We saw Dawn Heese's new pincushion patterns and loved them immediately! Adorable! We asked her for a few tips on using wool! She kindly offered to give away two patterns to our awesome readers. Details at the end! Take it away, Dawn!
Using wool for applique is so rewarding! It is very fast to stitch and can add so much texture to your project. I used wool and some simple embroidery to whip up these quick fall pincushions.
Wool does not ravel like cotton so you do not need to turn under the edges or add a seam allowance like you would with cotton. I generally use Weeks Dye Works or Gentle Arts hand dyed embroidery floss to stitch my wool. The hand dyes fibers blend nicely with the hand dyed wools and are available in an assortment of colors. When stitching larger pieces I use 2 strands of floss. If I am stitching small pieces like the cat's tail or the owl and ghost eyes, I use only one strand. My needle of choice is a DMC chenille needle size 24. It has a sharp point and the eye is a good size for the floss. I use a simple 1/8" stitch, perpendicular to my applique piece. This secures the piece without showing a lot of stitching.
When working with the very small pieces like the tail and eyes, it is nice to use a fusible such as Steam-A-Seam Lite 2. The tiny pieces are impossible to pin and the fusible keeps everything in place for stitching. If you use a fusible, remember to reverse your applique templates.
Great tips! Thanks, Dawn! Dawn has a new book, Inspired, and it is fabulous. Be sure to run out to your local quilt shop to buy your copy!
Now tell us your favorite thing about fall and we'll pick two winners to win a copy of her pincushion pattern. Giveaway ends midnight, Sunday, September 23, 2012.
-hg
51 comments:
Adorable pin cushions! My favorite thing about Fall is apple picking! Thanks for the chance.
Growing up in New England of course it was all about the "leaves" in the Fall. Fond memories of Sunday afternoon drives to the White Mtns with my parents to see the foilage. Now we live on the opposite end of the East Coast...Florida baby...not much color change here but that's ok - now Fall to me is Jaguars Football! I was never a football fan but now we have our season tickets.
Ha..I live in TX.. my favorite thing about fall is that the temperature isn't in the 100s any more and the electric bill isn't in the 400s. Ahhhh!!
My favorite things about fall are the changing colors and the cooler weather.. I can't wait to change the decor in the house and put out all my fall decorations including many fabric and wool pumpkins.
I love family vacations in the fall! That's when we've always taken our time away...since we were homeschoolers for years it worked well to go someplace without the summer crowds. Now we've continued the tradition.
My favorite thing in fall is the weather change - I love the cooler weather for hiking and biking! thank you!
Cool crisp mornings, and nice weekend afternoons sitting on the deck stitching with the colors and smells of the fall leaves all around. Thanks Dawn, and & Henry Glass Fabrics. Cyndi, Bee Tree Designs.
In CA the colors don't change as dramatically, but the air sure does. You notice it in the mornings especially. I also love it because it's apple season.
Fall has always been my favorite, I love the colors of the maple trees when we get the really great color change but my ansolute favoeite fall was the year I got to spend part of October in the Lake District of N. England. I've never seen color like I did there. Awesome
Going to sleep at night with the windows open and having to have my arms out of the covers but wakening in the middle of the night and it has cooled down and needing to put the arms inside to covers.....it feels so comforting!!
Very cut pincushions! I'll have to look for that book...looks nice! Let's see, my favorite thing about fall is the cool evening air so we can enjoy the next favorite thing about fall...bonfires with friends and family. I love fires when it's a bit cool and the fire does not drive me away with the heat!
Autumn means a wonderful freshness in the air and beautiful colors in my garden -- absolutely my favorite season of the year. ... soparkaveataoldotcom
The beautiful colors of the trees!
Deborah
homemakerhoney @gmail .com
Besides cooler weather, I love pumpkin flavored everything!
I need to work more with wool - I have a bunch and need to use it!
Gosh my favorite thing about fall is all the lush colors of fall and all the fall decorating I do. Makes the house feel homey.
I adore fall. The colors, the crisp air, the asters and mums, my horses and goats becoming shaggy, pumpkins...ALL of it.
My favorite things about fall are all the beautiful colors.
I love the fall my favorite season. I love fall colors, apple picking and Halloween. Thanks
I love what I call the kitchen smells - apple pie, spice cake, pecan pie, caramel cake, cinnamon rolls, and getting past the sweets - chili, beef stew, red beans & rice!
Cute pin cushions. I've not worked with wool before, but I would like to start and a pin cushion would be the right size project to begin with. I love the cooler weather and wearing jeans and a sweater again.
My favorite things about fall are ... cooler days with blue skies and big puffy white clouds. Pumpkin or apple pie baking while I am sewing !!. All the leaves turning color. I love fall ....
My favorite thing about fall is the cooler weather!!! I love pincushions. I would love to win this pattern!
I love the colors of the trees !! ;)
I'm a New Englander living in Central Florida so I just daydream about my favorite fall things. The colors, the smells and all the fall plantings. It's time for me to go north for a visit !
Ahh, the leaves, of course! The beautiful colors, the piles and drifts, and the sound they make when walking through them.
I love being outdoors in Fall. The colors and crisp air are invigorating.
Love the pin cushoins. They are so cute. Fall reminds me of the time to get the crops in. The cotton fields are so pretty before they are picked.
Dawn -- just love the pin cushions... they are darling. My favorite thing about fall is the foliage and making apple crisp! We don't bake alot in the heat of the summer at our house -- so fall means chili, corn bread and apple crisp!
Yeehaw!
My favorite time of year! I love the colors, but my absolute favorite "thing" can't be seen...it can only be felt! I really hate summer, and fall is such a relief. Bring out the quilts! ;-)
My favorite thing about fall is being able to spend more time outdoors. It's less humid, very comfortable temperatures - and the colors are glorious.
My favorite thing about fall is the end of 100+ weather! Nothing like summer in Texas to make you appreciate 80 degree days!
My favorite thing about fall is my brother's hayride party for "the littles" - my little grandnieces and friends that is. This year the two youngest (now 1) will be participating. It is so much fun!
My favourite thing about Autumn is the colours!
I love the cooler weather of fall and pumpkins...roasted pumpkin, pumpkin pie and spiced pumpkin cookies with sweet cream cheese frosting.
São duas coisas principais para mim,a temperatura e as folhas de cores e tons surpresa.Obrigada.tiacarminhapezzuto@gmail.com
Halloween! 3 birthdays in my family on that day....so we celebrate BIG....LOVE pumpkins and all the decorating too!
Fall is my favorite season....colors, Halloween, weather....I love it all.
Dawn, your pin cushions are adorable and your book 'Inspired' looks like it would be a great addition to my quilting library. I love fall...the cooler nights, the apple picking, and the fall fairs are the thing I look forward to. Thanks for the chance to win, have a wonderful day and I hope it includes some happy stitching. Pauline
Autumn is the season of "mists and mellow fruitfullness" as the poet said - leaves and fruits and cosy evenings as it gets darker - and my birthday!
Colors are the best thing of Autumn!
I love the beautiful colors of the leaves and the crisp air.
My favorite thing about Fall is no more heat. I can't deal with the heat. All I can do is sit in front of the fan and wait for the cooler weather. Thank goodness there aren't too many days of 90+ where I live. Love pin cushions. Don't use them just like to look at them.
My Favourite thing about Fall is the change in temperature at night, the smells and the rustles as the leaves fall.
My favorite thing about fall is pumpkins! We live near a pumpkin farm - multiple varieties from little bitty to giants!
My favorite thing about fall is the changing of the colors. I just love the autumn trees.
Hi! Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite thing about fall is cooler nights for great sleeping!
Take care, Leslie
My favorite thing about fall...festival time!
Pumpkins and the colored leaves of New England!
my favorite thing about fall is the color of the leaves
I love the colors and the chance to open the windows and doors again to feel and smell the air with no need for heat or air-conditioning!
I was married on Oct 23, 2004 my favorite time of year, favorite colors of green, orange, red, yellow, brown, Love the smell of fresh air ...it renews my spirit. No more humidity and now I can walk the neighborhood and enjoy the cool breezes of the fall season. Football, warm newly knit sweaters and the anticipation of my next quilting project. I'm a new quilter and feel like a sponge soaking up new skills and ideas every day.
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