Thursday, February 17, 2011

Family Tree ~ Raw Edge Applique

Today I stepped outside of my square, took a leap into the unknown and had a wonderful fun day!  Unfortunately raw edge applique has always escaped my enjoyment and when the opportunity arose to attend a class with the friendly Kellie Wufsohn (Don't Look Now!) ~ a master at her craft ~ I jumped right in and soaked up all of the wisdom on offer.

Family Tree ~ pattern by Kellie Wufsohn (Don't Look Now!)

Family Tree is just one of Kellie's many colorful applique designs and is particularly suited to practising the free motion stitching technique.  I've learned so much today, including:  fusible web can be tricky stuff, the darning foot is used for more than just darning, the pros of polyester thread, and wait for it .... basting spray and how to use it!

In case you're wondering:  my little black birds are missing their legs - just temporarily.

The applique pieces have been fused onto the background fabric and the free motion stitching around the edge of the shapes has commenced. The concentration required is almost palpable and I certainly hope that practice makes perfect

Thank you to Kellie for making the class so enjoyable and sharing your knowledge without hesitation. Now ~ there is homework to be done.  At the next class we will be learning to fill in the background with free motion quilting.   Practice ... practice ...

Rita

59 comments:

  1. Gorgeous Rita! I love the little birds. Excellent way to utilise little scraps huh? x

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  2. It's looking beautiful Rita! I was lucky enough to attend one of Kellie's classes a year ago and although I found it really difficult it was extremely worthwhile when I got it "right" in the end! She is just a delight and her work is divine.

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  3. I love the tree! I'd love to use this technique to make a waterfall quilt one day .. I have a plan!

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  4. Are you hooked yet? It's so much fun. I'd love to go to one of Kellie's classes... one day...

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  5. Your pieces always make my heart sing with joy. Thanks so much for sharing them!

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  6. This is just gorgeous!!! I love it and I love the fact that were able to do the workshop. Lucky you! I am hoping to find one of her workshops that I can do up here too. Can't wait to see your progress! Happy stitching!

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  7. Its going to be lovely!
    Cute birds with their orange beaks!

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  8. I love it, the colors are so springlike. Well done.

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  9. Just gorgeous. I am doing one of Kellie's classes next weekend - can't wait!

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  10. Ohhh I love it, I'd love to do a class with Kelly. Love her stuff

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  11. Kellie is fantastic - I love all her stuff, such fun designs and the background FMQ she does is just amazing. Your lovely tree is really going to pop! You might fall in love with FMQ. Should 'straight line quilting' be worried?

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  12. Wow! 2 of my favourite quilters in one place together.
    Tell Kellie I said 'Hi'.
    Andi x

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  13. Woohoo :) Two of my favourite bloggers have met!! I cannot wait to see what this may result in!

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  14. Its lovely Rita. I love the saturated greens, they seem so you!

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  15. The birds made the lovely tree adorable -
    Grateful for your sharing of the prosess!

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  16. Knowing you, this will look like you've been doing it forever once it's done.

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  17. This is wonderful - love the colours you have chosen - can't wait to see more.

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  18. Gorgeous! Perfect for spring!

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  19. How lucky are you to take a class from Kellie. I've made 2 of her trees (on my own) and my machine applique is still lacking. But your tree is wonderful!!

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  20. Kellie is awesome in every way. You are going to LOVE this technique!

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  21. I love how it's turning out! Sounds like a great class.

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  22. This is absolutely beautiful, I love how its shaping up!

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  23. Oh, I love the way it turned out! Projects like this one are my very favorite!!!

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  24. what a coinsidince, im currently working on one of kellys patterns, I would love to know what the pros of polyester thread are, and iv NO idea what im going to do once it comes to background freemotion quilting as im afraid i will ruin the whole quilt due to inexperience! looking forward to reading more about what you've learnt.

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  25. Love it! I did something similar for Thanksgiving for my mother-in-law, but I'm thinking that I need one for our kitchen wall!

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  26. It's gorgeous! I really really want to learn how to do this kind of quilting. One of these days there has to be a class somewhere that I can take!

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  27. What a coincidence, I had my first ever lesson in applique yesterday and I cut out little leaf shapes too. Mine are for a block but I am not sure if I actually like it so may just do a tree.

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  28. Hilarious! Yesterday I posted a tree I am working on, very similar, for an auction at my daughter's preschool. I had each of the kids sign a leaf in thier cute preschool handwriting, and am adding apples for the teachers, have the class rabbit on it....if you want to take a look at it (it is in the very beginning phases), I posted it here:
    http://ocd-obsessivecraftingdisorder.blogspot.com/2011/02/work-in-progress-wednesday.html

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  29. It is so, so cute! You will do great at the background quilting, I'm sure of it!

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  30. Beautiful! I just love her stuff and am so jealous you got to take a class! Great job!

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  31. Lovely! I like raw edge applique too... I don't know how anyone has the patience for the traditional kind!

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  32. How fortunate you were to take that class. I LOVE her work! Hands-on tips from Kellie would be priceless. And your little black birds are adorable!

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  33. Sounds like a super fun class! I'd love to learn the free motion fill-in quilting.

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  34. That's a great start you've got there! The birdies will look even cuter with legs. :)

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  36. I love the fabric with printed text. Where did you find it, what fabric is it?

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  37. I love Don't Look Now designs but have yet to have a go at one. How lucky to be at a workshop! Will have to keep my eye out for another one some time.
    Can't wait to see your finished product, because it's always so much more encouraging to see the designs made by someone other than the designer themselves.

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  38. looks good, love your fabric choices. I've been wanting to do one of these classes too, I just have to keep praying she'll come over to WA.

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  39. How amazingly wonderful! Will you pass on your knowledge to us? I have never and afraid to, do this. Thank you for sharing.

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  40. I've long been a fan of Kellie's work and have made a few of her pattern (muddles through more like it). I would love to go to one of her workshops. Your tree looks absolutely lovely and the colours are so "red pepper" ;).

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  41. How I would like to take a class from that instructor! Her FMQ on pieces like this is just amazing. I can't wait to see your completed piece. The tree is beautiful.

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  42. Great colours! And love the spotty birdies! I have been lucky enough to do a workshop with Kellie and am totally hooked on the applique and swirly quilting. I can't stop! Have fun!

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  43. Love your color choices. So pretty. Can't wait to see it completed. I just bought the pattern last week to make the tree and I'm hoping to take a stab at it soon! My 7 year old daughter wants it for her room. I hope I can do it. It is totally outside of my comfort zone but she saw the quilt as a display in a local quilt store and fell in love with it. What's a mom to do? I have to try to make her one.

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  44. This is Beautiful. Applique is new to me. I am going to have to give this a try.

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  45. I love your tree. Your greens are perfect and those (legless) birdies are still really cute. I'm not one to sew "non-functional" items but this tree would be a fantastic item in a frame.

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  46. Your tree is gorgeous you lucky duck! I'll bet you guys had a grand time -- Kellie's so fun to be around. I'd love to have a whole day of sewing with Kellie -- we always manage to meet where it's too much of a pain to bring all that sewing "stuff". Although, I must say, KellieShopping has to be right up there with a day of KellieSewing LOL!

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  47. fantastic tree and even the birdies with no legs are great fun. I love it!

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  48. What type of polyester thread does she/you use? I love Kellie's work and yours too..beautiful tree. Lisa in Texas

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  49. Oh it is so lovely, such beautiful work. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  50. You are pushing your boundaries, aren't you? It still looks like Rita though, with those fabric selections.

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  51. OMG I think you might have actually taken my place in that class! Now I am really disappointed. I was disappointed enough as it is, but I admire your neatness soo very much. I hope to do another class soon!

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  52. Where can I get a pattern for this tree? I have been asked by my church to create a tree with leaves wall hanging.I am not a very good drawer!!

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    Replies
    1. Contact Kellie at Cutting Cloth for the pattern: kellie@dontlooknow.com.au

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