Here is the overall picture from the previous post showing the “breaking up” of the branch(es):

The “A” area will be covered up by the Titmouse bird and “B” is waiting for a rose to go down first so ignore those.  However “C”  and below is now covered with the appropriate leaves:

Do you see how there are no “ridges” disturbing the surface area of the leaves?  If I had left the branches whole, you would see the distinct form of the branch going underneath the surface of the leaves.

It is an extra step, to break up the branches like I do, but I think it is a much cleaner look.  There is no sense in going for a bit realism if I ruin it by creating artificial ridges that are not natural to the leaf.

On A Side Note

For those of who aren’t aware, these leaves are hand appliqued, not fused.  Hand applique should not look like leaf “B”:

I am seeing way too much of this in big shows lately and it drives me to insanity. What did the fabric ever do that it has to be tortured so horribly?

Come see me sometime and I will help you fix this if you have never learned to stitch applique correctly.  I am on a mission to eradicate the torture of innocent fabric. Think of it as, “Cruelty Free Applique”.

Back to the Titmouse Block….I need to show you something more enticing than this for color!

I know how we quilters love to share the goodies we find at shows and anywhere else quilt related.  In case anyone wanted a peek at my shameful shopping trip last weekend, I am including a couple of pics.  This first one is just a small portion of what I brought home.  I admit to being too ashamed to show the entire amount.

As you can spot in the photo, I was busy collecting the “butterscotch” yellows for the roses in the new Titmouse block of the Naturalist’s Notebook series.  I have learned to buy everything in many yards just in case it is used so I have enough for the fabric kits many of you enjoy having.

I still collect those blue purples and rosy purples of the Goldfinch block.  My brain wiring seems to be stuck on those.  I know some would like me to produce more of those kits and when I grab some time, I will.  I have no idea this time what these fabrics are as I did not write down the names.  Apologies.

BRANCHES AND THOSE GAPS

I told you I am working on the Titmouse and here it is so far:

I had a really great question recently from an experienced appliquer asking why I break up my branches instead of making them one piece.

Her intelligent mind also asked, there are some branches that even though they are broken up, seem to come together to create one branch so why bother?

Let me illustrate….

The shadowing in the picture along the edge represents the turned under seam allowance.

Stems in particular create those hard edge ridges across the surface of an applique piece causing a “visual break” that is undesirable.  Yes, it is easier to make the branch one piece. However, there is a trade-off and it depends on your comfort level as to how much you want ease over a more desirable visual outcome.

When you break up the branches (and any other applique piece that falls underneath another piece) the unfinished edge of the branch lays softly underneath the turned under seam allowance of the top piece (A).  The turned under edge “ridge” visually negates the branch ridge making that bulk seemingly disappear.  I hope that makes sense.

This also prevents that dreaded shadowing through to the upper applique piece.  In the Purple Finch block, there are some pieces that are broken up just for that reason.  Otherwise the brown stem would show through in the white petal(s). Stems do not go through the petals in nature, they go behind.

You can see in “A” how the inner surface of the top applique piece will lie nice and flat with no visual and textural distortion from the piece underneath

With the example of “B”, you can see that even with the smallest breaks, I still break up the branch.  As I previously noted, the unsewn end of a branch is softer and lays flatter than a hard sewn edge going through the entire underside of the top applique piece.  Think of it like a hard cookie.  A hard cookie in tact creates a bump, but smash the cookie and the bump is softened.

example 1

example 2

I could trim that excess seam allowance back a bit that extends into the eventual surface area in “B” example 2, but you must not stitch down the seam allowance at the end of the branch in order to have that option (C).

I take one stitch just beyond where my marked line ends and leave the rest of that seam allowance at the end to be free.  This allows me to trim any excess that goes beyond the seam allowance of the top piece later if needed.

I sometimes cut my pieces out with a *little* bit of extra seam allowance at the ends in case I have to fudge a bit to make things match up.  I always have the option to trim it off if all goes well.  Think of them as “escape hatches”.  We are human and not free of mistakes so give yourself an escape hatch when necessary.

I hope this helps!

Have you ever tried to trace off a pattern onto a dark fabric for applique with a light-box?  Impossible unless you have some super human skills I lack.  Then there is the added problem of what to mark the vinyl with so it shows up.

Since I have never liked to mark my background fabric in any way because I find it impossible to line up my applique with those markings exactly.  There are just too many human variables involved to achieve perfect accuracy.

A permanent marking tool leaves me no room for error.  This may be not a big problem with the average larger scale applique, but for tiny pieces in a layered intricate pattern? not gonna happen. Even as I mark and stitch with my own patterns, I never match up exactly every time with every piece.  Yes, you heard it here in my own words, I am NOT perfect.  You may now alert the media.

Back to the Overlay and Dark Fabric. …

When I created “American Still Life”, I wanted to use dark browns for the background.  Uh oh, how do I see where to place my applique? My go-to sharpie black marker could not be seen very easily to place the pieces properly so it would not work.  A light-box was obviously not going to be an option. I had even had much younger eyes back then too.

The first lightbulb idea came to me and I purchased a lime green sharpie.  You know the relatively new Sharpies in the cool colors?  For some reason, the colored Sharpie did not affix to the vinyl like its black counterpart and I found my lines rubbed off within seconds of contact with my forearm and hands.

My vinyl was clear in a matter of minutes and I found the missing lime green ink on my hands and arms.  Not my best look.

Then as I was perusing my local craft store one day, I saw this white Pentel pen.  Hmmmm (imagine millions of little LED lights going on simultaneously in my head).  I tried the pen on the vinyl and it worked (this where I heard a chorus of angels sing).

The lines stay put and only start to disappear after I have reached the end of the overlay’s useful life.

The ink (smells like spray paint) does not fade, but over a loooong period of time, it will start to scratch off in places.  I am already finished by this point and I have used the overlay so many times, the vinyl should be ready to tear apart on its own.

One time when I was working against a deadline, my Pentel White went dry.  OH NO!  I went to my art supplies and found a ZIG ”painty” pen in yellow. The Zig marker had a chemical composition like the white Pentel so I gave it a try.  It worked too!  So now I have two types of pens I can go to when I need to mark an overlay for dark, pieced or print backgrounds.

Now, any background is an option and I don’t worry about how I am going to mark it for my applique placement.  Life is good.

I had read somewhere on a message board where someone complained of a “drag” through the fabric when they tried one out and then gave up on the needle as “not good”. This happened to be one of the betweens needles for hand quilting.  I was mystified because these needles glide through fabric like a hot knife through butter.

Then I opened a new pack and I experienced what this person was talking about.  It was hard to pull through the fabric and actually squeaked like freshly washed hair as the needle passed through the fabric.  How to fix?

If you get one or more of these needles that do this…..

Keep working with the needle and relatively quickly the drag will go away. The wayward needle will behave as though it was originally perfect from the pack.  For a few stitches you will be highly irritated (like listening to nails on a chalkboard) but within about 15-20 stitches (not a lot in sewing terms), the needle will glide like it should.

These needles are highly polished in the manufacturing process and I am thinking this could be from residual polishing compound that is still attached to the shaft of the needle or it could be a temporary rough spot in the powder coat plating during the manufacturing process.

I am just guessing of course but whatever causes the inital drag on an odd needle here and there is temporary. The drag is eliminated quickly as the needle makes a few passes through the fabric.  Don’t throw the needle out!  It is perfectly good and will perform as it should once you put a few stitches on it.

I wanted to pass this on in case any of you came across one or more of these needles and thought I was crazy stupid in my high praise of them.  They are amazing needles and I am still as enthusiastic about them as ever after sewing many hours and thousands of stitches.  Just once in awhile, one of the needles complains about working and when I let it know I won’t give up, it quiets down and does its job like it should.

If only it were that easy with kids and chores.

So what does this have to do with applique?  Everything when it comes to curves.  The reason curves give so many beginners and even experienced stitchers angst is, the amount of ease that needs to be turned while making it lie smooth and not creating teeth in the process along the finished edges.  You know those teeth riiiiiight?

Sometimes the solution is so simple.  I was able to stitch just a little yesterday and I thought maybe this would help some of you still struggling with getting nice smooth curves.

Obviously when you start stitching, start on the downside of the curve.  If you start on an upward curve, when you come to the end of your stitching, you will be plowing the excess seam allowance against your starting point’s turned under seam allowance.  A tug of war ensues as to which side gets habitation rights.  It is never pretty.

Here I have stitched around my leaf and am coming to the end of my stitching.  Normally one would have a pin holding the seam allowance in place pinned horizontally.  Look carefully and what do you see?  That excess fabric is going to be trouble as you get to the end of your stitching.  I would be continuing to “push” that excess fabric forward towards the previous stitching’s starting point.

So, just like in garment sewing or even home dec, split up the ease by pinning strategically.  In this case, the seam allowance is approximately one inch in length so it is not a relatively large amount.  I find the halfway point of the seam allowance which takes really intensive math calculations (not) and pin………VERTICALLY.

Do you see what happens now with that excess fabric in the seam allowance?  It is much, much, much easier to work in smoothly and turn under because you are dividing up that excess ease into equal portions along the curve.  I see light bulbs going on everywhere right now. Sometimes we get so entrenched in our ways that we often don’t see what is such a simple solution right in front of us.

Continue as normal stitching as close as you can to the pin and stop again.  Oh and don’t forget to “tickle the belly” of your seam allowance (gently swiping towards you) with your needle as you turn it under so it nestles under there nicely.

Say it with me here, split the remaining difference again (in half), pin vertically and stitch.

Pull the pin and then stitch closed and amazingly there is no “chunk” of fabric butting up against the starting point creating a nasty fabric tooth to spoil the curve.  Just stitch a couple of more stitches past the starting point and voila!  Smooooooooth.

Once you understand ease, it helps you to tackle the curves with confidence and abandon.  Well, maybe not abandon but without sweating bullets anyway. I hope this trick works for you if you are having difficulty trying to get smooth curves.

Now back to packaging up the Purple Finch Kits that should be ready for ordering on Monday.  Have a great weekend everyone!