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When I am out speaking to quilt guilds, I always ask, “WHO LOVES TO MAKE APPLIQUE QUILTS?”  A few uncertain hands raise slowly, sometimes wavering or giving me the metza/metza signal. The other 95% of the room lets out a low groan!

On the other hand, if I asked, “Who loves the look of Applique Quilts?” I imagine that every hand in the room would enthusiastically shoot up in the air. 

Applique has a bad reputation. Some call it the “A” word, not to be used in polite circles! Quilters think that Applique is a difficult task that takes a great deal of skill.

That may have been true back in the dinosaur days of quilting, but with modern methods, applique is easier than precise piecing. 

EASIER THAN PIECING?  You betcha!  There are no seams to match, no ripping seams, no pressing plans, no bias edges, no 1/4″ seams, and no lumpy, bumpy intersections! Every block ends up the perfect size, leading to easier quilt assembly and a flatter finished quilt.   

Applique is Design Freedom

When I started quilting in 1976, I immediately fell in love with Applique.  Way back then in the dinosaur days of quilting, there were no rotary cutters and accurate acrylic rulers for cutting pieced designs.  Both applique designs and pieced quilts were made with cardboard templates made from cereal boxes.  The patterns were traced and cut with scissors, then the shapes were pieced or appliqued by hand (a method I still enjoy today!)   

Applique was easier for this 12-year-old quilter to get right.  I could cut any shape out of fabric, baste it to a background fabric, and hand stitch the edges.  I’d make flower gardens with birds and butterflies, or fill the seas with fish and shells.  If I could draw it or trace designs from a coloring book,  I could make them into an applique quilt!  Applique was creative, it was free form, and nothing had to match.  I was in heaven!  

Modern Piecing Methods Left Applique in the Dust

 

Olfa introduced the Rotary Cutter for home sewists making garments back in 1979.  The tool was quickly adopted by smart quilters!  Rotary cutters revolutionized the way quilters cut pieced designs starting in the early 1980s.  A new industry developed around laser-cut, screen-printed acrylic rulers for extreme accuracy in cutting.  These rulers quickly replaced cardboard cereal box templates. Suddenly, anyone could accurately cut and machine sew pieced quilts in a fraction of the time with extremely accurate results.  Strip cutting and speed piecing methods took the quilting world by storm, and applique was left to those traditional quilters who were not interested in modern gadgets.         

Like every other quilter, I was enchanted by the new-fangled tools that made piecing one hundred percent easier!  I spent the 1980s perfecting my strip piecing and chain piecing skills.  But I quicky tired of piecing quilts as the tops started piling up in my sewing room.  

While I don’t think I appliqued, anything in the 80s, I had three kids in the 1990s and all of the sudden, I wanted to applique every children’s book I read to them!  

Eves’s Garden, based on God’s Gift with permission, 1998

Yet I knew that with three toddlers, I would never get anything accomplished if I hand appliqued all my quilts.  My undersea world inspired by “Rainbow Fish” took me nearly 6 months to complete during naptimes and late night hand stitching sessions. 

I turned to fusible applique in the late 1990s and I have never looked back!  God’s Gift was my first fusible applique quilt.  After making this quilt with hundreds of fused leaves, I invented Leaves Galore to make cutting applique easier!  Just like Omnigrid and Olfa revolutionized accurate piecing,  Rotary Cut Applique templates called Leaves Galore and Hearts & More take the hard work out of fusible applique.

             

The Best Fusible for Quilters

Not all fusible are created equal.  After my disappointment with the stiff feel of my first fusible quilt, I set out to find the perfect fusible web.  Mistyfuse was the result of a year of searching out and testing every fusible on the market! I just love the drape of the fused fabric,  I like that it is made in USA and that it does not have any harsh chemicals in the mix.  It is simply a heat activated adhesive with nothing else added.   

Changing Fusible Applique’s Bad Rap 

Fusible applique has a bad rap.  This goes back to the old fusibles like Stitch Witchery and Heat and Bond Ultra.  These fusibles were fine to put a patch on a pair of jeans, but when quilters used them for fusible applique, the results were just awful!  The quilts were cardboard stiff and the sewing machine needle left big holes on the applique edges.  Gummy fusibles made machine stitching difficult as the adhesive collected on the sewing machine needle and caused the thread to break. Raw edges frayed and fusible applique was dismissed as “hand applique’s ugly step sister”.     

Mistyfuse has solved all the problems with old, stiff, gummy fusibles!  For a video of how to apply Mistyfuse to your fabrics, click on this link. 

Since then, I have designed an eclectic mix of quilts that range from modern to traditional, with the look of applique or curved piecing.  There are designs for beginners as well as designs for experienced quilters.  

Now armed with Mistufuse and a few modern cutting tools, I  incorporate a bit of applique in every quilt I make. 

For more information about the SPD, Rotary Cut Applique method, tune into our Free Facebook Live sessions on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month.  Not on Facebook?  Follow me on YouTube and watch the Rotary Cut Applique demonstrations there!   

I hope this applique method will revolutionize fusible applique and help quilters realize that applique is just as easy (if not easier) than precise piecing!  Check out next week’s blog post for 5 ways that Applique is easier than piecing. 

 

Until next Friday!  Happy Applique!  

 

 

 

New England’s Textile Heritage, and what that has to do with ClamBoils!

What do Portuguese cooking and quilting have in common? I was raised in Rhode Island, on Narragansett Bay.  There was a very large Portuguese population in that area that was drawn to Fall River and New Bedford MA by the fishing industry and by the Textile Mills. 

Not only have the Portuguese contributed their own flavor to our local cuisine, but they’ve been instrumental in the development of the cotton printing industry that supported the quilting tradition in the US.  When I was in college studying Textile Chemistry, I worked at two different textile mills in Fall River, MA.  About half the workforce was Portuguese.  I enjoyed growing up around the Portuguese culture of strong family values, hard work, and spicy cuisine!  

 

Quilting inspiration comes from everywhere! 

It must be my New England roots that make me fascinated by this simple patchwork and quilting pattern.    

The Clamshell was traditionally made with curved piecing or English Paper Piecing. Like most curved pieced blocks, there is an easier applique alternative.  For anyone who does not have applique experience, I recommend a straight-set clamshell to practice this simple technique. Clamshells can be cut four at a time with Template D from the four-piece Hearts and More template set.

I made Kaffe Clam Shells for the cover of my book, Hearts and More Rotary Cut Applique.  The book has detailed instructions on making Clamshell quilts and borders using Hearts and More.  

Learn to make Clam Shell Quilts 

The pillow is a fast, easy project that features clamshell quilting as well as clamshell raw edge fusible applique.  Look for the Clever Clamshells workshop in “Ahead of the Curve” applique lovers membership for an easy introduction to clamshell quilts. 

This clamshell baby quilt has an added bonus when you cut 5″ squares into fusible clamshells with the SPD method.  The nap mat is a bonus quilt made from the leftover pieces from cutting clamshells.  The Clam Shells and More pattern includes the baby quilt,  the bonus quilt, and the pillow. 

More advanced Quilters will love “Belle en Rouge”

“Belle en Rouge” is a quilt I designed using clam shells in an unusual way.  The four setting triangles frame the medallion center set on point. The Tim Holtz version, “Belle en Bleu” reminds me of summer in New England!  The ocean-color background sets off the tan clams that resemble the color of  “steamers”, small long neck clams that New Englanders use for a good, old-fashioned, backyard clam boil. Add some beach roses and this quilt reminds me of summer, sand, and scrumptious steamers cooked in Rhode Island. 

Machine Applique this pretty quilt in the “Petite Belle Quilt-Along”

Make your own medallion style quilt with me during the Petite Belle Quilt-Along, starting in August.  The finished quilt is 42″ square when you do the 5 month quilt-along with me!  The full course is 9 sessions and in nine months you can continue and make the wall quilt into any size from 42″ to 84″.  

If you are excited to focus on the clamshells, and the basket of flowers, the shorter 5 month session is perfect to get this wall quilt done in about 21 minutes a day! 

This lovely, queen-sized version of “Belle en Rouge” was a stash- busting quilt made by Mary Russell, also from Massachusetts.  

How to make a New England Clam Boil

Native Americans in our area passed on a tradition for a clambake to early settlers.  After building a fire on the beach, large stones were placed in the fire, and when they were glowing hot, wet seaweed was used to cover the hot stones.  Clams, potatoes, corn, and onions were placed on top of the seaweed and the whole thing was covered with more wet seaweed.  The clam and veggies would steam beautifully with the clam juice running over the veggies to flavor the entire meal with salty goodness.  

The Portuguese have a strong fishing history and amazing cuisine that often features seafood, particularly shellfish, along with Chourico, a spicy pork sausage.  When you add Portuguese Chourico to the Native American dish, the best of both worlds come together!  

The same ingredients can be more easily prepared on the stovetop rather than on the beach.  

Make your own Clam Boil

Last week we had our annual family clam boil with 100 of our closest friends and relatives.  I thought it might be fun to share the ingredients for such an event with a photo or two. 

The secret to a good clam boil is making sure you boil everything in one pot so the flavors blend.  We use a BIG POT!  Don’t worry if you don’t have 99 friends to share this with… I’ll give you the “clam boil for two” recipe at the end of this blog post!

 

 

 

Clam Boil for 100 Guests

Soak a bushel and a half of clams in a large cooler with a 1/2 cup of black pepper.  Rinse and repeat.  

Saute one head of peeled crushed garlic in 2 cups olive oil in the bottom of a large pot.  

Add 1 cup salt, 1/2 cup pepper, 1/4 cup red pepper flakes, 1 six-pack of beer, and 3 gallons of water.  Bring to a boil.  

Add 100 medium-sized scrubbed yellow thin-skinned potatoes and 100 medium-sized sweet onions, peeled without cutting off the ends.  

Add: 100 hot dogs, 100 breakfast sausage, and 12 lbs Chourico or linguica (spicy Portuguese sausage) cut into 2″ chunks

Cover and return to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove one potato and one onion from the pot.  

Add one and a half bushels of steamers. Place the potato and the onion on top of the steamers. Cook until the potato and onion are soft (another 10 minutes). Remove each layer of ingredients into serving bowls. Add 50 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked and broken in half back into the broth. Boil for 5 minutes.  

In a saucepan, melt 6 lbs butter. Dish out into small dixie cups for dipping clams. Pour 1/2 cup broth into a coffee cup for washing clams.  

Clam Boil for Two

Get one pound of steamers per person.  Soak in the sink with cold water and a Tablespoon of black pepper to remove sand.  Drain water and rinse repeatedly to remove as much sand as possible.  Discard any clams that are broken, or floating. 

In a stockpot on your stovetop, saute one small chopped onion and two cloves of garlic in a large splash of olive oil.  Add a pinch of crushed red pepper, a teaspoon of salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper.  Add a sprig of fresh thyme.  

Add one can of beer and 2 cups of water.  Scrub 2 medium-size yellow, thin-skin potatoes (more if desired, or use small new potatoes) Peel two medium-sized onions. Add potatoes and onions to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Shuck two ears of corn. 

Add corn to the pot, then add cleaned clams, 2 hot dogs, 2 links breakfast sausage, 2 pieces of Portugese Chourico (2″ length), and 2 eggs in that order.  Cover and steam clams for 7-10 minutes after returning to a boil.  Discard any unopened clams.  Serve in large bowls with melted butter and broth on the side. 

I hope you are taking time to relax with family this summer and that you are inspired by the flowers, the ocean and nature all around us!   

I hope applique the fast and easy SPD way makes you “Happy as a Clam”!  ~~Sue Pelland

 

I just love watching the frogs in my green slimy frog pond in the middle of my backyard garden! The pond is filled with little black tadpoles this year. It is all taking me back to my childhood of collecting tadpoles in a bucket and watching them grow.  

Every time I see these big bullfrogs croaking it up in my garden, I think of Mark Twain. I’m sure Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn spent many summer days collecting frogs!  The last thing I want to imagine is someone dining on the plump little legs! 

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” -Mark Twain

Now, what does any of this have to do with Applique? 

Mr. Twain’s point is if you want to tackle something you think will be difficult…it is best to stop avoiding it, and get started! 

Quilters often tell me that applique is too difficult…they don’t have enough experience…they are afraid to try.  Are you one of those quilters who doesn’t feel ready for applique?

• If quilting is new to you and you don’t think you are ready for applique…
  it is time to “Eat the Frog”
• If you are a traditional quilter, and you are not sure you are going to like fusible, raw edge applique…
  it is time to “Eat the Frog”
• If you love applique but want to find a way to make it faster or easier…
  it is time to “Eat the Frog”!

Applique quilts are no harder to make than pieced quilts.

In fact, I can make a very good argument that applique is much easier than piecing! There are no persnickety points to match,  your blocks always end up exactly the right size, and you never have to worry about stretchy bias edges. Applique can be easy if you learn a few simple skills. Raw-edge applique in particular is like playing a child’s game of Colorforms! 

 

It is my goal as a quilt instructor to help you gain confidence with applique!! 

Basic applique shapes can be made into a wide variety of designs. When you discover how to rotary cut the basics (up to 12 at a time!) applique gets even easier.    

You can get pretty creative with applique too, even with a few basic shapes! Look how Peggy Raley of Boerne, Texas made a frog for her My Magical Garden quilt with just two shapes, circles, and flower petals (both of these shapes can be cut with Hearts & More templates)! So creative and so adorable, right?

Imagine getting confident cutting these shapes with a rotary cutter.  That will open up a whole new world to you!

Would you love to be able to cut even more unusual shapes in addition to the standard shapes? 

Once you have some experience with cutting, you can get creative with your applique templates to cut a huge variety of shapes.  

This week on Tuesday’s Facebook Live Video,
I added to my critter series by playing with making my own frog.

I’ll be adding an edited version of the FB Live video to my “Critter Series”.  This collection of eight videos (and growing) is available as one of the July Bonuses when you join “Ahead of the Curve”. 

Frog made with Raw Edge Applique

I know you will enjoy the reproducible results of rotary cut applique once you learn the 14 basic shapes! Then you’ll gain the ability to create just about anything from simple, and not so simple, shapes!

The best way to “Eat the Frog”?

Discovering a better way to applique is easier than you might think. If you are hesitating to “Eat the Frog” you will be pleasantly surprised! “Ahead of the Curve” membership was made for YOU!

Find out how you can use the wavy, curvy Leaves Galore and Hearts & More applique templates while you take fusible applique workshops with other members. Trying new things is so much more fun with friends!

Gold and Platinum Leaf members of Ahead of the Curve have access to a wide library of Technique videos, Recorded workshops and LIVE Zoom workshops to help you get confident with applique, no matter what your current skill level.  

The step-by-step path to applique success starts with technique videos for cutting the 14 basic shapes.  Then, you can choose a level one, two, or three project from the Workshop Library based on your quilting and applique experience.

Hands-on workshops happen monthly on ZOOM so I can help you gain cutting confidence and applique expertise!

Finally, you can focus on quilt finishing skills in “Finishing School”.  Finishing Technique Videos include Color Confidence, Better Buttonhole Stitching, Brilliant Bindings, and Fabulous Finishes with machine quilting skills, labels and sleeves.

Every part of this membership will not only add to your applique skills, but will make you a better quilter overall! 

Membership in Ahead of the Curve just got better when you join in July…It’s Bonus Time!

Bonus #1: Register for “AOC” in July (or upgrade to a higher level) and get the Critter Series as a bonus!

Bonus #2: Everyone who registers in July will get a free Leaves Galore training DVD.  You can play this on your computer, or in a DVD player.  

Bonus #3: Join in July and get a Two Hour New Member Orientation with me! 

In this ZOOM session I will show you how to…

• • Navigate the Member Content area of the website
  • Upgrade or cancel your membership at any time
  • Sign up for Live workshops each month
  • Use your 11% Member’s Only discount code
  • Watch 16 step-by-step Technique videos
  • Watch 8 (Gold Leaf) or 20 (Platinum Leaf) recorded workshops 
  • Access bonus materials like the “Critter Series”
  • Meet other members in the Private Facebook Group, it is like our own little quilt guild!

“Catch the Bug”

Applique is addicting. When new members “Catch the Bug” they can’t wait to try Level One workshops like Clam Shells and Orange Peel Quilts. Quilters who love piecing will enjoy Twin Tiles, Mint Chocolate and Drunkard’s Path. Experienced applique quilters will enjoy Promise Ring, Summer Seascape and Monet’s Garden! Join “Ahead of the Curve” and find out how much fun applique can be.  

You are ready to Eat the Frog!

Let’s play with applique together as you ascend through level 1, 2 and 3 workshops. 

I’m excited for you to become an applique expert!

When I’m not designing new templates or quilts, you will find me in my garden in Upton, MA.  

PS: Find the original video as I experiment and try to make a frog here on Facebook

PPS: Jeff and I are planning a trip to southern France in September. I’d better learn the French words for “Frogs Legs” so I don’t order them by mistake when dining out! Leave a comment if you have ever tried this delicacy, and leave a comment if you have any questions about “Ahead of the Curve” Membership!  

 

The Kaffe Design walls that I made for my sewing room are perfect for me to use when teaching or taking Zoom workshops!

I use one wall to pin up the workshop samples and another wall to design quilts along with my students or teachers.  Now that we have the ability to start going to workshops and retreats again, I’ve made a portable version of this “wall” so I can take it with me to workshops. 

Would you like to make one too? Get the free supply list and instructions on how to make your own 2 foot square design board for you to layout your applique blocks!  

My students have shown me a variety of design wall options in their home studios! I love the wide variety of creative options. Do you have a great design wall you would like to share? Please post a photo of it on our Facebook page, Rotary Cut Applique with Sue Pelland. 

 I truly feel that the design wall that I have on a sliding closet door system is ideal for my room, but it is definitely not portable. I like having the 2 foot square design board for designing individual blocks, something I can take with me when I go on the road. When I need a larger design wall for a retreat, I use Chery Anne’s portable design wall from “Off The Wall Quilting”. This one folds up into a carry case and is simple to set up when you get to your destination. It would even be great for working in an RV or bedroom where you don’t have wall space. These can be special-ordered here at SuePellandDesigns.com.

Do you want to see how the big design walls were made for my studio? 

The Kaffe Design Wall Video can be found here.

The same Kaffe Flannel Fabric (available by the 1/2 yard) was used to make a 2′ x 2′ block design board. The board is perfect for working on fusible applique blocks up to 24″ square.  We cut our 3/4 yard generously because you’ll need 
 a 28″ piece of Kaffe Flannel .  Get the rest of the supplies from Home Depot or Lowes (or a hardware store) to make your own portable Design Board with me on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021!

I’ll be hosting a Facebook Live on July 7th at 11 AM EST on the Rotary Cut Applique Facebook Group where I will show you how to put it together.  If you are reading this after July 11, all the instructions are on the free download.  

Enjoy this new addition to your quilting supplies!

 

 

PS: You’ll want at least one in your sewing studio,  so get the supply list and instructions HERE

Suee Pelland is a Quilter, Author, Designer, and the Inventor of the Rotary Cut Applique system. Use her Leaves Galore and Hearts & More templates to speed up the applique process. Get expert guidance, courses, and workshops that will transform you into an applique expert!  

I am so fortunate to still have both of my parents living in Texas!  Now that we are all vaccinated, it was time to go visit “the folks”.  My siblings and I decided to travel to Texas at the same time, so we could finally have our family of six together to celebrate. I just returned home from that trip and wanted to blog about the lessons I have learned from my Mom.  

Stay “Close” to your Family

I have two sisters and a brother.  We are each unique, we have diverse talents, vastly different personalities, politics, and passions. Our shared upbringing is the glue that holds us together and it was my mother that added the glue! Mom taught by example the importance of family.  No matter how we disagree sometimes, we are never disagreeable!  

My Mother had 9 brothers and sisters.  One of her brothers spent most of his life in Africa.  Even though the distance was great, the family was as close as ever.  Now that my parents live in Texas, we make time for weekly ZOOM calls and the occasional LIVE visit!

Here we are in my parent’s apartment enjoying a meal together.  After cleaning up the Texas BBQ, we passed around old family photos and had a few laughs. 

Like this family photo from our year in Italy when I was only 11 years old! That got more than a few chuckles!  What can I say…I loved combining “Ugly Fabrics” way back when!!  Now I make a living out of that skill!

But seriously folks,  I cherish these rare moments with my family!  Poking fun at each other is par for the course!

 

Know Your Story

As embarrassing as those old family photos are, we wanted to document who is in each photo and where it was taken before we all forgot the details!  Connecting the names and faces of my mother’s aunts, uncles and cousins is important to me.  Telling stories of Uncle Joe, and summers at his beach house at Brant Rock in MA helped me to connect to my ancestors.  I am only one chapter in this great big story of “The Nadeaus!” 

Waste Not, Want Not 

Growing up during the depression, my mom and her family were frugal. Nothing was wasted. My mother passed on her frugal nature to her kids.  When the siblings get together it is a badge of honor to tell each other how much we saved on a pair of shoes, or how we put 200,ooo miles on our car before trading it in.  We all love to save a buck.  

Maybe that is why it was so important to me to design quilting tools that minimize waste when cutting applique shapes. It is not about saving money but about using resources wisely.  I only have so much fabric, if I waste it, I may run out before my project is finished.  It was even more important for me to design tools that save quilters time.  I hate wasting time that I could spend quilting!

Leave a Legacy

My mom is a quilter, and my grandmother made quilts to keep the TEN children warm!  They aren’t beauties like my mom’s quilts, but they are part of our history.  My Mom’s quilts are amazing with many hand applique and hand quilted heirlooms.  Mom’s quilts will be treasured!  Every quilt has a label so they are well documented with who, what, when, and where.  

Unfortunately, the same is not true of this gorgeous Wedding Ring Quilt.  This quilt was made by my Sister-in-law’s Aunt.  We have her Aunt’s name, but don’t know when, where, or why she made this quilt.  We do know from the fabrics that it is from the 20s or 30s.  What a shame not to have a label on the quilt with a few more clues!  Wouldn’t it be fun to find this woman’s journal and discover what her life was like when she was making this quilt?  I hope you keep a journal while you make your quilts so you can keep your story with the quilt.  You will hear more about Journaling about your quilts in the next few blog posts!    

When life seems hard, do something for others

As my Mom struggles to take care of my dad, we all encourage her to take time for herself.  Dad needs 24-hour care and rarely leaves the house.  That leaves a bit of time for my mom to do some quilting. It is so important as you go through your own struggles to always make time for self-care. In addition to eating right and exercise, it is important to do a little bit of what you love every day.  Mom makes quilts for the local hospital’s neo-natal care unit. Not only do the little babies benefit, but Mom has the satisfaction of sharing her talents. Mom always said, “doing something for others always makes you feel better!”

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today

This is one of my Mother’s famous lessons.  Sometimes we avoid doing something that is challenging, so we put it off until “Tomorrow”.  Guess what…it is still going to be challenging tomorrow! 

Even things that are easy to do are just as easy not to do.

You may find that you “can’t” get to quilting all week even though you want to!  Is it that we can’t or that we don’t?  Getting into the habit of doing a little each day adds up to getting a lot done.  So if you can do it today, DO IT TODAY! 

Who knows how many tomorrows we will have.  

Cherish Your MOM

Margaritas with Mom has become a Texas Tradition!  I learned from both of my parents how precious our time is with Mom!  Both of my grandmothers died when I was very very young.  Even though I was little at the time, I remember both of my parents taking time to visit their moms.  Thank you Mom (and Dad)  for being a living example of living life to the fullest, putting family first, and making the most of every day. 

Family and time are precious gifts.  Enjoy them both to the fullest!  

When designing an applique quilt or reproducing an applique pattern it is very helpful to tack the blocks and borders up to a wall. Sit back and ponder your applique placement and your choice of applique fabrics before you fuse and stitch. I never fuse an applique block without admiring it from a distance to make sure your fabrics are “doing the job they need to do” and your applique placement is pleasing. (Find out more about making fabrics work for your quilt in the Live ZOOM workshop, Fabric and Color and Knowledge on June 14. )

Quilters are loving the Kaffe Design Wall that I made when I redesigned my sewing room (you’ll find the link to the original blog post at the bottom of this page). I made design walls to replace the closet doors covering my quilt storage area.  A second design wall (pictured) is on the left side of my workstation.  This is where I pin up quilts in progress.  The third board that I made is 2′ x 2′.  portable board board.  Do you want to see how the design walls were made? 

The Kaffe Design Wall Video can be found here.

The same Kaffe Flannel Fabric (available by the 1/2 yard) was used to make a 2′ x 2′ block design board. The board is perfect for working on fusible applique blocks up to 24″ square.  Use a 3/4 yard piece of Kaffe Flannel and a 2′ x 2′ precut insulation board from your local home improvement store.  All the design walls and the portable design board are double-duty, they also serve as a pressing surface.  

“Ahead of the Curve” Applique club members made their own portable design boards with me during a live Facebook group session.  

I made this Design Wall for my Mom at her Independent Living Facility.  Her bedroom doubles as her sewing room, so this small design wall is perfect for the baby quilts she makes for the local hospital. We also assembled the wire cart that gives her storage space, an ironing surface and a cutting station.  

If you love the Kaffe Design Wall video and you need a design wall in your sewing room, grab your supplies and let’s get started!  

Supplies:  

• Insulation board (24″ square up to 4′ x 8′ available at your home center (Lowes, Home Depot, Hardwared stores)
• T-Pins or heavy-duty sewing pins
• Duct Tape
• Flannel Fabric (Kaffe Design wall flannel with a 2″ printed grid is available HERE in the shop)
• Electric knife or bread knife
• To hang on wall: Command Velcro strips or finish nails and a stud finder
• To hang on Ceiling: Sliding closet door hardware

Enjoy this new addition to your sewing room!

 

 

Read the blog post about maximizing space in my small studio HERE

Sue Pelland is a Quilter, Author, Designer, and the Inventor of the Rotary Cut Applique system.  Use her Leaves Galore and Hearts&More templates to speed up the applique process. Get expert guidance, courses, and workshops that will transform you into an applique expert!  

When I first started making applique quilts, I did everything by hand. Over the years, I have tried many methods of hand and fusible applique. While I love hand applique, I no longer can find the time to do it! I have resorted to making all my quilts with Fusible Applique, and quite honestly, I love it!  

There are several different cutting systems for applique that you may find useful when making fused applique quilts.  There are pros and cons to each system. While I am a bit biased (one of the systems is my own invention), I invented the Rotary Cut Applique (RCA) system because I saw so many drawbacks of the other methods.  

Cutting with Scissors: 

The first cutting system is the most common, cutting with scissors. This involves making plastic templates for your applique shapes by tracing your pattern onto template plastic. After cutting the plastic accurately, you then trace the shapes as many times as needed on the paper backing of a fusible web. Iron the fusible to the fabric then cut each individual shape with scissors.  After cutting, the paper backing needs to be removed. From that point, all the steps for completing fusible applique are the same.  

Pros:	Cons:
Least Expensive, you already have everything you need to do this Anyone can do it     Cut any shape and any size you want   Books and Patterns available Looks Hand Cut	Hard on your hands Time consuming Requires a sharp pair of fabric scissors  Extreme accuracy takes a bit of skill

 

Rotary Cut Applique

I developed my own SYSTEM. 

Having a SYSTEM for applique is the best way to Save You Stress, Time, Effort and Money.  

The system that I use is Rotary Cut Applique, and yes, there are tools to make this system work.

       

The essential items are the seven templates, a 28mm rotary cutter, a pack of blades, and Grace TrueGrips, and a good quality cutting mat (Olfa and Martelli are two good ones).   

Rotary Cut Applique System: Basic Bundle $135 plus rotary cutter and blades, $160 total,  assuming you have a cutting mat. This gives you the ability to cut 125 sizes and shapes including these standard shapes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaves Galore Shapes: Five shapes can be made in a minimum of six sizes. Hearts & More shapes: Nine shapes can be made in a minimum of nine sizes.  

 

I started sharing my system with other quilters about 12 years ago.  The Rotary Cut Applique system is the most time-efficient and cost savings system out of all applique methods I have tried. If you can rotary cut, you can do Rotary Cut Applique!  What I like about my system is that you are still hand-cutting the shapes.  There is a human factor that makes your shapes hand-made instead of machine-made.  To some, that is a disadvantage, but to me, the shapes feel more organic and natural.  One drawback is that it takes a little time to become proficient at cutting around the curves. A second drawback is that you are limited to the basic shapes.  You will still need to cut unusual shapes with scissors.   

Pros:	Cons
Lease Expensive, $160 for the starter bundle, rotary cutter and blades  A wide variety of sizes A wide variety of the most common applique shapes Easy to Fussy Cut fabrics Little fabric waste Cut up to four layers at a time Books and Patterns available Looks Hand Cut (pro or con?)	Takes practice; some quilters will need a workshop to get the hang of rotary cutting curves. A few days practice is needed   Requires a sharp blade and a good quality mat Looks Hand Cut (pro or con?)  Accuracy depends on a bit of skill

Go cutter:

Total $354.92 for the 30 shapes listed above.  The “Go-Me” machine is $130, and can’t handle the larger dies, (most of those above). You would need the “GO” cutter (on sale for $299) to cut all 30 shapes.    

Go Cutter Pros and Cons:

Pros:	Cons
Great for Complex Shapes A wider variety of unusual shapes Perfect size every time Even a child can do this!   Cut six layers at a time	Expensive, 30 shapes, $663.92 New mats are expensive Limited sizes of simple shapes Some fabric waste  Storage Space required for Machine and Dies Hard to Fussy Cut  Looks machine-made   According to the manufacture, the dies are only good for 100-200 cuts.  That could be one quilt!

 

Cricut Cutter, Brother Scan and Cut, and other electronic cutters: 

I have to confess, I have never used the Cricut Cutter or the Brother Scan and Cut.  They are similar machines. The concept is that they can cut any outline shape that is uploaded to the machine.  They use a stylus-type cutting blade (similar to a swivel Exacto knife).  To do this, the fabric needs to be affixed to a sticky cutting mat.  The cutting mats and the blades need replacing frequently.  

Electronic  Cutter Pros and Cons:

Pros:	Cons
Great for complex shapes Perfect size every time Can program for less fabric waste Scan any shape outline (from a pattern for example) Doubles as a crafting tool for paper and vinyl	$329.00 for Cricut Machine, $310 for Brother Scan and Cut   Accessories (new blades and mats) are expensive Looks machine-made   Technical expertise needed Cut only one layer of fabric at a time Has trouble cutting fabric well (according to real users)

Take-Aways:  

I have developed the Rotary Cut Applique (RCA) system to address the negatives that I saw with the other applique cutting methods.

I designed the RCA SYSTEM to Save You Stress, Time, Effort and Money! 

I know I am a bit biased since I developed the SYSTEM for Rotary Cut Applique…  

The takeaway? All of the systems have Pros and Cons, and no one system is perfect. You will have to ask yourself a few questions to find the right tools.  

Do you struggle with Technology?  Don’t choose an electronic cutter! 

Do you have trouble rotary cutting 2 or more layers? RCA is not for you!  

Are you very frugal? Don’t waste your money on dies that will get little use.

Do you have limited space? Dies cutters and dies take a lot of room for storage.

I truly feel the RCA system is the most efficient and economical system for confident rotary cutters. While RCA does take a little practice to perfect, I am here to give you a little guidance to quickly perfect your cutting technique!

I would love to hear more about your experience with the “GO” cutter or Electronic Cutters so I can update this blog post with real user experiences. Please reach out to me if you have either of these systems and share your PRO and CON list with me! 

Do you want more quality information about fusible applique?  Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here! Newsletter subscribers get a free mini pattern for a mug rug. 

Sue Pelland Designs, Upton MA, USA

Sue Pelland, Quilt Tool Creator, Author, Designer

When I’m not in my sewing room making fusible applique quilts with Rotary Cut Applique, you will find me in my garden in the spring, summer, and fall, and hiding under a stack of quilts all winter!  

Ready to learn about Rotary Cut Applique?  Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here!     

The primary reason I use EQ to design my applique quilts is that I can quickly recolor any quilt by swapping out colors with the When coloring an applique quilt in EQ, I often use solid colors to represent the fabrics in my color palette.  That way, I can see the design without focusing on the right choice of prints for the project.  

The scale and colors make choosing prints exciting when making the quilt, but they make the EQ design process more difficult. 

This quilt was designed in an applique block design workshop with my guild.  I recreated each block in EQ by photographing the blocks, and tracing them using PatchDraw in EQ.  The original background color was chocolate brown, and the bright colors were all batiks.  Rather pretty 10 years ago, but the palette looks dated now.  So I swapped all the batik colors for solid colors and came up with this pretty quilt.      

I was curious what the pattern would look like in Tula Pink’s True Colors Fabric Collection since I have the entire collection in fat quarters sitting in my sewing room!

So I downloaded the 2020 fabric palette from Free Spirit for $6.95.  This saved me hours of work scanning the fabrics, cropping them, and uploading them into EQ.  This is the first time I bought a download for a specific fabric line and boy, was it easy! 

The download was automatically added to my fabric choices,  all I had to do was delete the default fabric palette, and select the Tula True Colors Color Palette.  Then, I used the swap color feature to change the solid colors to the corresponding Tula Prints.  

EQ makes it fast and fun to try different colors and prints on the quilt, so you can visualize the finished quilt before taking your first stitch. No wasted fabric when trying out different color combinations!  

Now that I know I am going to love this quilt in Tula’s True Colors Line, I have started to work on the blocks. Here is a sneak peek! If I love the finished quilt (and I think I already do!) this will become our next Quilt-Along. Maybe I will make it again using solid fabrics s when I make it with you!  

Watch my progress making this quilt with Rotary Cut Applique by joining me on Facebook Live on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at 11:00AM EST.  Members of “Ahead of the Curve” get to create with me on the Second and Fourth Tuesdays as well!  

Start HERE to learn more about Rotary Cut Applique and the Tools that make cutting applique easier!

 

 

When you want to resize an applique block in Electric Quilt, there is an easy way to do it…if you know the secret! 

Once you have an applique block drawn in EQ, or a series of blocks like in this sampler quilt, you may decide you need a different size background on your applique blocks. This presents a problem in EQ.  EQ will not only resize the background fabric but it will change the size of all the applique elements in proportion to the block.  

While this may be desired in some cases, there are times when you want the applique to stay the same size, and only the background to change. This will give more space around the applique elements which gives the eye a place to rest and to make the quilt less “busy”.  

 In Part One of this four-part post about Designing Applique Quilts in EQ, I added 3″ sashings to increase the space between the 14″ applique blocks.  

The problem with this method is that construction is much easier without the sashings. We want EQ to figure yardage for the backgrounds and corner triangles for this on-point quilt. By using the sashing method, EQ has the wrong information to calculate yardage accurately.  

The right way to add more space around the applique is to set the applique elements on a 17″ square. This presents a unique problem in EQ. EQ will not only resize the background but will resize all the applique elements to fill that square. We don’t want to fill the square, the goal is to add space around the applique. 

When we keep the applique elements the same size as on the 14″ block, all the design elements can be rotary cut with standard size tools. This would also apply to anyone cutting applique shapes with a die-cut machine such as the Go Cutter or Cricut Cutter. These speed-cut methods make fixed shapes. I’ll be cutting all the shapes for this quilt with the set of three Leaves Galore templates and the set of four Hearts & More templates. 

So let’s fix the problem that EQ creates by resizing the applique when resizing a block. 

I have found “a hack” for fixing the applique sizes in four easy steps:  

Step 1: Select the block you want to resize from the Sketchbook. While you are on the Applique tab, use the Edit tab on the main menu, then “Select All” on the drop-down menu. This will put dots around all the applique elements with a four-sided arrow in the middle. Write down the size of that selection on scrap paper.   

Step 2: On the EasyDraw Tab, type in the new block size (circled in red). All the Applique Design elements will also be automatically resized.  

Step 3: Open the Applique tab again and repeat, “Edit, then select all”. Notice that the size of the selected area has changed and is larger. Type in the X and Z measurements that you jotted down on the scrap paper, where the measurements are circled in red.  Notice that the applique elements are all resized back to the original size, but the applique is off-center.  

Step 4: Still on the Applique Tab, make sure everything is still selected, then center on the background square using the yellow square and arrows icon. 

Save your block in the sketchbook. Once you have resized your block(s) with this simple process, you can plug them into the quilt layout you had before. 

Next week, I will show you how I imported the Tula Pink True Colors line of fabric to color the blocks.  

If you missed this article in the Applique Cafe Newsletter, subscribe now and get applique tips and tricks delivered to your inbox every Friday!

This quilt was designed in an applique block design workshop with my guild. I drew each block in EQ by taking a photo of each block, importing the photo into EQ, and tracing the shapes using PatchDraw. The border design was created as a “Motif” a floating applique design that can be added and moved around the quilt without regard for blocks and borders.  

Motifs are found on the block worktable in EQ.

Motifs are designed much like a block, however, there is no background created for the block, so the applique elements “float”.  Motifs can only be added on Layer 2 of the quilt, which means that in real life you will need to piece the quilt before adding these applique motifs to the quilt.  

Notice that the four corners of the applique are all exactly the same design. I measured the size of one corner design and made my applique corner motif that exact size.

You only need to draw the corner once.  Now, on Layer 2, copy and rotate each of the four Motifs to repeat the design on all four corners of the quilt.

This is the only way to allow the applique to flow over seam lines.  I love having my applique elements escape the borders and overlap some of the quilt blocks. 

I make my applique borders this way even if I don’t have the applique crossing over the seams. By using Motifs, you can change the quilt size under the motif and not have to change anything else. Here is the quilt with a 6″ border and another with a 9″ border. Compare this quilt to the one above. Do you see how the border applique motifs are not overlapping the blocks as much and there is now a bit of space between the corner designs? This gives the quilt a little more negative space for your eye to rest.   

 The top quilt is 85″ square.  The bottom quilt is 92″.  Which design do you like better and which size do you prefer?  

You will notice I recolored the quilt with Tula’s True Colors fabric line.  More about that in the next post!  

Leave a comment below if you have a suggestion for a name! Let me know which size is better for you. Do you like the look of the 6″ or the 9″ borders?  I would love your feedback and your input into this pattern.  It could be the next Quilt Along!  

 

If you missed this article in my newsletter, subscribe now at suepellanddesigns.com

Designing Applique blocks and borders in EQ  

When you tackle a quilt like this  spring flowers quilt, the first step is to design the basic quilt structure in Electric Quilt. 

I like using a large block size for applique blocks. Floral blocks tend to get pretty big when you are working with 2 1/2″ and 3″ leaves. Since I have a 24″ design board, I like working with blocks that are between 18″ and 24″. 

First, decide on your quilt style. Are you going to set your blocks on point, make a medallion in the center, or do a straight-set? This is your very first decision because your designs will all depend on your setting. 

Make sure you don’t draw any applique blocks until you have your quilt block size set in stone. While it is possible to change the block size easily in EQ, this will also change the size of all the applique shapes. 

To avoid resizing the applique, change the block size with a plain sashing in EQ. You don’t have to construct the quilt with sashing, just add that measurement to your block size. 

Both of the quilts below use a 14″ block size. 

 

When I make the quilt, I want the added space around the blocks to give the eye a place to rest.  

I’ll make my blocks 17″ and it will look like this one with the 3″ sashing, and I won’t have to jump through hoops in EQ to resize the entire applique block.  

Watch for a future blog post where I will show you how to “Jump Through EQ Hoops” to resize applique elements if you do want to change the block size permanently. Are you curious how I made the border that goes over the seam lines? I can show you that too…in another blog post!  

Happy Applique!  Sue

 

Let go of perfection to achieve perfection!

This is the advice I have been giving the members of “Ahead of the Curve” this week. They are learning to free-motion quilt with Leaves Galore. I’d like to share these same words of wisdom with you. 

Study the MASTERS! Watching someone quilt is no substitute for doing it yourself! However, learning from someone else’s experience will give you a head start on Free Motion Quilting. Artists study the masters…Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Michelangelo. You can study “The Masters” of machine quilting on your path to mastering this technique yourself!  Who are the Masters? People just like you who have practiced a whole lot. Look for Angela Walters, Natalia Bonner and Patsy Thompson on Youtube!

Let Yourself be a BEGINNER! Picasso didn’t start out where he ended. He was a student for many years, studying drawing, painting in all mediums, and painting all different subjects and styles before he created his own very unique look. As you develop your own quilting style, you can learn all you can from the masters and put those ideas and skills into your practice. There is no substitute for your own FMQ experience. Don’t expect to go from zero to 60 in one sitting! Let yourself be a beginner and progress through the stages of learning.  

I have challenged my students to work 21 minutes a day on their quilt goals (For me, it usually turns into twice or three times that!) Why not make one day a week your FMQ day and spend 21 minutes THIS MONDAY making a FMQ quilt sandwich. Anytime you have a few minutes, practice on that piece. You will watch your skills grow daily!

Practice on something you don’t care about, a printed panel to practice outlining, or a sandwich made of muslin to practice fillers. In this week’s “Ahead of the Curve Technique Video,” we are practicing feathers, so I made a striped quilt sandwich with some leftover batik strips and black fabric. This gave me a great place to play with drawing feathers!

The sandwich was made with four strips of black fabric 6 ½” x 22” and three strips of colored fabrics, 3” x 22”. You could use leftover strips in any size and any color to practice, but keep the fabrics plain, not too busy. You need to see your successes and your mistakes! Use a remnant of batting and a solid backing. Fuse the three layers together so you don’t have to work around safety pins or basting stitches. Use your walking foot (or practice FMQ in the ditch) to secure the three layers together and practice stitching in the ditch along the seam lines.

Knowing where you are going is half the battle! Guidelines and a good plan before you sit down to FMQ takes the stress out of quilting. Draw your designs (or at least part of the design) before you quilt. In time, you will be able to come up with the shapes as you quilt, but if you are a beginner/intermediate FM quilter, you need a plan. 

Let go of Perfectionism: Some quilters never get past “practice mode”.  Are you so afraid of making a mistake that you never move from a practice piece to a real quilt? If this sounds familiar, it is time to let go of perfectionism and realize that “Perfect” never gets finished. Do the best you can and move on. You will improve with every project.  

Let yourself make mistakes. Keep a FMQ sandwich handy before you start FMQuilting for the day. Spend 5-10 minutes getting in the flow on the sample before moving to an actual quilt project, every single time! Even after you are confident, it takes a few minutes to get back into the rhythm and you WILL make mistakes! 

When I jump back into a filler design, for example, I need to match the scale and pattern to what I did the day before. Do this on a practice piece. Work out the size, the path, the strategy before you put a stitch on your real quilt. 

Once you are on the real quilt project, accept that there will be mistakes. I have a policy of never ripping out stitches. If you make a mistake, just move on. Try to find that mistake after you have finished the quilt. If you can easily find it, rip it out. If it is hard to find…just ignore it. 

Graciously accept Compliments: It’s pretty annoying when you are enjoying music and someone points out a wrong note. When you walked through a friend’s beautiful flower garden, did she point out the weeds? Now your eye is drawn right to the weed instead of looking at the gorgeous roses, smelling their sweet fragrance, and watching the butterflies hover from flower to flower.

Don’t be the one to ruin someone else’s enjoyment of your quilt by pointing out the tiny flaw. Noone will know but you! Just nod your head, smile, and say, “Thank You! I enjoyed making it!”

Note from Sue: My word of the year is GRACE.  I will work this year on being more gracious when accepting compliments!  

Last words of wisdom, BREATHE! It is important to stay relaxed so your designs will flow and you will feel better while quilting. I remember FMQuilting at a retreat one time and my friend Kathy came over and told me to relax. I visibly tense up my shoulders, my face and my neck when I quilt…and she could see the stress it was causing! Now, I quilt with Kathy on my shoulder saying, “Quilting is supposed to be fun!”

I keep reminding myself to sit up straight, drop my shoulders, lengthen my neck, and put a soft smile on my face when quilting! Most of all, BREATHE! Yoga practice can help you with body awareness as you sit and sew.     

If you don’t have a yoga practice to draw from, let me perch on your shoulder as you quilt and say, “Relax any tension in your body, let go of perfection, and have some fun!”

It is time to stop saying, “I can’t machine quilt” and start saying, ‘I’m learning to Machine Quilt!’  

A great place to start is with the online course “Inner Circle”.  In this online workshop, members of Ahead of the Curve cut and fuse circles and circle rings. Then we piece the small quilt top, layer, fuse baste, and practice Free Motion Machine Stitching. 

If you missed this workshop, it is available in the Platinum Leaf Membership, or watch for it again in 2021!!  

Many of us have had the experience of “Nesting” while expecting a child. Nesting is the female’s natural instinct to clean, organize and prepare the “Nest” for Baby’s arrival.  Lord knows at 55, I am definitely not “expecting”, so why am I “Nesting?”

You heard last week about how I reorganized my small sewing room.  Small is relative, right?  I had many comments from quilters who sew on the dining room table, in RVs and on a card table in the TV room.  Sometimes I forget just how lucky I am to have a dedicated sewing room in my Basement Bat Cave!  

When I was nesting, cleaning, and organizing, I came across a few samples for RCA ideas that I had kicked around years ago! 

The first is a “Card Trick Variation” using circles instead of pieced squares that I quickly named Card Trick Too.  This cute little block could be a really fun quilt!  I can also picture it as part of a larger scrappy quilt with odd-sized blocks, that would use up some of the other playtime blocks I have created over the years!

The second photo is from a small sample of Joseph’s Coat that I made about 10 years ago.  I wanted to see how easy it would be to layout this one-patch quilt using a pattern cutting board.  Look closely, you can see the blue lines on the pattern cutting board under the white background fabric.  Fabulous!  It was so quick and easy to layout, I just might need to make this into another quilt!

But you all know me too well! I have a zillion ideas, and a hundred “patterns in waiting” but too little time to get the samples stitched and the patterns written.  I know you can relate to that!  

That is why I am grateful for all of you!  My customers and especially the members of Ahead of the Curve have motivated me to browse through my “Idea folders” and pull out a few little gems that will eventually make the way into patterns.

The last of these little GEMS is a half-done Christmas Gradations Quilt!  When I wrote and filmed the Gradations Online Course last year, I made these red and green blocks with the intention of using up red scraps and repeating this group of nine blocks four times to make a queen-sized Christmas Quilt for my bed.  

I’m excited to lead a new group of Quilters on the Gradations Journey!  If the My Magical Garden quilt group was a little too intense for you this year (we started that group back in February), then the Gradations Group may be just what you need to dust off your Petite Leaves Galore template and put it to work for you!  I’ll be making another nine red and green blocks during the 6-week course starting on April 14.  

If you want to join me, you can get all the details of the course here!  When you register before March 30, you will get the two bonus weeks (machine quilting with Leaves Galore and Bindings) and that means a FINISHED quilt in just 8 weeks!  

I love a good “TIDY UP” to uncover UFOS, “Useful Future Opportunities” using my “Unlimited Fabric Obsession!”  

I hope you will take this opportunity to start and finish this QUICK-WIN applique quilt with me starting on April 14!      

Happy Spring

Sue Pelland

 

PS:  Make your quilt in these gorgeous Spring Floral Colors with Hyacinth Gradations from Sew Batik!  Get your Kit HERE!  

 

 

Since I picked my word of the year, Grace, I have noticed how many times people say that word! One of the most common phrases is “Saving Grace”.

Vocabulary.com says: A saving grace is something positive in an otherwise bad situation. The saving grace is the good thing that redeems, or saves, a negative experience. 

YOU have been my Saving Grace! This definition could not be more appropriate for this year! You, my applique sisters, are the good thing that gives me positive energy during an otherwise challenging situation!  

So today I want to THANK YOU! Thank you for letting me come into your world each week and share my love of all things APPLIQUE and QUILTING! 

I have shared with you before that the textile tradition runs through my veins. My Grandmothers were professional seamstresses, my Dad worked in a boot factory and my Mom and I owned and operated a quilt shop. I trained and worked in the textile industry, and I continue to be fascinated with Textile History in the Blackstone Valley of Massachusetts where I live. 

  

This Singer Sewing Machine was my mother’s. She found it at an antique store in Texas during one of her winters there. She brought it home to MA, then left it with me when she moved to Texas full time.  

I have always loved this machine and just decided to research it a bit. I found that it truly belongs here in UPTON, MA, and this is why.

I live just down the street from the Knowlton Hat Factory (now senior housing). By 1872 This factory had become the biggest women’s hat factory in the world. They made felt, fur, and straw hats. A cottage industry grew around the women in my town who supported themselves by braiding straw at home to supply the factory. The braided straw was sewn into hats on a machine just like the one I have.

 

The singer machine that I have came from Texas. Do you think it was used to sew Ten Gallon Cowboy hats? No matter what it was used for, it is a treasure for me, and it feels right at home here in my studio.  

Do you have an antique sewing item you would like to share? If you do, please post it to the SPD Facebook page or the Rotary Cut Applique group!  

This week, please remember that you are my Saving Grace! I hope that puts a smile on your face all week long.

DO YOU EVER GET THE SEWING ROOM BLUES? 

If you have a magazine-ready sewing room, count your blessings! If you suffer from the “Small Sewing Room Blues”, I feel your pain.  You will never find my 12 x 14 foot sewing room in “QuiltFolk” magazine. 

Over the past weekend I spent an entire day emptying my sewing room and starting from scratch.  I didn’t buy new furniture, paint the walls or replace the old, burned carpet. (I’m waiting for my son and his DOG to move out before I do that!) I simply rearranged the space to make it more functional.

In my sewing room, nothing is heavy or permanent.  I can move every piece around as needed to utilize the space for teaching, filming, ZOOM presentations, and creative time! 

My cutting station is a 6-foot folding table. It is sturdy, it fits my huge Martelli Cutting Mat and a small pressing surface.  I can store loads of goodies under the table, like bins for my latest project and my Martelli “Round About” Rotating Mat.  You can just see the black arm hovering over the table with one of my webcams for filming cutting and fusing demonstrations.  My Mistyfuse rolls are handy and goddess sheets are rolled up inside an old Mistyfuse tube under the whiteboard.  “Your Nest” organizers keep my tools handy on the cutting table while extra everything is hanging on the pegboard.  

My sewing machine is set into a lightweight sewing table. It is facing the door so I can keep the door open and make the space feel larger. Two heavy 4-foot folding tables are easily set up behind and to the left side of the machine to make machine quilting easier.  Another webcam is perched above the sewing needle to capture every stitching detail.   

When your space is tiny, you utilize every inch of wall space for design walls, thread storage, and a pegboard so every tool is within reach.  When you need a fabulous and functional design wall, watch me make one on my YouTube Channel!      

This is where I record and edit videos, shoot Facebook Live Tuesday sessions, and tune in to ZOOM workshops. It isn’t easy to access the pegboard behind the standing computer desk, but this latest sewing room addition is absolutely essential!  

Donna and Penny lost their computer desk for good now that I covered it with a big board for ironing big projects and yardage. This reclaimed corner of the TV room is a great place for a pressing station. Look where I mounded a 100yard roll of Mistyfuse under the big board!  

To the right of my sewing machine, you see the Rainbow gradations quilt on the design wall.  The back wall has sliding design walls that cover my Quilt Storage closet.  There are dozens of quilts folded and stored behind the wall where today I have two more pretty Gradation quilts tacked up to the design wall!  I’m working on a red scrap version when I start this course again in April.

The adjacent furnace room stores fabric, UFOs, and class samples on wire shelves.  My heating oil tank is hiding behind these project boxes for teaching. It’s not pretty, but it works!  

Just remember that beautiful quilts don’t need to come from beautiful rooms!  Anyone can make fabulous applique when you have the basics:  An ironing station, a cutting table, a sewing area, a design wall, and some storage space. 

Here are two of my favorite project storage tips with built-in motivation!

Storage Tip #1: Plastic containers are perfect for storing PHDs (projects half-done), the problem is having mismatched bins with different styles of lids.  Having all the same boxes is key for stacking the boxes on shelves.  The solution is to buy a case of clear storage boxes. I bought mine from The Container Store where a case of small shoeboxes contained 20 boxes at $2.25 each.  Larger boxes were $5.00 each with 10 in a case.  I made an appointment for “Contactless Curbside Pickup” and had them loaded directly into my car!  

My strategy for eliminating PIGS (Projects in Grocery Sacks)  required buying one case of each size.  I “only” have 20 small boxes and 10 large boxes at all times.  When all the boxes are full of PHDs (projects half done), I need to complete a project and empty a box to make room for the next PHD.  Instant Motivation to get your PHDs finished! 

Before you gasp at having 30 PHDs, remember that I have a box for every class that I teach, and these projects will never be finished as long as I am teaching!  You can decide what number of UFOs (unfinished objects)  you can live with and only purchase that number of boxes.  Use all your mismatched boxes and lids for storing supplies and keep the matching set for your PHDs.  

Storage Tip #2:  When taking over the utility room, I found adjustable wire shelving units that are easy to set up,  affordable and flexible.  The height of each shelf can be adjusted to fit the size of your boxes, they are stronger than the plastic shelf options, and light travels through the open shelves to make the boxes and their contents easier to see.  

I’d love to see your strategy for dealing with PHDs, UFOs and PIGS in a small sewing space.  Leave a comment with your favorite storage solutions!   

I have joined the 2021 Instagram QuiltFest! For the rest of March, I’m going to post one photo a day that relates to a list of writing prompts. I love this type of challenge! It’s a fun way to get to know lots of different quilters. Both professionals and non-professional quilters are joining the March QuiltFest, and you can jump in at any time to start posting your own photos!

How can you find us on Instagram? Just search the #IGQuiltfest2021. There will also be daily hashtags, for example, #IGQuiltfestDay1 is the day that quilters wrote an introductory post, and most of these posts have a photo of the quilter.  The writing prompts for days 1 -9 were: Introductions, Sewing Room Snacks, Collaboration, Contemplate, Solid Fabrics, Lesson Learned, Scrappy Finish, Upcycle, and Heirlooms.  

Here are my photos for the introduction, and days 2 to 9….but they are all mixed up!  Can you match the photo to the writing prompt?  If you can match up all the words to all the photos, you can enter our IG contest! Just print out a nine-patch, write in the words on the correct box, then take a photo with your phone.  Type, “I know the answer!” on my “IGQuiltfestDAY12” post and follow me on Instagram.  If I pick your name on the last day of March, you can e-mail me the photo and claim your prize.  I’ll be giving away a stack of 10 half yards of Tim Holtz fabric worth over $65!   

If you want more,  jump on Instagram and search #IGQuiltfest2021.  You will get caught up in all the inspiration, great advice, and lovely personalities of the quilters!  

If you already use and understand Instagram, read no further!  But if you are not yet on Instagram and you want to know what it is all about, read the tips and tricks below!

Instagram Tips and Tricks:  If you are new to Instagram, a hashtag is just a searchable word or phrase with no spaces.  For example, when I post about My Magical Garden I follow my description of the photo with #mymagicalgarden

If you search on #applique you can see posts from any quilter who adds that hashtag to their description. Here is what I found when I searched (pressed on the magnifying glass icon on the bottom of the page) on #applique.  From there I saw a beautiful quilt with leaves that can be cut with Leaves Galore! I clicked on the third column, the third row down, and came up with this beauty from Art Gallery Fabrics.  I printed the pattern and found that the leaf size is bigger than an 8″ leaf!  I would adjust the size of the block to fit an 8″ leaf, (block size would be cut at 6 1/4″ from page 83 in the RCA with LG book) and I can make this quilt with Rotary Cut Applique so much faster and easier than cutting with scissors!  

         

So, yes, searching on #applique brought me down the rabbit hole of “I want to make this quilt too!”!  I am never at a loss for inspiration when I can turn to IG for EYE CANDY! 

You can also “follow hashtags”.  The next time someone posts with #applique in the description, it could come across your news feed on Instagram.  This is a fun way for you to follow your favorite threads. Some of my favorite hashtag to follow are  #applique, #rotarycutapplique,  #fusibleapplique , #quiltersofinstagram , and #appliquequilts. 

Instagram is really a fun social media platform to be on, but just be careful not to go down the rabbit hole every day! Let’s spend some time making quilts instead of dreaming of them!  These trees in Tula Pink’s Curiouser and Curiouser line of fabric are inspiring me to get into my sewing room and start cutting leaves and making an Art Quilt Tree!

Speaking of Art Quilts and Trees, this is a new online class I will be adding to the course lineup this spring  Watch for it on the Zoom Online Course page!  

In the meantime, go check out Instagram, and let me know if you know the answer to the challenge above!  Search for #igquiltffestday12 on Instagram or Facebook, find my Day 12 post, and type “I have the answer” in the comments!  If I randomly choose you from the comments, I will ask you for the answer and send you a big beautiful bundle of Tim Holtz fabric!  

Happy Applique!  Sue

 

Fusible applique is the method I use for MOST of my applique quilts.  

There are times when fusible applique may not be the best method FOR YOU.  

Nine years ago, I came across one quilt that I was really excited about making.  I found this old quilt at an antique shop on Rt. 66 when Penny and I were working at Road To California…here is the quilt in the shop! This quilt just had to come home with me.  

After finding this old quilt, I tried to recreate it with Rotary Cut Applique and had a few frustrations along the way.  

The technique was fabulous.  Stitch elongated nine patch blocks.  Put the blocks together, then overlay the pink solid fused 8″ melons. 

The problem was, the pink solid fabric was not thick enough or dark enough to cover over the pieced nine patch blocks that the melons are fused to, so you can see the color of the prints under the fused melons.  You could also see the texture of the seams under the melon that is fused to the pieced quilt top.  

The second top was made with a red Kona Cotton fabric that worked much better, but I’m still not 100% happy with the result.  However, the quilt was pretty enough to get quilted, and no one will see the flaws accept me!  I just love the echo quilting around the leaves!   
 

This experience has taught me a few new tips and tricks.  

Tip #1: Never point out mistakes or problems with your quilt. Most people will never notice until you point out the flaws, and if they do notice, good for them (and I hope they have the tact to remain silent)! Don’t ruin their experience of giving you positive feedback and appreciation for the workmanship, the designs and the fabrics. Enjoy the praise and accept compliments graciously. (There is my word of the year again!)    

Now that I have cautioned you against pointing out flaws, I am a teacher, and I want you to learn from my mistakes so you can make quilts without the flaws I have made. So I am going to point out two things to think about before you make your next pieced and appliqued quilt.  

Tip #2: When your applique is fused over a pieced seam, open the seam to reduce bulk. This often happens when you design a quilt with borders, and the applique elements are fused after the border is sewn to the quilt.  If you press the seams to one side, the bulk of the seam allowance will show through the applique elements that are fused on top. Reduce the bulk by opening the seams, and the applique will be smoother. 

Let me break rule number one and point out the problem here so you can learn from my mistakes! Can you spot the flaw in the above photo before I point it out to you?

  

Tip #3: For Pieced and Applique quilts: When you are placing applique elements over a pieced block, make sure the color or print from the piecing does not show through the applique.  This point is illustrated in the unfinished quilt below.  The quilt was made about 7 years ago as a reproduction of a quilt I bought at an antique store on Rt. 66.  It is very likely that I will never finish this quilt because the light pink solid fabric was not a good choice for fusing to the nine patch blocks.  You can see the printed fabric under the light pink melons.  

The pattern for this quilt has not yet been published because I want to revise the pattern to include alternative methods for preparing the applique shapes. What could I do to solve this problem?

• Choose a darker Melon Fabric
• Double layer the Melon Fabric
• Change the method from Fused Applique to Turned Edge Applique using the Apliquik method and cutting foundation interfacing with Leaves Galore. 

PS: There will be more about the Apliquik method in future blog posts.  This is a great method for people who want to make turned-edge machine applique and hand applique quilts and still get to use Leaves Galore to make cutting faster!   

 

When Netflix gets old…there are some wonderful lectures and presentations from the International Quilt Museum. To get to all the museum’s online resources, go to the website: internationalquiltmuseum.org, then follow the Visit tab, then Virtual Experiences. There are many wonderful programs to discover!  

My favorite virtual resources are the “Textile Talks” from The Quilt Alliance, SAQA, Surface Design Association and the International Quilt Museum, and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles.

I just loved the Textile Talk: Cultivating Culture: Botany, Gardening and Nineteenth-Century Quilts. Click on this link to watch the presentation! 

This lecture is especially appropriate for the start of our Magical Garden Quilts! I particularly like the symbolism of the flowers and I added to the “Forget Me Not” block in “My Magical Garden”.  I made this block in memory of my Grandmothers, who both had the “sewing genes” that I inherited! 

  

Are you into Podcasts?  I love listening to podcasts while I sew! One of my favorite podcasts is “Happier”, with Gretchen Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft. Liz and Gretchen challenge us to find ways to be Happier and offer hacks and thoughts on bringing joy into your life. 

Liz and Gretchen have challenged listeners to read for 21 minutes a day in 2021.  Does reading make you happier? I have taken up that challenge, and have already read a number of books in January. I just finished “Everything is Figureoutable” by Marie Forleo, and I am currently reading “Exponential Living”. I also love Historical Fiction and I’m addicted to audiobooks. What are you reading? 

So I have decided to also challenge you in 2021 with a goal that will make you Happier! Let’s commit to sewing for 21 minutes a day in 2021. It is amazing how much you can get done in 21 minutes…day in and day out. With short spurts of daily effort, your quilts will get finished without feeling like you are chained to your sewing machine!   

I have a great little project that you can get done in just one or two 21 minute sessions. 

My latest pattern, Love Letters, uses Hearts and More template D to make a great big heart-shaped letter that can be folded up into an envelope to send to your sweetheart. 

It is close to Valentine’s Day and it is time to send
a love note to your special someone!

   

Love Letters is now available as a PDF pattern.  

I hope this makes you and someone you love a little Happier this Valentine’s Day!!  

Last week I celebrated my 55th birthday, and I want to thank everyone for the e-mails, cards and personal messages on Facebook and Instagram. I am feeling loved!  

This morning I got this card from Donna, Penny and Joanne who work with me here at Sue Pelland Designs. Many of you know my amazing team of Suzettes, but if you don’t, here is the crew…celebrating with a margarita toast, then in Nashville on our way to a Paducah Quilt Show and then in NYC gazing at Christmas lights through Magic Glasses! From left to right with cowboy hats are Sue, Penny, Joanne and Donna.  

It  has been a trend in the last few years for people to choose a word of the year. I have neglected to do so knowing that I have a hard time sticking to just about anything for an entire year! 

Yet, this word keeps popping into my mind, Grace. I have found that working primarily with women that we are all so hard on ourselves. We demand so much of ourselves whether at work, with family, our community, even our craft, we are often perfectionist and our own worst critics. We all need to give ourselves and those around us more Grace.  

Notice that we are already three weeks into 2021…and I am just choosing now? That is me…always late to the party! I can’t get this word out of my head and its positive vibe is really inspiring me. So, you may see my word of the year pop up in e-mails, newsletters and in my workshops and presentations. 

Grace has so many meanings…

It can be God’s Grace, which is the freely given and unmerited love of God for every human. Also, the Spirit of God which gives every person strength. By the Grace of God, we are all here together enjoying the sisterhood of quilting!   

Grace can be a blessing before meals when we express how thankful we are for the abundance of food and company of those we eat with.   

It can mean Courtesy. Give yourself the GRACE to make mistakes, to learn, to experiment and to play! 

It can mean charm, elegance and poise. As in, the tulip leaves curved gracefully around the flower. I aspire to make all my applique flowers appear graceful!

Let 2021 be a year of Grace for all of you in every meaning of the word!    

 

Sue Pelland

 

 

Big Daddy Clam Shells is finished and quilted!  I just love what Pam at the Quilted Seahorse did with this quilt!  The quilting pattern is perfect.  

Big Daddy uses a TON of fusible web to make this large scale clamshell quilt in the fastest, easiest way possible.  The clamshells are fused, cut and fused again to a lightweight muslin.  The alternative is curved piecing, YUCK!  I will take the fused version any day.  With Mistyfuse the quilt is still soft and beautiful.  

Ready to give it a go?  Get the Big Daddy Clamshell pattern instantly with  our first ever PDF pattern.  Then, use the Rings and Things tools to MAKE A BIG SPLASH  with Big Daddy Clamshells!  

 

Once you wrap your head around Free Motion Quilting (like we did in the Inner Circle Workshop) it is easy to transfer that skill to Free Motion Monogramming like I did on My Grand Nephew Liam’s stocking. I use Iron Off Marking Chalk in a Clover Marking Tool, then write the name in cursive on the project. The wheel on the tool is directional so it takes a bit of practice to get it to write cleanly.

Once the name is written, I put my free motion foot on my sewing machine, change the straight stitch to a Zig-Zag stitch and start the cursive writing. I used Rayon thread to add a little extra shine.  

The side to side Zig-Zag stitch acts like a calligraphy pen. When you move up and down the Zig-Zag is wide, but when you move side to side, the lines are thin. This gives a very elegant look to my standard cursive handwriting. It takes a little practice to follow the written lines, just as it does to follow the marked lines in machine quilting. 

You can monogram on cork to make a cork notebook cover, or monogram your next baby quilt with the baby’s name and birth date. This is an easy skill to learn if you already machine quilt and there is no special embroidery machine needed!  

Give it a go! 

Even if you hate to get your hands dirty,
you can quilt a Magical Garden this year!

We are planting a new crop of “My Magical Garden” quilts in 2021. 

Whether you join My Magical Garden today or you started three years ago,
every member of the My Magical Garden Group is invited to join in the fun in 2021!  

Here are some of the Fabulous Finishes from our 2018-2019 CROP! 

You can make a gorgeous quilt like these from 

Here is your chance to get started for the first time
or finish those My Magical Garden UFOs!

Just like gardening, quilting can be a solo hobby. 

Joining friends for the HARVEST can make it a lot more fun!

YOU will get the ground ready for “planting” in a ZOOM meeting January 15th
to choose your fabrics and getting them prepared.      

The Online Video Course will run February through October
when the Magical Garden Quilts will be in FULL BLOOM! 

Get weekly e-mails to keep you following the Garden Path! 

Work on your own time to get the blocks done each month. 

Come to a monthly informal Garden Party to get expert advise
and a bucket full of encouragement and motivation! 

Make My Magical Garden with me this year
and watch your applique skills grow as your Magical Garden BLOOMS! 

Not a member yet?

Start your Magical Garden Quilt HERE!

Already a member?

Fill out this form to be included in the 2021 Garden Parties! 

 

The group will be a little ray of sunshine that you

need to make your garden quilt grow!

 

It’s still the Christmas season, even though the big day is over.  It was a little odd having Christmas alone at home this year, but I did my best to bring on the spirit of the Holidays. We got a real tree, covered it with lights and baubles. I truly wish I could bottle up the scent and share it with all of you. The scent alone is making me MERRY! 

Did you catch my Facebook Live and IGTV segment a few weeks ago on making fabric roses?  These are not applique roses but a craft project using fabric to make realistic, fabric roses! I started this project to say Happy Birthday to my Mom! December 9th was Mom’s 85^th birthday. Although the roses are in the mail, there is not telling how long they will take to get to her!  Happy Late Birthday MOM!  I’m disappointed that they did not arrive in time for Christmas!

While it is time to take down the brittle tree, the Christmas village will stay up for a bit longer.  We added a Barber shop this year in honor of Jason’s training as a barber…and of course there is a quilt shop!  

We were blessed to have my three kids and the pup home with us for Christmas. There weree a few traditions that remained the same like decorating this sad, bare tree. On Christmas morning we will gathered around the tree with cinnamon rolls and steaming hot coffee. 

I’d love to hear about your favorite holiday traditions. What were you able to keep the same and what new traditions did you start this season? My newest holiday tradition was having  a party with the “AOC” members on our last Tuesday gathering of the year. That happend yesterday with all the new members joining our wonderful community of quilters!

This group has has brought some much needed fun and friendship into a dark year!

Thank you all my Applique Friends who made 2020 bearable!  Looking forward to 2021!