Wednesday 18 May 2011

Wool work Wednesday.....

......and Thursday and Friday and any other day that I can possibly get wool work fitted in!

By now you know I have quite the obsession with saltbox houses. It was only after I looked at my previous post, I realised that all the finished pieces, had houses on them, so to show just how predictable I am........we have more houses!

I just couldn't resist starting this one, after getting Jan Pateks new book I showed in a previous post and considering I have been on the lookout for something large to go on my stair wall, well, I just had to start it!

Here are the first two blocks. My daughter is holding them up, just to let you see the size of each block. I think they are 40x40 inches-finished quilt size will be 104x104 inches, so yes, I know, I am well and truly mad:)

Oh yes, I forgot to say, I used wool for the applique instead of cotton, but didn't I say I was predictable???






Here is a pic from the back of the book of the finished quilt



Whoops, I am seeing a little mistake-does anyone spy it?

In Jans quilt, she has birds on the top of each chimney and prim dogs/cats?? in the grass-I'm not too sure I want to include these; do you think it looks bare without?

I thought I would share how I do my wool applique. I was going to say tips, but maybe there are better ideas out there, but for now, this is what works for me, but I sure would love to hear what methods others use.

I use good old freezer paper for my templates and iron it to the wool. Then I use fabric spray adhesive (sprayed lightly on the wool) and that secures it for stitching. For small pieces of wool, such as flower stems etc that tend to fray easier or for wool that hasn't felted properly, I go around the edges with fray check, prior to stitching. This stuff works a treat.

Before this method, I used the fusible bondaweb stuff, but, more often than not, I singed my wool in an attempt to get it to stick or had to use the stronger fusible, which made the applique hard and I like mine to feel natural.

Stitching wise, I used to do blanket stitch quite a bit, but more recently I have been doing the primitive whip stitch. I suppose depends on what the piece dictates.

Well, that's what happens here-I would so love to hear of other methods out there,

Hope you get time to do what you enjoy best, this week,

Blessings,

Shazy x

12 comments:

  1. OH MY STARS Shazy!! Those blocks are amazing!! and HUGE!!! LOL Your daughter is so cute holding them! Quite an undertaking for sure! LOVE the look of them!
    Thanks for all the tips, I'm sure to use them once I get back on a 'wool' kick, lol.
    Funny that you and Christine posted on the same day again, but this time I beat ya to it and posted yesterday, ha!

    TTYL,
    Tanya

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  2. Your block is lovely but the mistake I spot is the goose star point on the bottom is upside down. I noticed because I have made that mistake so many times myself. I really debated with myself to say or not. I hope I haven't hurt your feelings.

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  3. Had to rush out there for a sec to get a drool cloth...!!!It's gorgeous! So's Esther - a lovely young lady now!
    Can't wait to see it on the wall!
    Christine

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  4. Isn't it funny how you spot these things right away in a picture but up close and personal you see nothing!! I didn't reverse one of my applique blocks and didn't notice until I took that final photo. A friend told me that the Amish quilters always intentionally make one block imperfect because they believe that only God is perfect...so there you go...you did it on purpose! :o)
    Take care!
    P
    P

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  5. Oh, how I love this quilt!!! I didn't see any mistakes - thought it looked wonderful as it is! But that you mention that, I suppose a bird on the chimney would look fine!

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  6. That is indeed one BIG quilt - love the fact you changed it up & made it out of wool! Can't wait to see the finished project! What about adding a sheep instead?

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  7. You daughter is such a cute quilt block model!! I love your blocks and cannot see anything that looks like a mistake!!

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  8. Love it...which book is this from as I must go purchase it!

    michelle

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  9. How sweet! Wool warms up everything.

    Your tip on using light fabric spray adhesive is a good one. Some of the pattern designers are using the 505 Spray, it doesn't gum up your needle. I definitely use the freezer paper method and sometimes Steam a Seam Light for the teeny, tiny wool pieces so that they cut easily and do not fray.

    You did an amazing job with your quilt. Your daughter is quite the quilt model. Very sweet of her to help you.

    Take care.

    Valerie

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  10. I started using 505 Spray after reading about it on a blog...which one, I don't remember....but it works great. I had my friend try it this past weekend and it was so fast and easy for her. She loves it now too!

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  11. I love Saltbox houses too. I just ordered a pattern yesterday that might interest you too.
    http://www.underthegardenmoon.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/23/products_id/46
    Take a look at this Saltbox house sampler pattern.

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  12. I am the same with houses. Everything I do has to have a house!! the Jan Patek book is gorgeous, I also want to do some project from it and the wools, I am in love with wool and I think my next project may be a box to keep the threas made with wool, let's see!!
    your house looks wonderful!!

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