A is for Autumn

Quilts are for babies! As I told you in an earlier post if there is another baby born to someone on my floor at work, I am working on a new quilt. Autumn Olivia is the future owner of this quilt. It took me awhile to figure out what I wanted to do for her, but one day I just thought that I would use her name as the inspiration for the quilt.

The quilt, which is only in the beginning stage right now, will be "all things fall". With various motifs showing things that are associated with fall. Like school books and school buses, a basket of ripe apples, pumpkins, falling leaves etc. All of the letters on the quilt are cut from fabric that features leaves.

As I have done for past quilts, I use internet coloring pages as patterns for the motifs. It is an easy way to design the quilt and there are several alphabet coloring pages and dozens of pictures so I had lots of designs to choose from.

I will go through the steps necessary to put together a picture with Pellon Wonder Under using one of the motif that I have selected as an example. As you can see, I have already put the apple on one of the books.

 I then trace the outline of the bottom book onto the Pellon Wonder Under. (I have lifted the sheet of Pellon slightly so that you can see the drawing.) I make the lines that would be against the top book inside of where the top book will actually be so that there will not be any space between the pieces. The two pieces will be layered one on the other.



It is important to cut out around the lines leaving some space outside the lines. I have selected a dark green fabric for the bottom book and I iron the prepared piece onto the wrong side of the fabric.

Follow the manufacturer's instruction for ironing the Pellon onto the fabric. If you leave the iron on too long it is possible to burn the paper and if you do not apply the heat long enough, when you pull the paper off, not all the glue will stick to the fabric.

 It is at this point that you cut out the piece on the lines. If you cut out on the lines before ironing the fabric, you may not have glue all the way out to the edge of the piece and it is more likely to fray.

In order to stick the pieces together, separate the paper from the fabric just enough to slip the new piece (bottom book) into position under the old pieces. It is always best to work from the front piece back as it easier to fit them together that way.

One last piece creates the "pages" in the book! Remember, when you are drawing the picture onto the Pellon, it will be the reverse of what ever the picture look like when done. So, if you need it to be reversed, like certain letters of the alphabet, you will need to turn the picture over and trace it from the back. Using a light box (or a window in the daylight) will make this much easier.

There are lots of ways to make quilts, but this is one of my favorites because it is only limited by your imagination!

Happy quilting!