_ _ _ Can't Stop Stitchin _ _ _: CQ Task #3 ~ Seam Templates

Task #3 Mary F ~ Preparing seam embellishment charts for marking seams

My Crazy Quilt Class with Kathy is moving along as we prepare to begin the embellishment of our crazy blocks we created last week. I am thankful to be able to participate, and have learned much already from Kathy and fellow classmates in preparation for embellishing our blocks. Kathy is such a good teacher as she wants us to learn her techniques for crazy quilting. She has provided each of us with step by step instructions along the way, and in our supplies this week they included a handy little chart of her designs for seam embellishment.

Step one ~ Laminated my paper sheet of the stitch patterns using to embellish blocks.

Step two ~ Gathered supplies, cutting knife, mat, laminated sheet of patterns, and you can see we are still enjoying the pretty roses from our daughters wedding one week ago.

Step three ~ Make little rectangular cut outs in the laminations that go from above to below the pattern row of stitches on the page that covers where the seam line will be. For some rows I put one cut-out at each end. I then put one in the middle for aiding in seam placement or when using on a short row. On other rows I just put two cut-outs a little bit in from both ends. Once I use these patterns, I will soon learn if they are going to aid in placement, or where they will be of better service in a different location. You can see the small pile of chads (cut-outs) on the side.

Step four ~ Gather more supplies for punching holes… I used my pink foam panel for the next step. I made this from a piece of my husbands leftover insulation from a project he did on our home. I covered this foam panel with muslin for a project I was working on for our daughters wedding dress. I needed to make pleated fabric from chiffon, and this covered board allowed for not only a surface I could pin into, but would also be able to take the warmth of the iron as well. A side benefit is that it was not heavy to hold in my lap as I pinned numerous pieces of fabric for 'the dress', and the granddaughters shoes.

I also used a chenille needle, and an awl from the tool shed, for punching the holes.

Step five ~ Pin or hold the sheet onto the foam board; with chenille needle you can make the tiny holes for pencil or chalk marking of dots, or for larger holes I used an awl.

Step six ~ Once whole sheet was completed, I then punched a hole in on the end of each strip which here are separated by lines. These holes are for attaching the strips onto a ring.

Step seven ~ Cut out each strip of pattern and put on a ring for handy use as needed.

This seems like a lot of work for an embellishment tool, but it is items like this that allow for greater accuracy and aid in creating a more beautiful work of art.

Thank you Kathy, you have been so generous with your teaching. Hope this helps someone else who is doing crazy quilting using paper patterns.

If you would like more information about these patterns on this sheet see Kathy Shaw at

http://www.shawkl.com/