In my last post you got to the part where you had your chenille strips ready to go. In this post I will demonstrate how to sew them on the flower petals in my case, but they could be outline to anything you desire.
So for this demo I started with a 4" inch square and I fused a flower petal on it. Of course you have your own fused flower, etc. that you will start with.
Next you'll need to pin the chenille strip on the edges in a way that the stitches in the center of the chenille strip should line up about 1/16" from the edge of the petal like this:
Make sure you stay consistent in the curves and don't make the strip too tight.
After pinning it should look like this:
Note that I used the pins a lot more frequently in the curves.
Don't panic because your work will not be flat.
Start sewing the strip on following the sewing line in the middle. Take your time! When you get to the curve only take 2-3 stitches then stop and remove the next pin. If you have needle down position on your sewing machine now is the time to use it.
When you're done sewing you'll be at this stage:
Again, your strips will not lie flat, but it's OK!
Normally after this step you'll piece your blocks together, sandwich, baste and quilt your quilt, then put the binding on. After all is finished it's time to throw it in the wash. When it comes out nice and clean, you'll need to dry it until the whole quilt is dried completely. With my demo I skipped these steps since I didn't want to make another quilt :) Caution: do not start to brush the strips until the whole quilt is stabilized. If you don't want to wash and dry it, that's fine! It just makes the brushing easier because it loosens the fibers up (Is that the right term?)
The next to last thing you'll need to do is spray it with a little water. A little mist is fine, it doesn't have to be soaking wet.
Now last, but not least, brush away!
It will be nice and fluffy when you're finished! I obviously did not have the patience to finish, but you get the picture!
Your brush will have lint all over so you'll need to clean it very frequently.
I collected the lint pieces in this container. It was full by the time I finished brushing all the flowers on my quilt.
Note to people with dust allergies: You might want to wear a mask of some type. I don't have any allergies, but I looked like I had a cold by the time I was finished.
Let me introduce my 2 helpers (NOT!) who were in my way the whole time. By the end they were so tired of helping me they needed to take a nap!
Kormi
Szundi
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial as much as they did!
