Here is a detailed post of what we did in our May 2019 Lap Quilt club at the Mac center.  If you would like to join us please contact me at jenny@jennys-sewing-studio.com or text me at 410-543-1212. To read all about the Lap Quilt club you can click here!

Our Next Meeting

June 27th class will be used to complete the Fan and the Dresden plate. I would also like to prep several 9 patch blocks in class. Read the instructions below and make sure you are prepared. Note: I am only asking you to bring the fabric for the 9 patch, please do not sew them yet.

( Bring all your plastic templates, bring a plastic ruler and a blue fabric marker or chalk. Bring the Lap Quilt book. You will need at least 3 different contrasting fabrics for the 9 patch blocks. I recommend 5 different fabrics be used if you have them.)

For Churn Dash and Shoo Fly bring 2 contrasting fabrics pre-cut 11″ X 45″. For the Maple Leaf and the Ohio Star you will need to bring 2 other contrasting fabrics pre-cut 11″X 45″. The Ohio Star will also need one “E” square cut for the center of a 5th fabric. We will not sew these blocks, only prep them for the July meeting. ( please wait to sew these blocks until we do it in class)

To finish the Dresden Plate and the Fan blocks:

I suggest you cut out the wedges for the Dresden and Fan blocks using the templates from the Lap Quilting book. You will want to use either 2 , 4 or 16 different prints to compliment the 12 1/2″ back ground block when planning the Dresden Plate.  Using the power point presentation for Lesson 5, piece the fan and Dresden plate before class. Press the seams so they lay in one direction, I will give you suggestions and allow time for you to applique and do the centers for both blocks in class. I suggest you buy about a yard of “stitch and tear” to stabilize the backgrounds. Purchase a light weight fusible interfacing. Below I have listed all your needs for the May 23rd class.

Bring your machine, thread, scissors, stabilizer, open toe or applique’ foot,  pieced Fan and Dresden Plate to class with the pre-cut and stabilized background blocks ( as we did in the May lesson). You do not have to finish the Fan or the Dresden Plate blocks before class. Do not applique them yet! Bring any trims you would like. Please read the following detailed list and watch the power point presentation before class. Please double check your supplies before you come to class and make sure you have all your sewing machine feet with you. Also check to make sure you have all your fabrics and stabilizers with you!!!!

• Quilters will need to cut at least 2 – 12 1/2″ back ground blocks to prepare for the fan and Dresden Plate. You will also need to purchase about a yard of a sheer to lightweight fusible interfacing for your applique. 
• Bring a black sharpie pen to trace the applique’.
• I will bring the Sun Bonnet pattern for every student. We are doing an applique Sun Bonnet, not the pieced pattern in the Lap Quilt Book.
• Purchase some “stitch and tear” or “tear easy” stabilizer.  You should be able to buy the stabilizer by the yard or in a package.  I have provided links for you to purchase the stabilizer from. Make sure you purchase a lightweight stabilizer you can tear away. Fuse the stabilizer to the back of each 12 1/2″ block as we did with the Sun Bonnet Sue block,
• Please bring black or dark brown or dark gray  thread for the applique stitching. The color thread you pick depends on your quilt fabric colors .
• If you would like to introduce decorative stitches to your blocks for a special accent, gather a few colorful  threads for your additional decorative stitches.
• For the Fan and the Dresden Plate you will also need a narrow lace edging, rick rack or some prepackaged 1/4″ maxi piping. I will be bringing a very limited supply of snap on piping feet to the class in June. If you want one please reserve it as I only have 3. I also have several adjustable zipper feet to sew on the piping. Click on links to see the feet. Both feet will help you get close to the piping as you stitch it.
• Bring your machine to the class threaded with a neutral to finish the centers of the Fan and Dresden Plate. Also bring the thread you will need to applique the  Dresden and Fan blocks. I used black. If you have an applique foot, bring it. I will bring a few extra applique feet.
• Bring your 1/4? foot and regular all-purpose sewing foot for your sewing machine.
• For the Fan cut the wedges  and the 1/4 circle. ( If you need help sewing the fan or Dresden let me know ahead of class.) Sew the wedges 2 by 2, then put 2 wedges and 2 wedges together to form 4 and them sew the 2 sets of 4 together to form 8. Press the seams to one side. Wait for class to sew the 1/4 circle to the fan. I will show you some tricks.
• For the Dresden Plates pick 4 fabrics and make 4 sets of 4 wedges. Sew the 4 sets together to form 16 wedges. Press the seams to on side. Wait till class for me to show you some tips on the center circle. Watch the power point presentation for hints.
  

If you want to keep up with our Lap Quilting progress you will need to do some home work each month and this page documents the steps we have covered since January 2019. For hands on help, you can enroll for “one on one classes” with Jenny to catch up. Just email jeny@jennys-sewing-studio.com for help and with your questions.

This month’s lesson

May 23rd was lesson five for our Lap Quilt club.

The lesson for May has been extended into June. In May we did the Sue Bonnet Sue applique and learned what stitch we had on our machine to do the blanket stitch applique. We will use the same stitch on the center on the Dresden Plate in June.

Our May class was on the Sun Bonnet Sue block. We used an interfacing technique to applique and to create the block.

I gave everyone  a pattern for Sun Bonnet Sue. The first step was to trace the parts of the applique on the rough side of fusible interfacing using a sharpie marker. With rough side of interfacing to right side of the fabric, the next step was to stitch the applique piece with the straight stitch. Stitch was done on the drawn black line, overlapping at the beginning of the stitching to complete. Next the applique piece was turned. Some pieces required the sewer to cut a small slash in the interfacing then then turn the piece through the slash to the right side. I showed how trimming the applique with pinking shears on the curves will reduce bulk in the seam. The next step was to place the completed applique on a stabilized 12 1/2? block. I used stitch and tear light weight stabilizer on the back of the 12 1/2? block to keep the fabric from puckering when stitch the edges.

Most students used the blind hem at a 3 width and a fine stitch length to applique with. If you have an electronic machine you can use the blanket stitch. Test stitch to adjust the width and length of the stitch before you apply it to the block. Everyone was going to take the applique block home and continue to finish the applique. They can also apply and lace or trims they desire. I also used decorative stitch to complete my Sun Bonnet Sue block. Once you have completed the block you can tear off the stabilizer that was ironed to the back. Next apply the border to finish the block. Finally you can quilt the block and border.