Honestly? Part of the reason I've delayed getting back to the azalea mosaic is the knowledge that I needed to shift the squares over and down. I thought long and hard about it and came to the conclusion that it would be easier to do with the top laid out on the table and turned so that the rows of squares would be up and down, not canted. That angling throws off my perception something fierce. Why the shift? Two-fold, really. I wanted a little more free space around the edge in case I decided to "float" the center or to allow a 1/2 inch or wider binding should I decide to go that route. But mostly, the design had started looking cramped to me, and not quite enough gap between the squares. This shifting solved that and I definitely like the look better. I breath out, not in when viewing it now.
I have to thank Mary Stori for the brilliant idea of using a Clover mini-iron to temporarily tack the squares in place. Even though I have used the Steam-a-Seam lite fusible on the squares, its natural tackiness is not enough to ensure squares won't fall off or shift as I take the next steps.
The next steps being to turn the quilt back to square and mark a chalk line around what will probably be the perimeter (if you click on the picture, you can make out the chalk line in the larger photo). Now I can fill in gaps along the edges and trim away parts of squares that fall outside the line. And with all the mosaic "tiles" in place, I can permanently fuse them down. The latest additions aren't tacked so rather than moving the whole thing to the ironing board for the final fusing, I leave it on the table and slip my June Tailor Cut and Press board under it, shifting it around as necessary.
The directions recommend using a press cloth during fusing. Here I've used the release paper saved after removing it from fusible web used in another project. You'll note that the sole plate of my iron has no steam vents, as it is a dry iron. I found it at Vermont Country Store, and love it for fusing because of the smooth flat surface.
And here it is, ready for quilting. I'm going to do up a small sample with leftover squares so I can try out some different ideas for the quilting as well as batting. Pushing through my resistance to take the next steps on this piece has energized me. It has also reminded me that freedom does NOT come from ignoring problems but from facing them head-on, especially once the mind has had a chance to work through them. These things just won't finish themselves up without my help, dang it!
I have to thank Mary Stori for the brilliant idea of using a Clover mini-iron to temporarily tack the squares in place. Even though I have used the Steam-a-Seam lite fusible on the squares, its natural tackiness is not enough to ensure squares won't fall off or shift as I take the next steps.
The next steps being to turn the quilt back to square and mark a chalk line around what will probably be the perimeter (if you click on the picture, you can make out the chalk line in the larger photo). Now I can fill in gaps along the edges and trim away parts of squares that fall outside the line. And with all the mosaic "tiles" in place, I can permanently fuse them down. The latest additions aren't tacked so rather than moving the whole thing to the ironing board for the final fusing, I leave it on the table and slip my June Tailor Cut and Press board under it, shifting it around as necessary.
The directions recommend using a press cloth during fusing. Here I've used the release paper saved after removing it from fusible web used in another project. You'll note that the sole plate of my iron has no steam vents, as it is a dry iron. I found it at Vermont Country Store, and love it for fusing because of the smooth flat surface.
And here it is, ready for quilting. I'm going to do up a small sample with leftover squares so I can try out some different ideas for the quilting as well as batting. Pushing through my resistance to take the next steps on this piece has energized me. It has also reminded me that freedom does NOT come from ignoring problems but from facing them head-on, especially once the mind has had a chance to work through them. These things just won't finish themselves up without my help, dang it!
1 comment:
You're so right - "freedom does NOT come from ignoring problems but from facing them head-on" but how often do I avoid that next step. Problems don't get solved by themselves, and I know that if I'm going to mess up, it's better to do it sooner rather than later, but I can still find ways to put off that moment when I have to commit. I'm just glad that I'm not alone!
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