Contrary Wife

Even though I love designing my own quilts, I also enjoy makes quilts by other designers.  I am a member of Heritage Club at Four Season Quilt Shop in Maple Grove, MN.  At each meeting we receive either a pattern from Jo Morton's "Jo's Little Women Club" or Pam Buda's "Prairie Women's Sewing Circle".  During the Christmas break, I thought I would make up one of the patterns from the last year.  The one I chose was Contrary Wife by Pam Buda.  It gave me an opportunity to do some applique and I really liked her setting.

For today's post, I thought I would walk you through my process including 

1. Tracing the applique block in Art and Stitch;
2. Using the Silhouette Cameo for cutting my freezer paper templates;
3. Using the Corner Pop ruler by Studio 180 Design for the sashing stars; and 
4. How I chose to quilt the project.  
   

Tracing Applique Block in Art and Stitch

My favorite applique technique is using freezer paper templates ironed to the back of fabric.  The fabric is cut 1/4" around the templates and the seams are folded over and glued to the freezer paper template.  I then use invisible thread and a blind hem stitch on my machine to attach the pieces to the background (you must be able to adjust both the stitch length and the stitch width for this to work well).  I learned this technique in a class from Harriet Hargrave many years ago.  I've taken numerous classes and tried many other applique methods over the years, but this one works the best for me.  Which method of applique do you prefer?

However, I digress.  What I wanted to do, is cut out my freezer paper templates with the Silhouette Cameo.  In order to create the pieces for cutting, I used Art and Stitch to draft the units and the block and then transferred to design to Silhouette Cameo.  The follow video provides a demo of how I did this.

Corner Pop Ruler Demonstration

For the sashing, I thought I would try out the Corner Pop ruler by Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design.  The pattern called for folded corners and this ruler provides another way to better execute those corners.  Let me share the steps with one of the units in the Contrary Wife quilt.

Cut background 2-1/2" x 2-1/2". Cut triangles (replacement for folded corners 2-1/4" x 2-1/4". Cut once on diagonal for two triangle units. (The measurements are included in the instructions for the Corner Pop ruler.)

Use the 1" cut-away lines on the ruler to cut the corners of the background piece. First cut.

Second cut.

With right sides together and the background piece up, position triangle on cut line of background piece. Sew using an accurate quarter inch.

One advantage over a traditional folder corner is that you can press either direction. The corner will be oversized at this point.

Matching up the 1" line on the corner trim down section of the ruler, trim the outside edges of the triangle.

One triangle is done.

Repeat sewing for other side.

Press second triangle.

Using the 1" line on the Corner Trim Down, trim outer edges of the second triangle.

Finished unit is 2-1/2" x 2-1/2".

How Did I Quilt This?

I took a photo of my quilt top and brought it into Art and Stitch as a backdrop.

I found a sashing design that I had previously designed that worked really well (bowties).  I aslo had a paisley point to point design that I could work around the star blocks.  Then I just needed something for the center of the star blocks and and contrary wife applique.  I just used the leaf from the applique and made a magic square.

Bowtie design for sashing and borders.

Point to Point Paisley Design. This one is great to alter to fit into different spaces.

Leaf Magic Square.

Contrary Wife Quilting Layout

Here is the final quilt with a close-up of the quilting.

Contrary Wife Finished Quilt by Kari Schell

The quilt will be on display as part of the Heritage Club show at Four Season Quilts during the month of January.  If you are in the area, please check it out.

Happy quilting.

Kari

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