Tuesday 2 December 2014

I should explain my absence.

I had got back into the swing of regularly blogging, then things went dreadfully wrong with the appliqué quilt.
I marked the feathers between the pots and then realised I hadn't removed the papers from the outer border. Removing the papers involves soaking the piece. I soaked it, removed the papers, dried it. I then decided I should wash it to remove all the glue..... Why I decided to do this, I don't really know. Normally I leave all the washing until the quilt is finished. At this point I discovered that red in the outer border had run. Why this red ran, I cannot fathom. It had been prewashed without running, it had been soaked to remove the papers without running..... I suppose if it was going to do it at any time, it was better than when the quilt was finished.
It was much worse in real life. And all the way round.
Ferret came to the rescue saying she used Dylon SOS Colour Run. To use this stuff it suggests you wash at 60C  (140F). I feel an appliqué quilt top is quite fragile until it is quilted to support the stitching but really I had no choice. I folded it into four and stitched all round inside the borders. I put it in the machine for a 2 hour cycle. I waited with much gnashing of teeth. It seemed a very long 2 hours. But it is FINE!



So to get back to marking the quilt. First trace your master copy onto freezer paper and iron it to the back of the work.

 Then flip it over
My lightbox is an Ikea glass table top with a lamp on the floor below. It helps if I turn off the lights in the room.


Sorry it hasn't been ironed and beautifully flat. I have yet to decide what I shall put above the dark red appliqué flowers but I like the flower shapes between them. I will probably trapunto them and the appliqués. And I need to come up with an idea for the centre.



I have continued the motif of the flowers out into the border.

I have found I cannot trace for more than 2 or 3 hours a day as my neck starts to get very painful. I hope it doesn't hurt this much once I start quilting.


We have had a warm September and October but this doesn't explain this clematis in flower at the beginning of December.

14 comments:

  1. Glad everything is working out. Must have given you tons of gray's.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What attention to detail!! You are an inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your experience is exactly why I now presoak all of my fabric for 24 hours. Some fabrics take a longer exposure to water to let go of loose dye. My testing shows that 24 hours covers about 95% of bleeding fabric problems. I did have one turquoise batik that took 72 hours to finally stop bleeding.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Soul destroying when the fabric runs ! lucky you managed to fix it. Your quilt is beautiful can't wait to see the quilting.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh Sally, I'm so glad it turned out good for you. That kind of thing is a nightmare to say the least. We never know exactly what fabric will do. Hugs to you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would have cried! Very glad you managed to fix it, I don't know how you have the patience to do the beautiful work you do!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your quilt is looking fabulous, especially the fussy cut flowers! I can't wait to see it finished.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You do beautiful work. You are the best Sally.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your Quilt is lovely Sally. I for one can't wait to see it quilted and hope I will see it entered at one of the shows.
    You must have the patience of a saint.

    ReplyDelete
  10. So happy for you that the dye run was corrected. Do you draw the reverse of the pattern on the freezer paper before you iron it to the back? Wonder if I can get that Dylon product in the states? Thanks for the marking tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  11. These things are do deflating when they happen, especially when we should know better...but I have to say this is looking just superb, I cannot wait to see more of it, what a beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gnashing of teeth is probably putting it mildly. It must have seemed like two days! I am so glad it is fine, because it is absolutely beautiful. Success with the quilting!

    ReplyDelete