Sunday, September 15, 2013

POINTS, POINTS, POINTS...it's all about the prep! DJ TR8 Brigadoon


My DJ triangle for this week's BOW is TR8 Brigadoon.

Lately my points haven't been as nice and pointy as I would like. Then lightening struck last weekend and I changed how I do the prep. The first steps are the same... it's the final one that made the BIG improvement and I have a block to prove it! lol.
* Make FP template & cut out [smooth edges with emery board if necessary... go lightly here!]
* Iron FP to WS of fabric
* Cut out around template adding 3/16 - 1/4 " seam allowance by eye
* Press s.a. over template all around... a smidge of starch is really helpful here! I use spray starch or spray sizing that I spray into the cap and dap on with a small brush.
Diamond on left prepped NEW way; the one on right, the old way
The NEW part:
* Points... carefully fold just the 'ear' of the point back over on itself... please see pic below ... you might have to nip off a few threads. Carefully add one drop of Roxanne's Glue Base-It and press in place. Voila! Perfect point and ready to applique. Remove the FP either before or after appliqueing... both work equally well. I prefer to remove it and then sew.
Left point prepped & right one is not... yet
This looks acceptable to me and is ready to be sewn down
Sewing the point... NO ends to fight or tuck under! Love it.
[don't mind the needle 'parked' off to the side... I needed both hands to take picture.]

Previously I had always needle-turned the final edges of the points which sometimes looked great and other times a bit wonky! See the upper diamond on the triangle below? Now that's one wonky point! Yuck... but I'm not doing it over.
Wonky/wobbly point on top little diamond.. the others are ok
Sewing, quilting, knitting, tatting, crocheting... all of it... it's all about the journey for me. I try to get better as I go; I try to do the best I can today with the skill set that I currently possess. Maybe next week I will be able to do it better but for right now "my best is good enough"!

That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed reading how I prep my points for applique. Thank you so much for dropping by.

Linking to: Kathy at Slow Stitching Sunday.

Quilty Hugs,

5 comments:

Elly D said...

Fantastic tut Cyn! Thank you!! I will certainly give it a try next time I do a diamond (or anything with a point ;)) Beautiful triangle too!! hugs xx

audrey said...

Looks great to me! I'm always lazy about my points, but your way looks very easy.:)

Deb A said...

I'll have to remember this trick. It make so much sense. Great triangle Cyn. Glad you joined Kathy's link up.

Quilter Kathy said...

That was fun to see how you prep your pieces for hand stitching...thanks for sharing this! And thanks for linking up!

tich said...

Thanks for the heads up. I will try this next time, as I get really frustrated with points!