Pattern, Half Pattern (recommended)

Fleur d Lis (papercut)

Block of the Month for August 2007

Each block will teach at least one new technique. This month you will learn what I call upside down applique.

You can also fuse this block in place, but you can do the same kind of thing with this technique and the design will remain soft and pliable.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• An 11 inch square of the fabric for the Fleur d Lis

• A piece of fabric about 6" X 6" or the equivalent for the stars

• Light stabilizer

• Assorted threads that match or complement your chosen design fabrics - not your background.

• One of the 11" background squares that you prepared.

• Freezer paper (11" square or larger)

• Permanent pen for tracing design

• Topstitch needles - preferably 80/12

PREPARATION

This is a very easy block. You will get practice in satin stitching to finish the edge.

Print out the pattern (see the red link in the upper left corner.).

I prefer to work with half the pattern. 

Iron your squares. iron the background square into quarters (fold in half one direction and then in half the other and iron it firmly) This leaves lines to aid in placing your pattern.

Then open up the background squares and smooth it out leaving the lines visible and pin the squares together, the right side of the background square against the wrong side of the design square.

Fold your freezer paper in half. Trim your half pattern so there is no margin.

Slide your half pattern into the folded freezer paper so that the flat middle edgeof the pattern is snug into the fold in the freezer paper.

Trace the design on the top surface of the freezer paper only with a permanent pen.

Remove the pattern and cut through the two folded layers.

Line up the lines on the previously folded background square with the points of the design and iron the freezer paper pattern in place on the back of the background fabric.

HINT: Do not use steam to iron your freezer paper to your fabric, Do use a very hot iron. If your paper is not sticking well, put a firm surface under the fabric (like a wood cutting board)

START STITCHING

Stitch around the outstide of the frrzer paper pattern on the back of the background piece.

This gives you a guide line for cutting the design on the piece on the front of the assembly

When you have stitched all the way around - don't forget to stitch around the cirlce in the middle, then turn the piece over to trim it.

HINT: If you wish to you can use a wash away or invisible thread for the outline stitching, but I usually just use a thread that blends in well, like a gray.

Trim the excess fabric away from the pattern line leaving about 1/16 inch of fabric outside the design line.. Use either duckbill scissors or those with a fine point.

SATIN STITCHING

Set your machine to a zigzag stitch with a stitch width of 2 and a stitch length of .3.

Try some satin stitching on a sscrap of fabtric with paper underneath as a stabilizer.

Make any adjustments you need (wider, shorter stitch length, etc)

HINTS:

• Use a stabilizer (see article on choosing a stabilizer)
• When stitching an outside corner: Stitch all the way to the end of the corner, leave needle in fabric on the outside of the design. Turn the fabric. You make a few stitches neatly over the last few stitches you made for a neat corner.
• When stitching an inside corner: Stitch 2 or 3 stitches past the inside corner. Leave needle in fabric on inside of stitching. Turn the fabric. Raise needle, Slide fabric over so needle will come down on a line even with the inside edge of your satin stitching and even with the inside corner.
•  
• Inside corner illustration below
• Inside point:
• Inside point: The last 1/3 inch before the inside point start decreasing your stitch width to 1.5. The last couple of stitches decrease to 1. Do 2 stitches at 1, turn the fabric and then do 2 more stitches at 1 after you turn, Increase stitch to 1.5 width for about 3 stitches and then return to your 2 stitch width.
• Outside point: Same instructions as the inside point.

Satin Stitch all the way around the outside and around the center circle

Cut 4 2X2 inch squares and pin right side up on the top of you backgroun.

Use freezer paper and trace a star as well as indicate where the edge of the fleur is on the freezer paper. Repeat for all stars

Lining up the edge of the fleur that you traced on your freezer paper, Iron your star patterns in the right places on the back of the background This time stitch right through the paper to get your stitches showing on the right side of the fabric. Trim your star fabric 1/16 outside of the stitching and then satin stitch in place.

Freeze paper pattern

Freezer paper patterned on back of backgroun

Stitching on back around freezer paper

Same stitchingR from the front

Ready to be trimmed and trimming scissors

Close up detail of satin stitching

Fleur part all satin stitched

Star fabric placed on front

Freezer paper lined up with curves on fleur, ready to stitch stars

Stitching around star, paper perorated with needle

Star outline on front

Trimmed star

Satin stitched star detail

Finished block