Sunday, September 15, 2013

Janet -- It's Not Easy Being Green

                                    









Especially at my house. If you crawl or jump you are likely to end up on the bottom of my foot. My husband knows the lizard scream over any other sound I make and the frog I stepped on in the yard just wasn't fast enough on his legs, not my fault. Green made me think of Kermit and I had a book by Susan Carlson with a frog pattern so I thought I would give it a try. While her quilts are fantastic the process is so messy you can't believe it. You can't tell from the picture but with the exception of the corner pieces everything is little scraps of cloth, hundreds of them. When you get the picture to your liking then you get to go back and glue them down. Then you randomly stitch over the top and when you are through you don't even have to hang it as it will stand nicely due to all the glue and layers. I have my own method of quilting where you forget to put the feed dogs down, force the fabric, break needles and curse. The most important part of course being the cursing. So here is what I suggest (this came to me on the way to the store to get needles), make a copy of your pattern, place it under Wunderunder paper side up and trace your picture. Turn it over and put all of your little scraps on the glue side, when it looks about right iron it down. Anything still loose can be glued. Then remove the paper and iron it to the batting or the back and quilt (don't forget to curse). Now for an explanation for the pictures, I tried to make it 12x12 but the pieces were so tiny they kept falling apart so I made it a little bit bigger and made a pillow cover out of it. Those two black things on the corner are frogs (what else). You can fold the corners over a 12” pillow form or an old pillow and connect it with the frogs front side or back side showing, no cursing required.






15 comments:

  1. What a quilt! You truly did the word green justice. Love your suggestion for making this technique easier. Frogs in the quilt and from the sewing world. Love how your mind works!

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  2. You know my unfortunate history with anything that crawls. This is the class we almost got to take together and I could not believe the amount of fabric it took. Looks like we had similar ideas. Since I did the whole thing in bed I wish I could have posted my room instead, what a colorful mess.

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  3. Gorgeous color choices! I love the medallion or is it more a Baltimore Album like design? The frogs are very realistic and I just adore dragonflies - purple ones at that. I would love to see this in person to see the folded pillow look. I had to chuckle when reading your commentary - I frequently do a LOT of cursing during these projects!!!

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    1. Since I live in the south I always try to curse in a ladylike way. My husband knows not to ask when he hears some of the language coming out of the room. He is always very calm when he quilts, makes me want to smack him, bless his heart.

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  4. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW!!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE

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  5. Janet, I know this took an enormous amount of work, but wow, the results are spectacular. I do love your "remedy" for achieving PERHAPS the same results by using Wonder Under! But who knows--maybe the results would not be as artistic as this is. I, too, chuckled when reading your account--as I always do--as your sense of humor just add a great dimension to your postings!

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  6. I think I will write a book on how to quilt in bed. But my word what a mess I made, I should have taken a picture. It looked like it rained scraps in there. I give up on quilting altogether, it is funny but not funny when you can't figure out what you are doing wrong (put the feed dogs down).

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  7. I think I will write a book on how to quilt in bed. But my word what a mess I made, I should have taken a picture. It looked like it rained scraps in there. I give up on quilting altogether, it is funny but not funny when you can't figure out what you are doing wrong (put the feed dogs down).

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  8. This is an adorable composition and I would never have guessed it was made with fabric snips if you hadn't told us. Frog closures are so totally appropriate. I can't imagine doing this in bed - I do beadweaving in bed so I understand about things getting scattered - at least fabric bits are soft! I tried applique in bed once but won't ever do that again - lost the needle but found it at 2 AM in my hip. I generally like quilting these days (takes lots of practice) but I must say I was cursing (or crying) while quilting this months project myself.

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  9. It may have been a partial disaster for you but the result is awesome! I am so glad you went bravely forth. The pillow wrap idea is something I am sure I will use at some point.
    Again, this is beautiful and always love your humor.

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  10. Lovely, lovely. I laughed out loud. I will use that Wonder Under trick since I know it will work! I've gone the other route. Wish I understood the pillow wrap idea...but will ruminate! Thanks

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  11. Janet, this may have taken lots of tiny pieces, but the result is spectacular! What a beautiful pillow it will make. Love it!

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  12. How cute! I love frogs ( well images of them! ) and your quilt makes me smile.

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  13. Perfect fabric choices ~ especially the green frog material. I can't imagine getting any quilt making accomplished in bed so you are truly amazing! The pillow method of wrapping the corners is a nice way to make your quilt do double duty. Beautiful result Janet.

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  14. I love the dragonflies and all of your colors. I have been interested in trying to do a Sue Carlson technique. I like your idea of the wonderunder. I will give it a try.

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