RIN QAL Parade and Winners!

Huge thanks to all of you who participated in the Rin QAL hosted by Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs and I. And thanks to those who just hung out and cheered us on! It's always motivating to work on our projects together.

Here are the entrants for the parade...

1. Camille M. - Camille's Quilting - @Camillesquilting

2. Paige A. - Quilted Blooms - @quiltedblooms

3. Carolyn - @caroscolours

4. Danice - Homespun Hannah

5. Kendra W. - @good_starter

6. Krystina - Krystinah - @krystinah_mn

7. Patty D. - Elm Street Quilts - @elmstreetquilts

8. Stephanie F. - @sewbespokeandco

9. Yvonne F. - Quilting Jet Girl - @quiltingjetgirl

10. Maria S. - @sewsewmaria

11. Jessica W. - @wester.jessica

12. Emily L. - The Darling Dogwood

13. Liz B. - @bless.liz

14. Cindy L. (me) - Hyacinth Quilt Designs - @clammon

15. Cheryl B. - Meadow Mist Designs - @meadowmistdesigns

And the winners that were randomly selected are:

Yvonne F. - Carolyn Friedlander fabric

Camille M. - Aurifil 80 wt. 10 piece spool collection by Carolyn Friedlander

Krystina - My book Simply Modern Christmas

Stephanie F. - 2 pdf patterns from Quilting Jet Girl

Carolyn - 3 pdf patterns from Meadow Mist Designs

Big thanks to all of our prize sponsors! We'll contact the winners directly. Hope it was fun!

RIN QAL ~ Other Methods of Appliqué

This is the final week of the Rin Quilt Along!

I hope you've had fun and learned a bit more about appliqué.

Maybe this is your first time with appliqué? My co-host Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is doing appliqué for the first time with this project!

I've been appliquéing for years and one of the things I love about it is how many great methods there are for achieving fantastic results. It just depends on the project and what you like!

Today, I thought I'd briefly share some of the other appliqué techniques I've tried and been very happy with...

The first appliqué method I ever tried was a needle turn hand appliqué method that uses freezer paper as a guide. Your shape is cut from the freezer paper (no seam allowance), ironed to the back of the fabric, cut adding 1/4" seam allowance, and then needle turned appliquéd using the edge of the paper as a guide. In this method, you have to make a slit in the background fabric and remove the paper. This example is from my first book "Gathered From The Garden".

Machine appliqué has also been one of my favorite methods. The fabric is fused to the background with a paper-backed fusible web product, and the raw edge is machine stitched usually with a buttonhole stitch or a zigzag stitch. These flowers from my book "Flower Pots" are machine appliquéd.

I love the machine appliquéd that block Paige from Quilted Blooms shared with us!

Learn her process today on her blog...

Quilted Blooms

Another method I find useful is where the edges are ironed under prior to starting the hand stitching. Although it takes more prep time, it makes the stitching very simple. It's a great method for simple shapes and I shared a tutorial here.

I use a similar method whenever I appliqué circles. I create the circle by stitching a basting stitch around the edge of the circle and using a heat resistant circle template. Just pull the stitching up around the template, starch and iron. I did exactly that for the circles in my Steam Punk quilt.

Finally, here's a fun method that worked really well in this pattern, "Memories" by Don't Look Now. The pieces are fused to the background and then straight stitched during the free-motion quilting.

These are just a few of the methods I've used. I'll bet you'll find more and tons of tutorials with a bit of searching online!

Hope this Rin Along has sparked your interest in appliqué. We'll be back next week on July 5th with our parade and prizes. You can email photos of your finished block to me at: cindy at hyacinthquiltdesigns dot com.

RIN QAL ~ Layout Ideas

 Looking for some other ideas for setting your Rin Blocks? Check out Cheryl's post at Meadow Mist Designs.

I'm loving how this block turned out! I was complimented by a few people on how well I fussy cut the circles and aligned the design perfectly. Truth is, I didn't try to do that - it just happened! But you might want to try if you have a similar or directional fabric...

I love when things like that happen!

Only a couple more weeks until the prize drawing. You can email a photo of your finished block to me at any time: cindy at hyacinthquiltdesigns dot com

RIN QAL ~ Invisible Hand Appliqué Stitch

Would you like your hand appliqué stitches to disappear like magic?

Well, there's no magic involved, but I'm back today with 3 tips to get the perfect invisible hand appliqué stitch!

1.  Use the correct thread ~ Choose a very fine thread (cotton, silk or poly will work) in a color that matches the appliqué fabric (not the background fabric) as close as possible. I'm loving the 80 weight Aurifil!

2.  Stitch the appliqué piece on the edge of the fold ~ When your needle comes up from the back and catches your applique fabric, just take a small bite (a few threads of fabric) right on the edge of the fold. When you go back into the background your thread will roll the edge of the appliqué piece under.

3.  Go back into the background EXACTLY where you came up ~ Once you've taken a stitch up and into the applique fabric and are ready to go back down into the background, be sure you are right at the same spot where you came up. You don't want to be to the right or the left of your stitch in the appliqué piece.

Bonus Tip ~

Probably the toughest spots are those inside valleys and you may have to be a bit less perfectionist there. I find it helps if you take a little bit bigger bite of the appliqué fabric (maybe 3-4 threads), then go back into your background at the same spot, but a bit underneath the appliqué piece. When you pull your thread, that edge will roll under. Honestly, some always look better than others!

The biggest tip of all ~ Practice!

Be sure to check on Cheryl's progress at Meadow Mist Designs!

RIN QAL ~ Basting

We're back for our weekly tips for the Rin Quilt Along!

Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs has some good ideas for basting this week.

And here's my design wall with my 4 Rin blocks! I have one more edge on the lower right to appliqué, then I'll be putting them together. Yay! (Sneak Peek at another project :)

Remember to share your progress using #RinAlong.

Feel free to email your finished block to me any time - cindy at hyacinthquiltdesigns dot com OR
Cheryl - MeadowMistDesigns at gmail dot com

RIN QAL ~ Tools for Appliqué

If you're participating in the RIN QAL, I hope you're moving along and having fun!

I'm here today with some tips on the tools that may make your appliqué a bit easier. Be sure to check in with Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs for her progress!

When it comes to appliqué, there are all kinds of techniques and tools! The great thing about it is that they all work very well. It just comes down to what methods and tools work best for you! I've been appliquéing since the early 90s and have tried many different techniques. So I encourage you, if you're struggling at all, try a different tool or method. It may make all the difference in the world!

Today I'd like to share my current favorite tools...

1. Needles

My favorite needle is a straw needle in size 10 or 11. These are very fine and long needles that are strong enough to shove the fabric around when you need to.  I took a class many years ago from Jeanna Kimball and started using her needles. I've tried others, but always come back to these. I always use a thimble ~ the cheap, simple ones since I'm always losing them :)

2. Scissors

You'll need 2 pairs of really good, sharp scissors. One to cut all those layers of fabric ~ I found that my biggest pair of Gingher scissors worked great, using just part of the blade closest to the handle for lots of leverage. You'll also need a smaller pair of scissors with a super sharp blade all the way to the tip for cutting into the inner points. I love this Omnigrid pair ~ they cut perfectly right to the tip.

3. Pins

Any nice sharp straight pin is fine for pinning your appliqué pieces to the background, but I do love these appliqué straight pins. They are shorter and thread doesn't get as easily caught up in them when hand stitching.

4. Thread

In appliqué, you want your stitches to disappear as much as possible. A fine, thin thread is really going to help with that. I've used silk thread in the past, but it is slippery and a bit hard to work with. I recently switched to my go-to sewing thread, 50 weight Aurifil and found it worked really nicely. Aurifil recently came out with an 80 weight cotton thread {80 weight is finer than 50 weight} and they sent a few spools to Cheryl and I to try. And just as I expected ~ I love it. It's very fine and easy to work with. I'm definitely going to have to order some more colors. And speaking of color, you always want to match the color of your thread as closely as possible to your appliqué piece. 

I also like to have some Thread Heaven on hand. It's a thread conditioner and really helps if you find your thread tangling. It's like a wax that you simply run your strand over.

There you have it! My favorite supplies! Let me know if you have a favorite or a question in the comments...

Don't forget to share your progress using the hashtag #RinAlong.

RIN QAL - getting started!

Who wants to start a RIN quilt?!

Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs is up today with some tips to get you started!

I just finished my 3rd block and it's a wrinkled mess, but here are my first two...

Number 4 is basted and ready to appliqué...

See how a couple of my inner scallops aren't cut quite deep enough? As Cheryl mentions that will happen from cutting so many layers. I'll just clip those as I do my needle turn appliqué.

My plan is to do four blocks for a wall quilt, then add some hand quilting.

Be sure to share you progress on Instagram with the hashtag #RinAlong. Can't wait to see yours!

RIN Quilt Along!

Today is the day we're kicking off our Rin Quilt Along! Hopefully you have your pattern and maybe selected some fabric. You want to be sure you have enough contrast between your appliqué fabric and the background fabric. Once you've taken the time to appliqué, you'll want to your design to really stand out.

Wednesdays will be our official RIN days and every Wednesday, Cheryl and I will be sharing a tip or our own progress on the quilt. Please share your progress on social media using the hashtag #RinAlong.

There are prizes for completing just one appliqué block (no need to have it quilted). To be eligible, simply email Cheryl or I a picture of your block by July 2nd. We'll be sharing all of them on both blogs for the parade on July 5th.

Winners will be randomly selected for one of four prizes!

Carolyn Friedlander is giving a fabric bundle to one winner (US only)

Aurifil Thread - Aurifil is giving away an 80 weight 10 spool thread set in Carolyn Friedlander colors. (US and International, no PO Boxes).

Cheryl is giving away 3 patterns of the winner's choice from her Etsy Shop. (US and International).

Yvonne from Quilting Jet Girl has joined in the Quilt Along and is generously giving away 2 pdf patterns from her Etsy Shop to one winner.

I will be giving away a signed copy of my book Simply Modern Christmas (US only).

If you've been on the fence, those are some pretty great prizes!

I first saw the Rin quilt on Instagram when Alex started hers. I'm happy to say that she shared some pictures with me, just in case you need a bit of inspiration! Thanks Alex!

Cheryl will be back next Wednesday with some tips on getting started - and folding :)