Stupendous Stitching Class Project

Stupendous Stitching Number 1 - 9 1/4" x 12"

Batik covered with couched fibers, machine and hand embroidery

Some time ago I learned about Craftsy.com and began to take quilting courses, specifically the machine quilting courses. Of course, the good folks who run this website are excellent marketers and before long I began to add new courses.

• TIP: Sign up for Craftsy.com, get their newsletter and follow them on Facebook. Classes regularly go on sale for half price and occasionally less. Their fabric deals are great and those deals will often have discounts after they are first offered.

During one promotion I signed up for the Stitch & Slash course taught by Carol Ann Waugh. There were a number of references to her Stupendous Stitching course so I added that as well. I must confess that I'm one who rarely uses the decorative stitches on my machines. And I'm not all that enthusiastic about hand embroidery. Of course, those are key elements to the course!

I think you can tell I'm now enthusiastic about both. For this first piece I kept close to the teacher's instructions. That's what I tell students when I teach so I try to follow my own advice! I did choose to design horizontally rather than vertically.

I am really pleased with the final result! I learned a lot and will definitely include these techniques in future projects.

Unconventional Sewing

 

Although I began as a garment sewer, I've evolved into a quilter. I'm far more familiar with rulers and rotary cutters than scissors. As a computer geek I'm always looking for ways to use my computer to make my processes easier. Maybe not always easier but certainly more fun for me!

When I started to lay out the pattern pieces for my grandson's baptism outfit I quickly remembered how much I dislike fluttery pattern pieces and cutting with scissors. I decided it would be easier to make copies of the pattern pieces onto freezer sheets, apply them to the fabric with a quick swipe with a hot iron, and then cut out the pieces. My tools are here: my freezer paper pattern, ruler, pattern weights (an essential tool for sewing!) and rotary cutter. I was able to cut out everything except the pants legs this way. I still used the rotary cutter and ruler with these, along with judicious placement of the pattern weights.

If you're making baby clothes, doll clothes, stuffed animals or other items with small pattern pieces, consider this method. You may find it a new useful technique!