sandpat

I can't speak for everyone, but I can tell you that I'm using some cotton (if I happen to have the right color), but I'm also using some neutral of Bottom Line and then I also bought the silk sampler package from Connecting Threads. It is a mix of neutrals ranging from light to dark that is a thin..I don't know the weight...silk thread that virtually disappears when I'm doing the hand needle turn. I highly recommend using that and Bottom Line. I did buy a rust color to add into the mix of colors, but for all the other pieces that I'm using....this works for all of my pieces.

roseOfsharon

Thanks for your comments. I have used YLI silk 100 for applique and wondered of using that since the instructions calls for cotton everything :) I love how the Silk simply disappears.

I just looked up BottomLine Threads... Looks like a great site too!

QuiltswithConvicts

Candi, What I did (am doing as I'm working on #20 now) is I used freezer paper & a glue stick. After I sliced the fabric equa-distance from the 2 sides of the innie, I clipped that fabric right up to the paper. Then I put a bit og glue on the paper only in that inner-most innie area where there isn't hardly any fabric. I held it down with my fingernail, then worked my way out to where there is enough to actually baste down. Basted all the way around to where the glued area began. I'll try to get a pic or 2 taken this weekend so you can have a visual reference. I am using a cheapy glue stick - Rose Art. The glue is suposed to be permanrnt, but it isn't. It dries, but pulls up really easily when you're trying to get the freezer paper out. Not at all gummy.

candi

Pat, that is exactly how I do all of my pieces;saturate in starch and turn under pressing it dry so it holds shape. The scroll is still hard though for me like you said due to the lack of a seam to turn under where that innie is. I need to experiment some more with glue like Elle And Kathy suggested and see if that is easier. I will also experiment with making it two pieces, and see how that works..because guess what? There are still few more blocks that have these commas :x :mrgreen:

candi

Ok, Kathy, I am visualizing this and shall try it. If you can post a photo, it will be great. Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me.

roseOfsharon

I am not doing this block at the moment... but was wondering if the comma that you are speaking of could be cut in the area that seems to have not much or any turn under, could be cut at that point a tad larger for some turn under?? Just a question as I am just observing what is being said and done. :)

candi

Sharon, that is a good idea, I need to play some more with these, I have only done the four so far and they were really small in this block...I need to play with all of these ideas and see what happens. There are so many scrolls left, although the rest seem to be a tad bigger so that should make it a bit easier..I don't know how you talented people are doing the 7" blocks...the 10" block pieces were too small I felt...so I can only imagine for the 7".

sandpat

Sharon, the problem with cutting that area of the seam allowance larger is that you can't get a good sharp "innie" point if you do it that way. You have to kind of trim it at an angle until there are just a few threads, then you do a lock stitch in the center of the "innie" to hold it together.

Candi..I did find that the more I've done, the better I get at them. I guess its like anything else, ....practice makes...acceptable (for me~lol)

Fabric Galore

I love the colors you used. I did one corner on my block and I am not happy with the colors I used. I may start over.

roseOfsharon

Smiling, I am certain you know best. I am not sure what the *innie* is, so I will have to find out when I get there :) Everyone is doing a great job with this block, be it a tuff area or not. That is encouraging!