When we last left our Pretty Spool, you had just fused the needle shapes into place. Yippee! Now the center of the design is complete.
Next, we are adding borders and steam setting the quilt top to the batting.
Once it is steam set, the quilt top is ready for hand embroidery. This quilt has very simple stitching cause, let’s face it, I need simple right now.
Please note: Directions are first given here on the blog, then added to the Pretty Spool Tutorial page as we go.
Step #7
- Trim 1/4″ from one long side of the top and bottom border fabrics. And trim 1/4″ from the one long side of both side border fabrics using the pinking blade in the rotary cutter or pinking shears.
- Learn how to load the pinking blade on your rotary cutter here: How to Load Decorative Blades onto Rotary Cutter Handles.
- Center and overlap the bottom border strip about 1/4″ onto the bottom edge of the quilt. Close the book and fuse-tack into place.
- Repeat this step, adding the top border strip to the top edge of the quilt.
- Repeat the previous step and add the 2 side borders to the quilt.
Step # 8
- Place a thread strip entering the eye of the needle.
- Snip the strip to match the angle of the needle opening.
- Fuse-tack the end of the strip in place and continue to fuse and curve the strip up around the top of the spool.
- Make sure your iron is clean as you will be ironing directly on the fabric.
- Place a thread strip on the other side of the eye of the needle.
- Snip to match the angle of the needle fabric.
- Fuse-tack the end of the strip in place and continue to fuse and curve the strip down and around the spool.
- Overlap the strip ends to continue around the design as needed.
Step # 9
- Remove the quilt top from the book.
- Center the non-scrim side of the batting onto the back of the quilt top. (Please note that if the background fabric is applied to the scrim side of the batting and fused into place, the quilt may appear rippled.)
- Place a dry cloth on the quilt top and steam set the top to the batting for about 10 seconds in each spot.
Step #10
- Stitch straight stitches across the thread on the spool.
- Use a size 12 pearl cotton thread like Oranges and a size 5 hand embroidery needle.