Pillow Cover Completed...

The trapunto pillow cover is finally completed.  Here are some pictures:

Here's the new pillow cover before it was washed. See how pointy the corners are.  This is when I realized that I forgot to adjust for the dogears.

  

Here's the pillow cover after the dogear adjustment and being washed.  I looks like I could done more than 1/2" adjustment but I do not plan on making any additional changes to this pillow cover.  I don't have a picture of the back but it has a lapped zipper application as shown in this tutorial.

I'm happy with my first attempt at machine trapunto.  As far as a technique for our monthly sewing get together, I would call this a success.  Both of us finished our projects.  This is a technique I would like to revisit for other projects.  I'm even happy with my second attempt at doing free motion quilting. I can't remember if I said anything about my first free motion quilting attempt but I wasn't sure that I would ever revisit the free motion quilting after I did it.

If you're interested in attempting the machine trapunto, this post  talks a bit about technique with links to how-to sources.  This post shows my work on the pillow case.

Happy Stitching!

Trapunto...The First Attempt

I didn't realize when I decided to attempt trapunto that there would be soooo many decisions.  I started with the instructions for the Quilted Snowflake at quiltsocial.com.  The instructions seemed fairly straight forward.  Next, I had to decide on a design.  This was really hard. I finally settle for a Celtic knot design.  Here's the design that I chose:

Due to the size of the design,  I decided to create a pillow cover .  Sorry, I don't remember where I found the design.  It was a freebie. Next, I had to choose fabric but what color? Most of the time trapunto is done is light colors or a solid.  I decided to go with a cream color fabric.

So here is my tracing.  Even though you were suppose to use a water soluble marking pen, I didn't. It was a kid's colored marking pen.  We'll find out if it was a mistake when the finished project is washed.  Actually, I thought that I had a water soluble pen and it turned out to be a air erase pen.  The air erase pen would not write on the heavy duty water soluble stabilizer.

Here's the design stitched with the water soluble thread.  I chose to use it in the bobbin as well has the top thread.  The instructions had you using thread the matched the main fabric in the bobbin but I didn't want any loose thread hanging around when the item was washed.  I used two layers of a cotton batting (it was in the stash).

Here you're starting to see the design pop.  I was really making a mess with the free motion quilting and I quilted the inside very tight.  I had to take a break at this point.  My sewing buddy had finished her project and decided that she would like to do the trapunto again in the future.

Here is the piece with the finished free motion quilting.  I did not quilt the outside portion as tightly as the inside portion.    I'm happy with the look of the project and hope that I like the look of the cream in my family room.  I'll post the finished pillow cover at a later date.  As I still need to cut out the back and get a zipper.

Time-wise, it took about 6 hours to complete.  This included me cutting out the fabric for the top, back, and batting.  Stitching the initial Celtic knot and then trimming the batting from the areas that I didn't want it.  Then, completing the free motion quilting.  There were also breaks for lunch and when my sewing buddy left.

What do you think of my first trapunto attempt?  I even feel like I got the hang of free motion quilting.  This is the second time I have done the free motion quilting and I think I'm starting to like it.  I can see it being a very relaxing why to spent a free afternoon or evening.

Happy Stitching!

Trapunto…Have You Tried This Technique?

This year my sewing buddy and I are going to attempt learning new techniques.  Instead of doing a project in January we met to decide on some new techniques to learn.  We ended up picking two techniques to start.  The first one is trapunto and the second one is using fusible thread in the serger to help with putting the binding on a quilt.  These will be small projects like pot holders or place mats or maybe even a table runner. 

I found a tutorial at quiltsocial.com  (link) that uses snowflakes. There are other techniques that use the same design.  I might attempt some of them also.  I think the snowflakes would make a cute winter table runner.

Here’s is a fairly good video tutorial from Landauer Publishing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDjw4Wo37ew .  It isn’t exactly like the tutorial on quiltsocial but it provides some great information.  There are also a ton of great videos by this company.

I didn't realize when I suggested the trapunto technique that there was machine quilting involved.  This isn't something I’m very good at but maybe I can figure out how to do an outline with my machine.

So, we left our January meeting with a small list of items to get:

1.  Water soluable thread

2.  Water soluable backing

3.   Fabric for our project – front and back

4.   A high loft batting for the trapunto

5.   Regular batting for whatever project we decide to make

6.   Fusible thread for the serger so we can finish our projects

This might turn into a two month project because we’re doing two separate techniques.  I know the machine quilting will be difficult for me but I’m hoping the rest of it will be super simple.  I'll keep you updated with our progress or even the lack of progress.  First sewing meeting is first Saturday in February.

Happy Stitching!