teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Sunday 1 December 2013

Acts Of Kindness - A Reverse Applique Tute: My November 2013 NYC Mod Quilt Guild Bee Block


"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop

I'm so happy with my November NYC Mod Quilt Guild Bee Block. This month's Queen Bee Rossanna sent out an even more simple package than Queen Bee Maria did last month.

A rectangle of cream fabric printed with white roses and her instructions seemingly simple too -

Your inspirational word is: Kindness
which will be the motivation for your design ... easy to read on your block, any lettering.  ... reflect how that inspirational word resonates with you.  ... recreate those feelings into something wonderfully tangible that everyone else can see and feel inspired.  Please use the piece of fabric provided for the background ... .


Well, such simple instructions create a huge dilemma: where to start and how to show kindness as a word on a block?  As usual, I sat on the block for a couple of weeks, truth be told there were no ideas coming so I can't even say I was playing around with them but earlier this week it came to me - no need to mull it over, I just knew what I was going to do.

I decided to make an Inspirational Acts Of Kindness Block out of two types of fabric:

Type 1: fabric I have used to make gifts to give to others - my creative kindness to them; and
Type 2: fabric others have given to me - their kindness which helps and inspires me to create.

I believe whatever we create from fabric is a form of kindness to the recipient.

So here's my created piece of kindness fabric:


The top row is Type 1 fabrics - fabrics I've given to others while
the bottom row is Type 2 fabrics - fabrics given to me.

Then I printed out the words 'create' and 'kindness' - nothing fancy here, just a Word document and a normal sheet of standard printer paper.


I have a glass table which is just perfect to use as a light box to trace words/designs off onto fabric.
 I placed the printed sheet on the table with the fabric over it - a spot lamp under the glass and traced the words off onto the fabric with a marker pencil.  If you don't have a lightbox or glass table you can also fix paper to a window using sellotape/scotch tape/masking tape and use natural light or a spot lamp behind to trace off your design.

 

Next, I ironed a piece of lightweight double sided fusible 'HeatnBond Lite' onto the back of my kindness fabric rectangle.


I left the fusible backing paper attached and using a pair of small, pointed and very sharp embroidery scissors I cut out each letter through both the fabric and the fusible.  I love the letters I've cut out too - I'm thinking I'll create a 'mantra' cushion for myself with them at some point.


Once all the letters were cut out I peeled away the fusible backing paper sheet.


And ironed the kindness fabric onto the background fabric provided by Queen Bee Rossanna.  This 'glues' the fabrics firmly together and allows for easy sewing over the block.


 I selected an embroidery stitch and secured the outside edge of my kindness fabric onto the background fabric and then I free motioned twice around each letter and secured all thread ends.  If you prefer you can zig-zag around the fabric letter edges to prevent fraying but I chose this freehand, raw look for the block.


Here's a little more detail of the stitching and that Aurifil 50/2 2850 - Med Juniper thread.

 
 

I even love the back!!!


I feel a bit odd calling this a tute as there's not that much to share with you instruction wise - but the truth is reverse applique really is that easy :D


I want to say a big thank you to my friends and fellow quilters Ana, Cynthia, Sarah and Wendy for your inspiration, support and, of course, for your kind fabric gifts - I wonder if you recognised them?!


As always you can check out all the blocks that our Bee make for Rossanna on my Quilty - Inspirational Block Pinterest Board - I'll add more pins as each person in the Bee posts photos of their finished blocks and you can see my NYC Mod Quilt Guild Post here too.


 I'd like to take the opportunity also to thank all my blog readers for continuing to support me here at made by ChrissieD.  Last week my little blog passed the 300 follower mark on Bloglovin alone and I know there's many more of you following via numerous other social media.  It doesn't seem too long ago I was keen to reach 10 followers then 20 then 50 and so it continues!!!




Whatever method you're using to read my posts a very big thank you for your continued kindness :D



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43 comments:

  1. Chris, this is really awesome. I love that you used fabrics that had meaning to you, even if people who see the quilt 20 years from now will never know that. Thanks for the tutorial. I have never tried reverse applique this way, but I will when I get a chance.

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    1. This block wasn't an easy challenge Jess, it's quite hard to define a word with fabric. I've spoken with 3 others in the bee who are finding their words tricky, I'm starting to think I dropped on lucky with 'kindness'!!! :D

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  2. What a sweet block and a handy tute. Thanks.

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  3. Thanks for showing this method. I have seen it popping up more and more and this makes it easier to understand

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  4. Your block is very clever--I love the route you took to get there, And all that time that you "weren't thinking about it," some part of your brain was. Also cheers on the 300th.

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  5. Your own kind nature shines through, that's why I like reading your posts! Thanks for the tutorial, and congratulations on the followers :D

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  6. A brilliant idea, gorgeously executed !

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  7. That's a wonderful block, I love it!

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  8. Your idea is great! Your work is great! Your inspirational blog is great! Thanks for all the kindness!

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  9. Great interpretation of the theme Chrissie and a lovely block to boot!

    Congrats on the milestone followers too, keep up the good work :)

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  10. I love this, it's just adorable, and I spy the fabric I sent you too! (I noticed it even before you mentioned it, whoop whoop!) The reverse applique is so effective you've done a fantastic job xx

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  11. This is so cool. At the begining of the post I was wondering what you were doing. But what a fantastic idea

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  12. That is awesome! I love it! I totally dig reverse applique.

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  13. Amazing block Crissie and very inspiring :)

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  14. I love the process thought behind this block! How sweet that you put so much of yourself into making this! I think this is an epic "win"!

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  15. That's lovely! I enjoyed seeing your creative process! Thanks for sharing.

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  16. Oh now I know what to do with the glass table that I have lying around! Just need some handy Heat n Bond. That stuff seems to be very,very useful:) I love your stitches around it too!!

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  17. Thank you for posting this tutorial. I always had assumed that reverse applique was difficult but you have made it look easy.

    Thanks!

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  18. Very sweet. I especially like the edge stitching around the block. I think my machine does something similar & it's a great effect. Great work!

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  19. That´s a wonderful idea. I have to Keep that in mind!

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  20. Love this idea and I'm sure that I'll find a need to use it myself in the future.

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  21. I love the way these fabrics mix together, and you're explanation makes this seem so easy! It looks wonderful!

    Thank you so much for sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  22. i love the double free motion lines. Maybe that'd be a good way to practice. It's always neat to find a project where you cna use those other stitches on your machine...ya know the 30 that are NEVER used :P

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    1. I know what you mean about the stitches on a machine. Since doing my sales training for Bernina, I've learnt a whole heap of things that my machine can do that I didn't have a clue about and this is mainly around the stitches! :D

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  23. Thank you for the tute. The block is cute!

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  24. What a beautiful piece Chrissie and great instructions! Thanks for sharing.
    Freemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday

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  25. wow! love this :) I might try it and hope it turns out as well as yours! Great tutorial as well :) We would love it you hooked up to our Snickerdoodle Sunday! http://2crochethooks.com/snickerdoodle-sunday-8/

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  26. This is so cute! I featured it this week!! :) You can see it here...http://sewlicioushomedecor.com/christmas-round-blog-party/.

    Marti

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  27. I do recognise some fabrics... :) and I am so jealous of your stitching and of your Bernina... :P

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    1. Well by my reckoning Ana there's 3 fabrics in there from me to you and 3 from you to me. Your creativity is boundless and I think your skills will far exceed mine 25 years from now! Love you so much x

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  28. Wonderful work ..... Chris .. this tutorial Ana has sent me and have seen the greatness of your heart and what you are able to create with your feelings about plamadoslos fabrics .... I have nothing left to learn.. Elisa

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    1. Thrilled that Ana shared this with you Elisa. I was taking photos of my work along the way and realised it would be really easy to explain each step. After all my deliberations I like how the block turned out. I have to tell you too that you have the most wonderful daughter, much love and best wishes to you x :)

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  29. Fabulous tutorial, thanks for sharing!

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  30. Loved hearing how you chose the fabrics, Chrissie. Isn't it funny how we can deliberate over something with no ideas and then all of a sudden, we know exactly the direction to follow. An awesome block!!! Really like the free motion stitching around the letters.

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  31. Hi Chris. I saw this featured over at Threading My Way! I love how you created this. I love the meaning behind the choice of fabrics. This is such a fabulous technique and your tutorial is clear and easy to follow. Congratulations too on reaching the milestone with your blog followers.

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    1. When your message came in I couldn't work out what you meant Michelle - had to look back at the post, now I understand! This post was almost a year ago, the blog's come a way since then and I've even more people to thank these days for following, which is just wonderful. I loved this block, it was a hard one to hand over, Rossanna always comes up with fab ideas for her turn on the Bee - this year she had us working with paper wrappers to make flowers which was quite a challenge too, good fun though - Chris :D

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  32. Just found this from a FAVEQUILTS email link - very nice and I would class it as a tutorial, so thanks and Happy New Year 2016 :)

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I love to hear from everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and share your thoughts. Please leave a message to let me know you visited, it's a great way to get to know you all better too :)

Chris Dodsley


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