Prepping Tree of Life

Today's post is not about normal hand applique, it's about what happens before the applique starts.

Prepping Tree of Life is going to be a tedious process but once it's completed, I'll be able to keep appliqueing without stopping to do more prep.

I washed my fabrics in HOT water. Washing is a deceptive word though, never throw your fabrics into a washer to wash them. I put them into a pan of HOT water and swish them around. I keep changing the water until no dye comes out. Not all of the fabrics bled but the red definitely did. After I'm done washing them, I squeeze most of the water out then take them onto the porch, hang on the metal furniture and let them drip. Once they're done dripping, they are carried to the basement and hung on a clothes rack to finish drying. 

After they were dry, I heavily sprayed them with starch then left them to dry. Once the starch is dry, they are ready to be pressed. Once they're pressed, the freezer paper designs can be ironed onto them. 

I'm not going to recommend any certain starch, you use whatever starch you want to use! I've learned over the years that starch brand is a controversial subject.

The original fabrics have the pieces to be appliqued stamped onto the back side of the fabric, the pieces are even numbered to show you the order to applique. You do need to make sure you turn the edge enough that the stamping ink does not show on the outside.

When I prep applique pieces, I normally leave a larger 'turn-under' edge than what this shows, I won't be placing my pieces as close together as they show here. 

I placed the marked fabric on top of my light box then put freezer paper on top and traced the applique design onto the paper. The next step is to cut out the design. 

After the pieces are cut out of the freezer paper, I ironed them onto the back of the new fabric. 

I cut around the pieces making sure there is 'turn under' fabric.

I will have to do some trimming on the applique pieces before they're appliqued. I even wrote the numbers on the back of the pieces, just like the originals were.

My fabrics aren't an exact match for the fabrics from the kit but they're close enough. I know it looks like the new brown fabric has lines in it, it doesn't, it's a solid brown Kona fabric. All the pieces needed for this fabric have been prepped and are bagged together along with the original fabric.

This is a long process but I'm going to have a beautiful quilt when I'm finished. Remember, I'm planning to spend New Year's Day starting the applique on this quilt. I had better get more of the fabric prepped, January 1 is just 4 months away!

Here is something pretty to show you since this post was rather boring.

Autumn is coming soon and most of the perennials in my flowerbeds have finished blooming but the flowers in the pots are going strong!

These fushia flowers in the front are called SunPatiens, I'm definitely growing them again next year. I've saved the label so I know what they are next spring.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday 

Tree of Life & TGIFF Heads Up!

Today I'm going to share the next applique project which is just in the process of prep work.

While at the Jane Stickle retreat back in November 2022, I purchased a Tree of Life Applique kit off of the resale table. I remember my mother appliqueing a Tree of Life kit back in the late 60's, early 70's. The ladies at church quilted it during the monthly 'sewing' then it was donated and sold through the Michiana Mennonite Relief sale. I had to buy this kit when I saw it and now I'm finally ready to start prepping.

This is an old kit, the background fabric is 50% cotton/50% polyester and the applique fabrics are too.  There is some embroidery but not a lot. 

When I opened the package and removed the fabrics, I found this yellow calico had been placed next to a red fabric. The red fabric had bled onto the yellow. A friend said the kit must have been stored in a damp place. The kit fabrics are thin, I can easily see my hand on the backside. I want to use quality fabrics if I'm going to invest hundreds of hours appliqueing this quilt then hand quilting it.

Here is a link to this quilt that has been machine quilted by Judi Madsen. Isn't it beautiful? Obviously the fabrics in that kit didn't bleed.

I purchased new 100% cotton fabrics during my birthday shopping/browsing spree in July 2024.

The new fabrics aren't a perfect match for the previous fabrics but they'll be just fine.

Now I've the process of tracing the designs onto freezer paper, then marking the background fabric because yes, I purchased new 100% cotton background fabric. Because I have new background fabric, my quilt will be larger than the kit. The marking process is going to take a lot of time. My goal is to be able to start the applique on January 1, 2027. 

Tree of Life is definitely going to be a long term project but it will be a stay at home applique project, it's too big to take anywhere!

I'm going to try something new, I'm going to be hosting the TGIFF Linky Party starting at 6PM EST, Thursday August 13. We'll see if it actually happens and I get all the connections correct.

Okay, I've got a problem already, I don't know how to get rid of that box under the TGIFF sign! We'll see what happens!

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

This 'N That

I've been wasting way too much time lately looking for 'things' in my sewing studio so I decided it was time to organize.

First were the wire shelves. I consolidated fabrics and batting. I organized the stencils into containers by size so I can find them easier. They may not look organized but they are much much better than they were. I need to label the fabric tubs so I can see which tub is which color but I know where the blue tubs are, all 3 of them. Labeling will happen this week.

Next were the white cubbies. The left side cubbie hold scrappy long term projects. The projects on the top of the cubbie are projects for this year, Garden Party, Fire Island Hosta Queen, the blue embroidered blocks and Tree of Life. (Here is a link to a blog that shows a finished Tree of Life quilt, this is an old kit from the 60's.)

The right cubbie holds supplies. Before the reorganization, they were intermixed with the scrappy projects. On the top are trays that I use when I prep projects. I used to prep more than one project at a time, that is why I have so many trays. The middle box is odd sized strips that are left from trimming. I have a scrappy strip project started that they'll be used in. (It needs to be moved to the left cubbie.) The right box/basket is EPP pieces. They will be reorganized into one of the empty blue boxes in the cubbie.

I never shopped often at JoAnn Fabrics but of course I stopped in when they actually dropped their prices during the foreclosure sale. I bought several cotton batts (should have bought more!) and a couple storage boxes. One of the boxes was for the Tree of Life  project. The storage boxes had a top divided tray that I didn't need for the 2nd project. I repurposed it to the right side of my sewing machine cabinet. That side was always a mess of clutter.

I don't know if the tray will stay this organized but it will certainly be better than it was. My mother bought that pin dish ash tray for me when I purchased my first sewing machine. It's a perfect pin dish, I'm still using it after 52 years.

What is especially nice about reorganizing is I have found 'things' I've been looking for. I found the decorative stitch card for my Elna. It and the Elna manual are safely stored in the bottom drawer of my sewing cabinet. The spools of lace that were stored there will be donated to the craft department at the relief sale.

I also found the Dancing Star blocks that I've been searching for ever since we moved here, almost 3 years ago!

For now they're displayed on the display wall while I decide if I want to finish this quilt. I think the blocks are very pretty but I have no enthusiasm to finish it. I'll mull it over until I need to use the display wall for something else. They'll probably end up being donated to the sewing box at the relief sale. This is where a lot of UFQ's end up.

Dancing Stars is a free pattern from Amy's Creative Side.

While I was organizing, I decide to wind bobbins so when I start sewing, time won't be wasted in winding bobbins.

The basic colors are covered. I always keep a few black, dark gray and blue just in case I need those colors.  

Next I need to tackle the bookshelves.

Last year I made an anniversary quilt for our oldest son and DIL so it would be ready when it was anniversary time.

I mailed the quilt last month and it arrived on the day of their anniversary. They texted a picture and to say thank you but since it was l0l* that day, they wouldn't be using it for a while. Totally understandable!

It was so nice to have this quilt completed and ready to send ahead of time.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, FM Mavericks, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Blooms or Bouquet

One of my projects at retreat was the little Bouquet or Blooms quilt. I had EPP'd the hexie flowers last March, it was time to move this project forward.

The hexie flowers were appliqued to the center white squares and the corner pieces were pieced. I didn't have enough fabric to for a border but that will soon be rectified.

I spent the better part of three days hand appliqueing then sewing the rest of the pieces! Small projects always take longer than I think they will to piece. She'll be machine quilted sometime.

Here is a link to the prior post. In this post, I linked to a post from A Quilting Life. That link no longer works for some reason.

When I bought the pattern last spring it was called Blooms, now the title is Bouquet. Here is a link to the pattern but sometimes online it comes up as Blooms!

I did some shopping on the resale table and purchased this Tree of Life applique kit. I remember my mother appliqueing a similar quilt years ago. I don't know when this quilt will be moved into the rotation but I just couldn't say no.

A wannabe purchase was this Crabapple Hill snowman pillow but I couldn't find the price on it. When I asked the seller what the price was, she gave it to me! I don't know when this project will happen either but winter is so very long and dreary!

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Handmade Monday, Design Wall Monday, Craftastic Monday, Monday Musings