the starch? How do you use it?


***
And I saw the pics.... neat! I'll have to look for that magazine next
time I'm out shopping. I like your mountain fabric with the animals.

Cina

Ok, you have the mylar template which is about 1/4 inch smaller than
the cut piece of fabric. You place the template on top of the wrong
side of the fabric. Then you spray starch in a dish. Using a paint
brush or q-tip, saturate the exposed edges of fabric with starch.
Then, using a medium hot iron, turn the edges around the mylar and
press until the starch is dry. That way you have a nice sharp turned
under edge. The pinking of the edges allows the fabric to lie flatter
on a curved section like it would if you clipped the curves. It's
"instant clipping".

Mardi
Real e-mail address spelled out to prevent spam. mardi at mardiweb dot com.
____________________

My Quilting page: http://www.mardiweb.com/quilts/MardiQuilts.html
Paint Shop Pro tutorials: http://www.mardiweb.com/web
Low-Fat Lifestyle Forum: http://www.mardiweb.com/lowfat