Quilt Doodle Designs Mystery 1&2 ~ No curved piecing Tutorial

Hello quilting friends!  I've got something to share with you today that is so stinkin cute and easy.  Blocks one and two of the Quilt Doodle Designs Mystery BOM 2017 are almost complete.  All I need to do is decide on a background fabric.

Since this mystery is spread out over several months I've plenty of time to find the Pur-fect fabric to put behind the dresden blocks.  

Before starting the tutorial let's talk about the pattern.  It's a free BOM from Quilt Doodle Designs.  But don't take the word free for granted, these two blocks are only free for one month, and that month is just about over.  Once Cindy posts the new blocks for February these two will no longer be free but on sale in her Crafty and Etsy Shops.  So click right here to be taken to the free PDF downloads.   Maybe you're not interested in making this quilt.  Well don't let that stop you from browsing the huge selection of cute reasonably priced patterns for sale, and I saw some free ones too!  

Designing and writing quilt patterns is very time consuming.  So I want to thank Cindy for the sharing her talent with us at no cost and allowing me to share my alteration of her pattern with you.

 No Curved Piecing Tutorial

In the original pattern this center circle is pieced. (Click here to see Cindy's tutorial for piecing the center.)  I'm not a fan of curved piecing, it's a skill I've yet to master.  Today I'll share with you how to use the templates provided in the free pattern to make an inexpensive applique template for the center circle.

The first thing you'll need is Freezer paper.  Notice on the left hand side of the box.  An advertisement for use in arts and crafts.  Now if your freezer paper doesn't say it can be used for arts and crafts, its still okay to use.   

You'll also need some type of starch.  I use Sta Flo concentrate because it's cheap.  But any type of starch or sizing will work.

We've got our supplies, let's make an applique template.   I also made my pig and kitty applique using the scraps of freezer paper leftover from the center circle.

1. Cut a piece of freezer paper about 16 inches wide. 

2.  Next we need to cut it into 4 sections.  I did this by folding it in half and then in half again.  

3.  Using my square up ruler to cut away the folds.  This will give you 4 equal sizes.  

4. From this point on we will be working with the shiny side down.

Pre-shrinking the freezer paper is necessary to keep your templates from shrinking as you use them.  

1. With shiny side down spray each piece of paper with water. 

2. Then with a medium heat iron(wool setting), iron each piece separately to your ironing surface.  Yes they are going to stick to your ironing table.  Don't worry, there will be no residue left behind when you remove them.  Sometimes this shrinking process causes the paper to wrinkle.  No worries here either.  Just peel it off, don't spray with water, iron them separately again.  I've never been able to get them completely without wrinkles.   

3. Next peel up two of the papers.  Lay one of them on top of the one still stuck to the table.  Iron it. Repeat with the third piece. 

4.  You have 3 layers ironed together.  Allow them to cool before removing.

1.Next cut out the template provided in the pattern.  Cut outside the outer circle.

 2.Glue this circle to the non shiny side of the layered freezer paper.  I used quilt basting spray but any glue will work.  

3. Then carefully cut on the seam allowance line.  You now have a usable applique template.  

4. Iron the template shiny side to the wrong side of your circle fabric.  Cut 1/4 inch away from the template.  You might need to iron with the fabric on top.  Just make sure it's shiny side to the wrong side of your fabric.

5. Using a paint brush apply starch to the seam allowance.  

6. Then iron the seam allowance over onto the template.

1.Remove the fabric from the template and finger press in half and then in half again.  As you can see in the picture below I only pressed the very edges.  Use these pressing marks to line up with 4 seams on your dresden.  This will center the circle onto the dresden.  

2. flip over your circle to the back and add a few dots of  Roxanne's basting glue to temporally hold it in place.  

3. Turn it back over and line up your marks with 4 of the seams.  

4. Press with a medium iron to dry the glue  Elmer's washable school glue is a good substitute if you don't want to use Roxanne's .  Pinning it in place will work also.

See wasn't that easy?  In past projects I've used one template as much as 20 times and it still sticks.  Freezer paper applique is cheap and one roll will last a long time.   Saving money in one area of quilting allows me to spend more in other areas like thread and fabric.   To stitch my circle in place I used Invisifil 100wt thread.  It's a little more expensive but lasts forever.  This super fine thread melts into the fabric and is barely noticeable.

Just because it's fine doesn't mean it's not durable.  When I bought my first cone of thread I gave it the pull to break test.  OUCH!  This is some tough stuff. It nearly cut my finger.

Just look at those close up results.  

For the pig, kitty and embroidery I used Aurifil 50 wt.

It doesn't melt in quite as nicely but it was just the look I was after.  The embroidery work was done on my sewing machine with those fancy stitches we pay for and never use.

To stitch down my little critters I used a tiny blanket stitch and went very 

S-L-O-W.  Not much room for error!

But the results are Marvelous.

Well that's it, I hope this inspires some creative stitching.  

~ Lea Anne ~

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