Words to Live By - SBOW 2013

 You know when someone asks you how long it took to make a quilt that you just stutter around and realize it is next to impossible to really say . . . or at least that is what happens to me. Particularly appliqué. I mean, I can't even believe how long it just took me to do this one large central block and I did it!!! Three hours just to trace the words, color them in and lay out the appliqué and bond it. Never mind that I had the squares already sewn together, pressed with seams open and my overlay was already made and my wool pieces were traced, bonded to Lite Steam A Seam 2 and cut out, ready to go.

 So, here's a little tutorial of how it worked and what pen/s worked for me to do this inking. Above are the Words after they are halfway completed.

 Here is the pattern which had to be taped together and still was not complete (see top). I had to just 'fill in the space' with the rest of the leaves and berries and bird but I'm used to 'making do' so I managed. I thought maybe there was another place on the circle where the leaves were just the same, but there was not.

 I ordered this special Pilot permanent pen for inking as recommended with the pattern, in fact I ordered 2, but when I did my first test, it ran around the edges so I used my ever dependable Micron Pigma Pen size 05, for all the other blocks. See the Family block below. 

 However, as I traced these words, I realized I was going to be a long time so I got out my size 08 Micron Pigma Pen. It was still not filling in well so I discovered the Graphics Micron Pen which I had bought once, not knowing what I'd use it for but this was perfect. It was smooth to write with and filled in the large letters wonderfully.

 On the back I had already ironed a piece of freezer paper where the words would go so the fabric would not move while I was tracing. It helps tremendously to do this. When I was finished, I just peeled it off. Btw, it is virtually impossible (even with a light table) to see through two layers of dark (seam allowance) fabric and freezer paper so I had to draw my V by looking.

 Okay, so onto the bonding of the wool. I took my fabric to my ironing board, put my overlay on top of the block, using my centering lines for a guide and put two large straight pins sideways into the ironing board to hold it in place.

 I found where the appliqué pieces were supposed to go, gently lifted the tracing paper overlay and placed them on the fabric, lifting and checking to be sure they were in the proper place before I finger pressed them down to stay with the Lite Steam a Seam 2. The pieces are a little tacky so it helps hold them in place.

 Now I have everything in place but the circle. Since it is an extra layer on top, I waited until all the other pieces were bonded with a steam iron before I laid it down, again, checking with the overlay in place. I just steamed a few seconds, lifted the iron, steamed another area, to keep from burning the wool. 

I then laid my circle down, steamed some more and here is the completed block. . . minus all the hours of stitching that will come later. I like to prepare most of my appliqué and have it ready to stitch. I have finished a couple of blocks since this is a BOW but now I have weeks of stitching to do. And then, the finished quilt which can be seen at Primitive Gatherings has literally hundreds of half square triangles to set it off. It will be beautiful and hopefully worth all this effort put into it.

Happy Stitching!!