Monday, May 21, 2012

Bloggers' Spring 2012 Quilt Festival

I'm sharing my Chubby Chicks quilt for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Spring 2012 event.

I purchased this adorable pattern long ago, but decided to dust it off and use it as a tool to learn my new BERNINA CutWork Tool and Software. With a little help from my friends, I learned to scan and digitize the cutting as well as stitching, and used the CutWork tool to cut out all the bodies and beaks. I then let the machine do the work of stitching down the body and beak, as well as embroider the eye, legs and wing.

I feel SO much more comfortable with CutWork now, and am always on the lookout for patterns, shapes, lettering and other fun images to digitize and cut out.

I was thrilled to have this quilt featured on the cover of Through the Needle ONLINE magazine, Issue 8. This issue also includes the 4-page article containing step by step instructions on how to digitize the applique chicks yourself! Download this issue FREE at http://www.throughtheneedle.com.

The completed project. It makes me happy to look at!
Digitizing the chick in the BERNINA CutWork software.
Setting up the cutting - maximize the number of shapes for a given hoop size. I was able to cut 10 layers of fabric backed by OESD Applique Fuse & Fix, sandwiched between a bottom and top layer of Hydrostick stabilizer (note the Hydrostick was not water activated - it was used "dry" as it is very stiff and provides a good cutting surface).
Here are the chick bodies being cut out.
Body parts. :-)
Now it's time to create the chick blocks. The embroidery machine stitched the legs first, then placement line for the chick body.
Finished chick block. SO cute!
Make 60 of these (in a fraction of the time it takes to do traditional applique), piece the quilt according to the pattern, and "quilt as desired." Don't you love that phrase?
Many people do not quilt through applique - I do it all the time and like the texture. The fabrics in this quilt are from various American Jane collections by Moda.
This was a terrific way to learn a new process, software and tool. I look forward to bringing out Chubby Chicks each spring to brighten my home.

16 comments:

  1. Your quilt is WONDERFUL!! The cubby chicks are awesome, such personality - plus Plus PLUS! Congratulations on being the cover feature!
    Have a great day.
    Always, Queenie

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  2. This is so sweet, beautiful work:))

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  3. How cute is that?! I'm working on pinwheels for the first time in a quilt border and loving the way they look - yours are fabulous. Love the green.

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  4. I love this! I like the idea of the chicks between the pinwheel blocks. I could hand applique owls there...hum....inspiration!

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  5. OH! This is just too precious! I love it. April @ Little Mama Hen.

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  6. What an intriguing way to do appliqué. It's very effective in your quilt - the chicks are adorable.

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  7. Wow! Now that's high tech! Sometimes just putting your nose to the grindstone, as painful as it is, is all it takes to finding the comfort zone, with new processes. The finished project looks great!

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  8. I did not know such a thing existed. That is so cool. I love the chicks:)

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  9. Love your quilt - and what a cool tool you used. I have a Bernina and love it!! =)

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  10. Oh, I never heard of this cutwork tool! Looks neat and quick! Thanks for sharing this beautiful quilt!

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  11. The quilt is real fun!
    And I like the photo with it in the garden!
    Looks like a very nice place.

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  12. The quilt is adorable! Ive never heard of the software too and you have made me want it!!!

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  13. So cute. I purchased this pattern from Connecting threads and I have Embird and could have digitized my chubby birds but my embroidery machine only has a 4x4 hoop...I am so jealous you were able to do this. I had to do each using a satin stitch and then hand embroidered the details...took forever...

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