Necessary Notion — Tear Away Stabilizer

Instead of a trapunto technique, I’ve used a tear-a-way stabilizer under each leaf motif, and then free motioned the quilting on top.

Careful!  Even tho this product is easy to tear away, you don’t want to rip or weaken your stitches.  After stitching, gently tear, or cut the excess stabilizer away.  I cut it away from the leaf edge, because I don’t want the stiffness of the stabilizer anywhere but under the leaf.  It really makes free motion quilting much easier, and way more fun, than without it!

And I’m stitching with Superior’s “Rainbows” — again.  My favorites:  Tri-lobal polyesters.

As I’ve mentioned in prior posts… the leaves were stenciled first; allowed to dry; heat set.  I then fused the fabric to a fusible web and cut on the leaves.  This time I’m trying Wonder Under, a Pellon product.  Next time, I’m going to try Misty Fuse. In the past, I’ve used alot of Steam-A-Seam 2 or Lite.  The fusible web will be washable, as will this quilted piece, and by adding both fusible web and stitching, the fabric is not going to fray.  Each leaf was then placed on the quilt top, fused down with a hot iron, and then I added a lighweight stabilizer underneath the leaf. 

I love to do free motion ‘applique’ style!  You can create your own ‘buttonhole’ or ‘blanket’ stype stitch.  I love the creative freedom this allows me!

Here’s the OESD product I’m using: Lightweight Tear Away

I’m quite partial to using Superior’s Masterpiece cotton (50 wt) in my bobbin.  It’s a great success story with a tri-lobal poly on the top. Below, it is shown in lime green.

Tear or Cut!  Gently tho!

You can see that I had a bit of a top tension issue without the stabilizer, in the picture below.  Stabilizer — whether it be batting, or the type of tear-away I used, makes alot of difference in how your stitches form on the top and bottom. 

Yup.  Save the leftover pieces!

I will be teaching a paintstiks class at Bernina Silver Thimble on Saturday at 11:00 am.  

I’ve already started the final quilting phase, and will share with you some color and design decisions I made for this piece next week.  So that’s on my  ‘fun-to-do list’ this weekend!  What’s on yours?  

Whatever it may be, I hope you will EnJOY!