Guild Meeting Program

I have no photos to post today, sorry. I know when I read blogs I like the photos but today is just going to be photo-less........ Changed my mind and posted this photo of a flowering dogwood tree I took last year in Paducah at the AQS show. Have been thinking and dreaming about going again this year with my two sisters, niece and friend. Besides it just feels more like spring looking at this photo rather than outside at the moment. We had snow again yesterday, not too much but enough to make the ground white. Springtime weather can not come too soon for me.

Thursday night was our quilt guild meeting night and the night I presented my program on fusible web products. I think it went over well but I know I talked too fast like I always do when I give a program. Had some good questions as I went along and they all looked and felt my samples

If you belong to a guild and members do the programs you should volunteer to give one one on something you know or something you want to learn about if you can do research on the subject. I really wanted to know the difference between fusible web products so volunteered to do a program on it. That forced me to do the research and get the samples done.

I wanted to know how they differed in weight - there is a big difference. I presumed that Heat and Bond Lite and Steam A Seam Lite would be about the same weight. I was wrong. Steam A Seam Lite is so much lighter weight when fused than the Heat and Bond Lite. The Heat and Bond Lite was more the weight of the regular Steam A Seam.

I wanted to know how they stuck after washing. Some did better than others and I learned that you have to read the directions on the application of the fusible products as they do vary and it does make a difference. I had one sample that did not stick well at all so made another sample and re-read the directions and fused accordingly. This time it worked really well.

I learned how to transfer your designs to the back of fabric fused with Misty Fuse - a non paper backed web. You draw you design in pencil onto parchment paper and iron it to the fabric and the lines transfer to the back of the fused fabric. I really like the weight of the Misty Fuse as it is so fine and so soft but never wanted to draw directly on the back of the fused fabric and most of the time I couldn't see through it to trace the shapes.

I learned from the International Quilt Study Center research paper that if you are making a quilt you want to last over a 100 years and be handed down generation to generation you should not use any fusible of any kind. That includes basting spray, fusible webs and fusible battings. The fusible battings did hold up better than the other two types of products though. The research they did on aging and light was very interesting. You can read their findings here and also a followup question and answer document.

This is just a little I learned, so as you can see it was well worth my time to give this program as I learned probably more than the members did since I was the one doing the research and testing samples of the different products.

Small guilds like the one I belong to can't afford to get in the big name speakers all the time and depend on their members to give programs too. Don't be afraid to do it if you have not given a program before. Every guild has members of all different levels of expertise and even though I have belonged to the guild since the beginning of time and have quilted for over 35 + years and given many, many programs I really enjoy all the programs we have. No matter how much you think you know about a subject you can always learn more - I always do. Remember your guild members are your friends and you are just showing your friends something new - they will appreciate the time and effort you put in and will learn something from you too.

Off my soapbox now....Have a great day.
Lynn

I Get Sidetracked - Do You?

Do you flit from one project to another like I do? I finished my program on fusible webs for my guild meeting on Thursday night then wondered what to do next. Since I had not made the block for the exchange at the meeting that was first on my list. It is the 12" Lady of the Lake block in the cream and red fabrics. It was pretty easy with all half square triangles so went together pretty quickly. Would be wonderful to win the drawing - no mater how many blocks I would win.

The little block on the upper right is the president's block that isn't due to be handed in until the May meeting but decided to just get it done now since I wasn't in the middle of any other project right now. (Whoops, guess that isn't entirely true as I have several projects started or nearly finished - just didn't want to work on them right then.) Each year the member that is the president of the guild selects a block she likes and all the members are to make a block for her. I would like to say that most members make the blocks but lately that just isn't true. It is almost embarrassing how few get made for the president. Not sure how we should change that or motivate everyone to make her a block.

The last block is a friendship star that will go to one of our members that retired from the postal service as a post master. Our guild can request blocks for any member they think needs a boost or congratulations, etc. I try to make all the blocks that are requested but again there is a problem with a lot of members not doing the blocks. I hate to have some of these projects abandoned because of members lack of motivation to get them done.

Feels good to have the blocks done and the program ready for Thursday. I still want to go over my notes and examples so I can make sure I am familiar with my material. I don't like rushing around doing last minute things - good thing I have everything done.

Happy Quilting,
Lynn

Working On Guild Program

This afternoon I worked on the program I will be doing for my local quilt guild in a couple of weeks. My plan is to present information on using fusibles including tips and tricks for more success. I have purchased 9 different kinds of fusible and am now in the process of making my samples.

All the background fabric for these samples is going to be unbleached muslin and since I want to wash one sample of each and don't want to have a bunch of raveling I have serged all the edges. I have had this Bernette serger for many, many years - probably close to 30 or more years. I used to use it a lot before I got into quilting. I used to sew garments all the time plus made many rolled hemmed napkins for family and friends.

When I started quilting I did less and less garment sewing and now just don't even like sewing garments. I think the last garments I stitched were the bridesmaid dresses for both of our girls weddings 9 and 11 years ago. I would much rather be quilting so that is what I do.

Even though the serger is old it still works just fine and want to keep it around for those times when I do need to finish the edges of something or other.

Here is one set of samples that I still need to do the buttonhole stitching. I cut my applique pieces using two different color fabrics. All green fabric has the fusible under the entire applique and the pink has just a window of fusible - I cut it away on the inside leaving only 1/4" of fusible next to the edge. The inside was cut away before it was fused to the pink fabric.

I cut the appliques with rounded corners and square corners to also show how the fusible holds up in those situations. Each of the green and each of the pink appliques will be stitched half way around with a machine buttonhole stitch so we can compare stitched and unstitched areas.

I have used a permanent marker on the samples to mark the name of the fusible and mark which sample will be washed. Want to see how they each hold after laundering. Will the unstitched halves stay fused after washing, etc.?

Do any of you have a favorite fusible? If you would like to leave me a comment on which one and why you like it that would be great. Also if you have one you just hate let me know that too.

I plan to have a chart where I will take notes on each one as I am pressing, stitching, washing, etc. I will leave room for guild members to make notes too as I will be passing the samples I made with product samples around the room so they can feel and see.

I have already seen some differences that are good and some not so good. I will share what my observations are with you all too as I get them finished. I really do like giving programs and think it is fun to show or tell about something I have learned - any of you feel the same way?

Today was absolutely beautiful!!! We had temps into the mid-40s today so the snow is slowly shrinking - YAY! Of course with the melting snow is the mud that comes with it. I am so glad we live on a paved road and that the part of the yard that we drive through has quite a bit of rock so isn't too muddy. The migrating geese were flying over today day too - lots and lots of them so that has to be a sure sign of spring too, right? Had to be out and about doing a few errands this afternoon so enjoyed the wonderful temperatures.

Sure hope this post makes sense as I am typing it as I watch the University of Nebraska women basketball game against Kansas on TV. The Husker women are winning with only 4 minutes left with a 7 to 48 lead with only 2 minutes left. A great team this year with 28 wins in a row if you count this one. Go Huskers!

Until Later,
Lynn