Mini Tutorial

Several of my blogger friends have expressed an interest as to how I go about making my minis. So I've decided to attempt to explain in a sort of step by step process.
BTW, this post is loaded with photos.
First, I like to either look thru photos that I've taken in the past or look at some of the clipart photos on the subject I'm interested in from the Internet.
Today I decided to do a sunrise or sunset scene. So I'll need to choose from several photos.

This photo has subtle colors and appears a bit foggy.

This photo could be a sunset on the plains.

I really like this photo and will probably to it another time.

This one I thought reminded me of one that one of my blogging friends mentioned that she was interested in making.

All these photos are from the Internet and they all are fascinating to me because of all the possibilities such as.....I'm seeing a mixture of fabrics I'd want to use. I love mixing batiks, solids, prints, florals, etc. 

I'll probably save the ones I don't choose at this time.

I like I'll work with the first photo. 

Now that I've chosen a photo to work with, I'll need to print out a copy.

With the chosen photo traced on the back, I'm thinking that I want to enlarge it a bit so off to the new printer (LOL) to get that done.  Note: The traced photo is in reverse. 

Now I've enlarged it 125% which means it's about 7 1/2" by 9" at this point.

Next I chose some fabrics to use. Sorry about the photo. The one in the very middle is a McKenna Ryan gradient fabric (love it) and the others are an assortment of batiks and some that read as solids.....which are gray, pale yellows and greens, a dark brown and I might choose other fabrics later.  I looked carefully at the photo I chose to get color ideas but it's easy to change or decide on another color scheme.

You see, it's not so hard to do this. I know you can too!!

Now, it's time to trace the design onto the Heat-n-Bond. This is where things get tricky because the parts need to be traced in pieces, such as the tree bark then the tree foliage, next.......  I'll demo to show how that's done.

I'm showing the chosen photo again, hopefully in a better light to finalize my color choices and to be able to compare the photo to me project as I go along.

I've numbered the sections that I'll be tracing just to keep up with every part.

I've chosen the McKenna Ryan piece as my foundation and background. Usually I'd us a muslin as a foundation then all my fabric choices on top but the Ryan piece has just the right colors that I'm looking for even though they don't quite match the actual photo. Remember, it's your project, so if you want to change colors or add something......that's the fun of it all.

Here I've traced off the different parts onto the Heat-n-Bond. Notice that the parts are separate and a bit larger that the actual pieces. This is for adjustments because more is better than not enough. So always give yourself more traced area because you can cut something down easily.

In this photo I wanted to show the difference in the right side and wrong side of the fabric, not because you don't know the difference but because sometimes the wrong side of the fabric is a better fit for what you are looking for than the right side.  Someone once told me, "Remember, we've paid for both sides."

All parts are not pressed to the wrong side of the fabrics I've chosen.

Now I've cut all my pieces out and laid them on the McKenna piece so that you can better see them.

Here you can see the non-stick pressing sheet that I use so that the Heat-n-Bond doesn't gum up my ironing board.

I'm now building from the ground up.

I really like the sun fabric I chose.

Here you see the whole thing before I press everything down.

Also, I like to compare the original to what I've done.

Here are all three. I'll probably do a bit of crayon work around the sun....YES, I said crayons. They are great to add some detail and depth. Just press using a sheet of paper or muslin between the project and your iron.
I hope this helps those of you who are interested in this type of thing. Please leave a comment if you care to. I love hearing from you.















 

Ok, Maybe One or Two More?

I've enlarged each design 150% on my printed. It takes several repositions to get all the parts and then loads of cutting and taping things back together.

There are at least two Veterans at our Seniors Center who served in the Army and Air Force so I decided to make those two seals especially for them. I can easily quilt these on my Janome because they aren't going to be any bigger than 25 inches each.

After this I'm really finished.....no.....REALLY!!!

Below are some of the stages to making the seals. I'll show the finished quilts in a lager post.

 

 

 

I use dinner plates, pizza pans, skillets and anything else that will lend me a perfect circle. Mr. Cowboy just shakes his head but wisely says nothing.

I will stitch all the pieces down before quilting everything.
In a couple of previous posts, someone asked about the types of fabric adhesives I use. I love Steam-a-Seam Lite but it's sometimes hard to find so I'm using Heat-N-Bond Lite at the moment. When quilting everything together I use either the 505 Spray or Loctite Spray Adhesive (the Loctite is found at JoAnn's).

Celebrate Countdown Part 3

Slept on what to do with this eagle. I added a light brown border then found some patriotic fabric in my stash to dress up the block. So far so good!!

However, my mind has gone in yet another direction. So that eagle is tabled for the moment. 

Here's the eagle I'm working on now.

The star design is one that I've use many times and is perfect for what I have in mind. I've use several shades of greens and golds on my HST and tone-on-tones.

I really like this eagle with its beak open. I've used permanent markers and crayons to highlight feathers and the bold brow on the eagle.

Here's the finished top measuring 54 inches square.
Next......

Magpie's Mumblings is the winner of the second FQ!! Congratulations to you. Blue and purple are her colors for now, so I'll be sending out the color BLUE to her as soon as we talk via email. I don't have much purple in my stash, if you can believe that.

Remember to leave a comment and mention your favorite color to participate in the give away. If you've already won a FQ, you can still win again.

Here's another pic of the little firecracker!!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Mini Wednesday

The Navy is my last Armed Services block. I will be adding some neat additions to the overall theme in the weeks to come.

This block's color scheme was too fun because I got to use several landscaping fabrics from my stash.

Interesting fact #1 If  Naval personnel area assigned to submarine duty, they are asked to do so first due to claustrophobia concerns and the technical nature of service.  

Interesting fact #2 Bravo Zulu means "Well Done!"

Interesting fact #3 Bell Bottom trousers worn by naval personnel, can be used as a life preserver by knotting the legs and swinging them over the head to fill the lets with air.

I know it's hard to see but above are the letters, in reverse, I'll be placing around the ship.

Interesting fact #4 Scuttlebutt is the Navy tern for "rumor!"

 

Here are all five blocks. I'm so happy with them all. Now onward!!!

 

Mini Wednesday

Oops! It's Mini Wednesday on a Thursday.  Sorry, I got busy with Mr. Cowboy, the warm weather we're having and cattle......sigh!!!

As you can see, I've chosen the Marines to do next. I've enlarged, cut and taped what I want to use.

With all these colors to choose from it should be easy to come up with a good design.

 

I decided to tackle the second inner circle with the lettering first because it's the most work with cutting and placing all the letters.

Here's a bit of trivia: Marine recruits are finished eating the moment their drill instructor is finished. That's why they eat so fast.

The beginnings of the eagle.

Eagle body all done to lay aside.

This next part was easy.....the globe and the western hemisphere (land mass).

Trivia again - Fewer than 100 people have ever received the title of "honorary Marine," which can only be bestowed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Here's just a small list: Chuck Norris, Bob Hope, Bugs Bunny, Jim Nabors and Gary Sinise.

Preview of how the eagle will be placed over the globe.

Eagle in place, holding a ribbon in its beak. I've also added a bit of highlights to the land mass.

The anchor and more ribbon are now pressed down. The ribbon has the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis," which means "Always Faithful!"

More trivia...A 3-volley salute performed at funerals is sometimes confused with the 21 gun salute. The 3-volley salute is the firing of three rifle rounds over the graves of fallen armed forces members and political leaders.

I used a very pale green as the outermost circle and a mottled off white as the background.

Now there's four wonderful blocks done. I have at least one more before I decide if I want to finish everything or add some surprising blocks to the quilt.