Quilt Along- In the Leafy Treetops

In the Leafy Treetops

Day 5

STITCHING----


This is the fun part isn't it? The one where if the top looks a bit funny, you can fix it by adding some stitching. --cranky quilt soooo had a cranky block, but after quilting---not cranky! I love adding the quilting. It isn't quite finished until all the thread work gets on.


So here ya go---just a little help and some links for further help.


1) If you are quilting this on a big quilting frame, just load it up. pins and all!! when you get to that area, watch the pins- make sure you don't run over one or your finger while trying to remove one.

2) If you are quilting this on a normal machine using the walking foot or quilting foot....make your quilt 'sandwich' as usual. You would want to replace those pins though with safety pins so when you scrunch and bunch it to quilt it you won't get poked and bleed.
So layer your top (with all those safety pins) on top of the batting, and then on top of the backing. Now you need to add more pins! I know, you think there wouldn't be any more room, but those 1st pins only hold down the applique...not the quilt sandwich together.
After pinning till you have no more pins left in the pin box, you can quilt it. Remove the pins when getting close to them.
With the appliques-----start at a place where you don't have to remove the pin if possible. This will help that applique not shift so much.



LEAVES:

I entered the leaft at the bottom point- where it joins the branches- i sewed around once then again --keep this 1/2 inch from the edge. It might get a little pucker at the entrance point where the leaf shifted.....don't worry about it. It will shagg in the wash and then you'll never know it!Then i sewed down the center and made some 'veins'.

BRANCHES:

I just sewed down the center of each branch with a wiggly, squiggly thing. this keeps the center very secured and the edge will shagg nicely. See where the little branches join? They are cut at angles and then really just stitched in the center like all the rest.

BIRDS:

I sewed all the way around the bird once. At the tail i did pointy, jagged stitching for the 'tail feathers' Then i jumped into the wing at the front or back point and sewed back and forth for 'wing feathers'. The beak is sewn around the edges over lapping the head a bit--so no background shows between the beak and body. I did do a bit of stitching for feet...see the little feet? they don't show much, but still cute.

FILL:

I did swirlies all over. You could easily do a meander between everything else. See the branches and the leaves too? You just need something that will get you from one place to the other and keep all the sandwich parts together.

BINDING:

Girls, i don't like to bind. never have. I will admit that i am a lazy binder. I roll it twice from the back and machine stitch it down to the front! I know, i know. Last wednesday night when i was at quilt group --the theme was bring a quilt with a story-- and EVERYONE --was inspecting the binding. All of the bindings were rolled from the back...made me feel ok about doing it, but then all they were concerned with that type of binding. They rolled it? Why? They must not have had fabric....etc. Whatever. I have PLENTY of fabric let me tell you and i still roll!! L.A.Z.Y. yup. that's me. So check the links below for help on that one girls. Thanks !)

LINKS:
Oh, Fransson does a wonderful job at explaining things. So here are a few links that she has to help everyone out.

making a quilt sandwich

Free motion Quilting

Binding Your Quilt

Did everyone have a fun time? ---of course i would be refering to after i got the kinks out--- Does everyone just love the top? You Must share it with me and all the rest of the flickr world. We would love to see them!!!

**Did you notice the new pic of the quilt at the top. go on, take another look....nice huh? no blue background anymore. :)
**There are 2 links on the side bar. one for the flickr group, and the other is for a printable pattern of the whole quilt. Incuding the pieces and layout. **--for sure there is no mistakes in there-- heehee
**Did you go visit and get in on the give away? Threadling---the sewers group-- idea blog

**It's holiday time here. The 24th of July!!! Parade today, then maybe a movie and lunch with the family.....next week, i will rewind a bit and post a few things that i did this week...couldn't blab about them since the quilt along was going. + a NEW PATTERN!!! Can't wait to show it off.....Want a peek at it? oh, ok. here ya go--

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