Hello ~ Beautiful Edgey Cork Blooms!
Have you seen the new cork fabric in the shops lately? Perhaps you were a bit like me… you loved it, but didn’t want to make a wallet or bag from it? Well, I began experimenting–fusing it of course, and developed a project to combine a placemat with collage flowers, and all of it was super user-friendly! I did a pre-washing test {which I posted on my facebook page by the way}, and a few videos of me quilting and steaming too {also on my facebook page}. It turned out great. Now–I also want to be sure to tell you this is “Pro-Touch Cork” — not all cork fabrics are the same! And I’ve only used this type. This is a polyester backed type, but the cork is authentic, sourced from naturally grown cork, and very well made! It’s easy to cut–fuses impeccably–and quilts like a dream! And it makes a WONDERFUL, classy finished piece as a washable placemat, or in a variety of options, all expressed in this pattern, listed in my shop here on the website. And if you prefer, or are from outside the USA, the easiest way to purchase any of my patterns or quilts, is via the Etsy shop!
I can’t help but reminded of pretty spring and summer blooms with these gorgeous fabrics! The pattern has three different projects included… with multiple variations… step by step color photos with instructions, lots of tips and hints, quilting pattern suggestions, and well… lots more! All in all, there are 15 pages of full-size patterns and all that jazz!
I made this pattern with a cork base as the round placemat, and also with flowers out of the cork, fused on top! Beautiful–and oh so many ways to create these beauties! The placemat finishes to about 15.5″ circular, the mug rug about 5×8″ and the coaster is a 5″ circle. Mix and match cork and background fabrics from your own creative imaginings! {I couldn’t resist trying this with my signature gold and silver lame’ underneath the flowers, too!}. And I purchase it in the performance fabric section of JoAnn fabrics}. It’s a stretch knit, which is easily cut when it’s stabilized with Steam a Seam Lite 2. You will have LOTS OF FUN with all the variations and ideas for this one!
I keep the quilting minimal, just a simple edge stitch around the edges of the flowers, and on top of the flowers, with a meander quilting motif in the flowers themselves. Sometimes I quilt the edges with a swirly pattern–other times not! The cork is easy to stitch through–I promise! I use a 90/14 topstitch needle only, and I’m partial to 40 weight thread in polyester for the top, and a 50 weight thread for the bottom. The polyester thread will be the strongest for getting a steady, perfect stitch without breakage.
Be sure to steam everything throughly. BY FAR–the biggest issue for many people! Without steaming throughly, the needle will gum up! So steam it several times. {My video on facebook goes through that process too}. I always press in an up and down manner, from the top side… don’t “iron” like clothing, as that has a tendency to ‘scrape up’ flowers. Once the glue has begun to melt, and the flowers are set, flip it to the backside and spritz with water–set that iron to STEAM, and steam it well. Then–once again, flip it to the front side and steam once again. You should use a teflon sheet to protect all surfaces–most especially your beautiful collage surface! Clean up excess remnant glue from that teflon sheet! Please! It will continue to ‘share’ glue if you don’t! Glue easily wipes up with the rub of your fingertips, or a scrap piece of batting if you prefer.
EnJoy!
