Sherry I'd love to see it, why not post it here.

This is a link to the January album. There's a button on the right that says upload photos thequiltshow.com/community/photos/album?groupid=100005&albumid=11449959

Well, I just don't have the patience for this right now. I can't figure out how to post a picture and want to get back to sewing

Kathy, I was wondering why, if there is a group for the 2015 BOM, it isn't on the Community page where it shows Community Groups. It is confusing where to go find it. I have finished my center block (less the 9 patches). Now I need to figure out how to post a picture.

Thanks Judith. Great idea, and those are tools I'm sure everybody have in their drawer somewhere.

Andrée

Great idea Judith. Thanks.

Thanks a bunch for the ideas...bet I have something like that in the collection.

I have too much carpal tunnel and arthritis in my hands to hold the thin steel Appliquick. In case there are others out there with similar problems, I am sharing my solution.
I use a watercolor/acrylic artist brush with an aquarelle handle. It is bevelled, rounded on one side and flat on the other. It is intended for burnishing, etc. I use it just like the Appliquick tool, but it is bigger and easier for me to handle than a thin steel rod would be. I turn the applique edge with the rounded end, and then press it with the flat side (similar to burnishing.)

I found that I could use a pair of tweezers to hold the applique in place. This is an old pair of tweezers that do a terrible job of tweezing eyebrows, but work just great for this. I hold them with sharp points down on the fabric. I use my index finger to keep them stable. (see photo).
When finished, I can pick up the applique piece with the tweezers without getting my hands all covered with sticky glue.

One advantage of using this brush is that if the glue gets dry too fast, then I can moisten it - just a tad - with the damp tip of the brush, and the glue is workable again. Washable glue washes right out of the synthetic taklon bristles. (I would never try this with an expensive sable brush.)

My brush is a Winsor and Newton 995 series, although other manufacturer's make them with aquarelle handles also.


I hope this helps someone else.

Yes I think you are both right. It's just a bit off-putting to have the one section narrower than the other. I can see that I will have enough there to cut it down to 18 1/2", phew! I found the directions to square the centre block to 18 1/2" x 18 1/2" on page 6 of the instructions. Thanks for the rapid responses.

Those pieces are cut oversize - it is mentioned with an asterisk.

The full size version of the house block is 18 x 18 finished - so it will need to be cut at 18-1/2 at one point. I think this part is missing before the bottom part is added (in the first paragraph of page 6) - I think

Andrée

Rita,
The only thing I can think of is that maybe these pieces are some of those intended to be oversized and trimmed later, to allow for shrinkage after the embroidery is done. ???
I noticed in the Introductory packet - "Cutting - Wherever practical, background patches for applique are cut oversize and will be trimmed to the exact size needed after the applique is complete.

Judy

I have now decided to do a full sized version of the centre block but I am a little confused. The instructions for the background fabric say to cut two strips 6" x 10 1/2" for either side of the house. But on the full-size printout (which I have checked and is the right size) the width from house to outer edge is only 5" which would suggest cutting fabric at 5 1/2" instead of 6". Has anybody else got this far and am I just reading things wrong? So my total width is now 19 1/2" instead of 19" and I have already cut the long background strip for the top above the chimneys as per instructions which is 19".

I bought KK Buckley's Perfect stems as I wanted to make the tiny 'Perfect Stems'. I had tried to order Perfect Stems from a UK site but was told by the company that they didn't stock Perfect Stems, because cable ties work just the same. I was surprised to find when my Perfect Stems arrived from America, that they indeed do look exactly like .... cable ties. Wendy your stiff packing ties will work just as well, I wish I had saved mine from all the boxes at Christmas.
Pam

I'm just tight

I was wondering what you were talking about...Aren't you clever ?! I never would have thought of
using that stuff !!