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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Learning Curve











When I was a student in school (elementary through graduate school) I had to read and re-read and read it again before I GOT IT... before I learned the material. Well today I realized that I have the same "problem" if you will with learning a new quilting concept. Or maybe it's just about seeing and understanding anything multiple times before I truly understand it. I need to see it, hear it, many times before it gets in.

This morning I had another "hole in my day"( a free hour+ lunch break) so I rushed home thinking I would cut and pin more pieces from pattern two. I was looking at what I completed last night and something was not right. Finally I saw it. I had been unsure about some dotted lines in the pattern and had emailed Melissa Bula to ask about them. She told me they were the leaves behind the flower petals. Oh. But I didn't have those leaves yet in my composition.
Well, I had seen the letter that stood for a shade of green and cut it to be not only the area under the dotted lines but the area above them too. So I could not see any leaves. Today I took a white pencil and drew the leaves according to the pattern's dotted lines, then cut that extra fabric away and Whah-La I have leaves. The rest is background fabric showing through. I was wondering why I was covering the entire background fabric. Now I see. Now I understand.

I guess I am still a "slow learner". ;-)

So glad I saw it before I ironed these pieces in place.

I think I also now understand why I was supposed to buy Steam 2 fusible instead of what I got for cheap. I think Steam 2 would have stuck to the fabric without needing to be pinned. So I am doing twice the work, for half the price. Oh well. Live and learn again.
See if you can see the difference between todays photos and last nights.








7 comments:

  1. oh yes oh yes i can see the difference in the green, now there are real leaves. what is still wonderful to me about life is that i continue to learn something new nearly every single day.

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  2. Oh yes I see it.. but dont understand how you got it ALL green insead of just the smaller leave shapes. but then I dont have to.. you do. LOL
    Probably a tired brain doesnt pick up things as easily as a rested one. If I worked late at night like you I would have messes coming out of my ears.. lol
    Looking good.

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  3. Well, I'm glad YOU figured it out. That's why you're making that quilt and I'm not. PS Thank you for not putting a decapitated animal on YOUR blog today.

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  4. Hey Lynn!

    If you ever have fusible that has come away from it's backing you can use a very low setting on your iron and a pressing mat (those LOVELY little toys that you can use to put all your fabric with fusible together ...and it won't stick to the mat!) Just press very lightly with a very low setting and the fusible should re-stick itself to paper backing again... ;)

    I just love watching you create! You are a creative animal! ;)

    :)

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  5. Looks good to me. I often, esp with new things but even with old practiced things, have to do things at least 3 or more times before I can do it without angst. I think it is human. Lots of people don't talk about all the times they tried and it didnt work so it appears as if it, whatever it is, just happened with no struggle.

    This is beautiful. The quilt and the idea that process is all.

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  6. Thanks all.

    And thanks Lady Bug for the tip. My fusible has not come away from it's paper backing. I took it off it's paper backing and pinned it to the background fabric. But I thought maybe the 'Steam a...2' would stick temporiarly to the background unlike this stuff that does not stick until it is ironed with a hot iron. So I have to pin all the pieces in place. But then maybe that is what you are supposed to do? ?????

    Kelly, I am sorry someone put something offensive to you on their blog. I wouldn't do that.

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  7. Hey there Lynn!

    Hope you like the large fish photo! ;)

    As for the fusible, yes...usually you keep the paper backing on until after you're ironed it to your fabric pieces that you're going to want to put together. You trace the shape on the backing, iron it on the fabric and then cut the shapes out (leaving the backing on) When you're ready to press all the pieces together, you then remove the backing and go to it! ;)

    The Steam a seam works much the same way, only in order to really make it stick you use steam instead of a dry iron. (the one thing that steam a seam does that the fusible web doesn't is that you can use a dry iron at first and still be able to reposition things slightly if you need to...sort of like a post it note. I've only ever used the fusible web so far...haven't played too much with Steam a seam yet!

    But there are plenty of other products out there too that I've never tried!

    Guess I'd better go get busy! ;)

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Thanks for leaving your comments as I love hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are why I continue to draw!