I’ve got a couple new patterns!

These were so much fun to work on. I used fusible appliqué to tell these little stories, but of course you can use whatever method you like. They’re are up on my website now, along with all the others, on the Patterns page.


Something wonderful coming soon to the blog from the inestimable Darcy Ashton!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Back when the spring issue of 100 Blocks came out, I promised that I would post a tutorial of the way that I made my block, Scroll Heart.

The magazine published instructions for fusible appliqué, but I had actually stitched the block by hand, using back-basting and a combination of regular and reverse appliqué. I’ll show you how I did it.

You might want to start by reviewing the tutorial on back-basting hand appliqué.

Now for our Scroll Heart. I hauled my original pattern out of its file folder. Because it’s a 12″ block, the pattern was folded.

I ironed it on low, under a pressing sheet, just to flatten it out a mite.

Notice my pencil notation at the top, “rev.” That means that this is the reversed version of the pattern. I’ve learned to mark this when I file things away. For back-basting, you need to start with a reversed pattern.

I pulled fabrics for the block.

Julie suggested,“I would love to see it tone on tone, with the scroll being a bit darker shade than the heart.” After selecting the fabrics, I decided to do it the other way around, with the lighter red print being revealed for the scroll.

In back-basting, you start by tracing the pattern onto the back of the background fabric. Typically this marking delineates the appliqué turning line. In this case, I’m going to use it for two purposes. It will mark the turning line for the outside of the heart, and it will mark the cutting line for the reverse appliqué scroll.

Usually I use a water-erasable marking pen. This time I used a pencil, because I’m working with dark red fabric for the appliqué. Dark. Red. Fabric. Just sayin’.

Now for the reveal layer, which will appear under the scroll. Using a light box with the pattern underneath, I drew a chalk mark on my insert fabric, in between the scroll and the heart. This will give me the shape to cut out, which will cover the scroll but miss the edge of the heart.

On the front, lay the reveal fabric, aka secret layer, on the background square, over the scroll area. You can use a light box or hold the fabrics up to the light to make sure it’s well placed. Pin from the back.

On the front, lay the heart fabric over the background and reveal fabric, making sure it covers the outside of the heart with a little bit to spare. The heart fabric can be any rough-cut hunk or chunk, as long as it covers. Remove the pins from the reveal layer and pin all three layers together from the back.

This is the front, on the light box so it looks weird.

Same thing from the back.

Now for the back-basting. Use a bright or contrasting thread that is thick or fuzzy, and a big honking needle. You want the basting to make larger holes, to give the appliqué fabric a memory of where it should turn later, when you’re stitching.

On the back, along the drawn lines, baste through all layers around the outside of the heart and along the scroll. Remove the pins.

On the front, trim the red fabric to the shape of the heart, leaving a turning allowance outside of the basting stitches of about 3/16″.

The outside line is going to be regular appliqué, making the heart cover up the background fabric.

The inside scroll lines are going to be reverse appliqué, revealing what’s underneath.

That’s the only difference between regular and reverse appliqué. Regular covers up, reverse reveals.

I’m going to stitch the outside of the heart first, so that I won’t ravel the raw edges while I’m working on the interior. Removing the basting a little at a time, I’m hand stitching using traditional needle turn.

Starting on the heart.

Outside of heart... done!

The heart is finished, time to work on the scroll. To make sure I could clearly see the cutting line once the back-basting was removed, I went over the basting stitches with a white marking pencil on the front.

Stitching the scroll is going to resemble Hawaiian appliqué, or cutaway appliqué. I’m going to remove the basting a little at a time, cut the heart fabric only along the dotted line, and turn and stitch using traditional needle turn.

One side of the first scroll is stitched.

I’m turning under as little as possible, about 1/8″. The amount that you turn under doesn’t matter so much as that it’s consistent.

Once you’ve finished one side of the scroll, you’ll need to large-baste the other side, or else it’ll be flapping in the breeze.

Just keep removing the back-basting, cutting, and stitching your way around both sides of each scroll, a little at a time. I turned under such a small amount that I didn’t even have to clip any curves.

Stitchin' along, stitchin' along.

Keep on going around; it’ll be one continuous line until you come back to the beginning. So cool!!

Remove the large basting, press, and you’re done! Cute!

I hope this has been a helpful tutorial, and has shed some light on the mysterious subject of reverse appliqué.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Charming Houses winner!

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The winner of Betty Kisbey‘s Charming Houses Dressed For Show is… No. 8, Beth T.! Congratulations! Enjoy the houses.

Thank you so everyone for your nice words about the book. Betty appreciates it so much.

In other news, working down The List, I’ve created a couple new kinds of notecards.

Love My Stash wall quilt printed on blank notecards, perfect for your quilty friends!

And, looking ahead to the holidays,

Cute for little Christmas cards or as thank-you notes. Both these cards are 4¼ x 5½ and come four to a pack with envelopes. Available over at kaymackenzie.com, on the Notions page, and on Etsy as well.

À bientôt!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

The wonderful Betty Kisbey of Lincoln, California, is a quilter I’ve known for some years now. I first became acquainted with her when I heard she was teaching appliqué using my Baskets to Appliqué. It doesn’t get any better than that for an author. :)

Over the years I would see Betty at various shows, and she would tell me about the progress on a project of hers, which was to publish her own book. We conferred about a lot of publishing stuff. (It’s so great to talk with like-minded quilters. Most of my friends’ eyes start to cross if I try to talk about things like typography or page layout. Candy for me but less than fascinating to them LOL.)

When I saw Betty earlier this year, she said the book was close, and then I got a post card saying it was out! I immediately ordered my copy.

Introducing Charming Houses Dressed For Show!

Betty’s house journey began as the result of her students asking for something original to work on during their classes. Betty rose to the challenge, creating original patterns for many different types of houses, all of which can be individualized. No two will turn out alike!

From the baker’s dozen patterns, you can create fantasy houses or something that looks just like your house. Bird House, Boat House, Gingerbread House, Haunted House, just to name a few! The patterns have many uses, from memory quilts to housewarming gifts to group challenges to block-of-the-months programs for shops. So many possibilities!

The book includes colorful examples of sampler house quilts made by Betty, her students, and friends.

Betty’s long experience as a teacher shines through in the book. There’s tons of information on supplies and equipment, fabric, and embellishment (the fun part that makes each block individual and unique), and detailed instructions for making each block. All templates are full-size.

Congratulations Betty on your Charming Houses!!

I’m giving away a copy! If you’d like to become eligible to win, please leave a comment here on the blog before 7:00 p.m. California time on Friday, August 7. Contest is open to U.S. mailing address only, and remember, if you’re subscribed by email you cannot click “reply” to enter the drawing. Come on over to the blog itself on the internet and leave your comment at the bottom of the post.

Good luck everyone!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop