WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM COUCHING - TRY A NEW TECHNIQUE - ISLAND BATIK CHALLENGE FOR THIS MONTH

This month's challenge for the Island Batik Ambassadors is "TRY A NEW TECHNIQUE"

Many years ago, I started collecting these Hawaiian Quilt Pattern books, a friend gave me some and just recently my sister gave me one.

So I decided to make this my

                                                               "Try it Technique"

So we need some freezer paper.

fold it how they say to in the book.

Unfolded it and drew the design in the folded lines

Oh yes, I staple the folded paper to make it easier to cut.

Non fabric scissors

Here is the design cut out

Shinny side on wrong side of fabric and press

Here you have it....

Don't you just love this Island Batik Fabric?

I glued the raw edges under.

I had planned to do a needle turn with the blind hem

BUT

But

I decided to switch gears......hear the tires squeal?

Glued the design down.

I was chatting with a friend via hotmail and she mentioned that one day she would like to do couching around the Hawaiian design.

Say what?

What is couching?

Is it when you are sitting on the couch doing nothing?

I like couching then but that is not a new technique for me, that is something I tend to do with a book.

I had to look it up online.

How to Machine Couch Without a Couching Foot

Just click on that above and it will take you to a website that will teach you about couching.

So I went to Walmart (the only place for miles that has any kind of sewing notions or fabrics, sad, I know).  I wanted bling but this yarn is what I settled on.

Now keep in mind that I am new to this and I have made my share of mistakes but as I went along I got better....I think???  That remains to be seen.

Also, at first I glued down the yarn for about 1/3 of the way but got sick of gluing that I just started sewing (couching)

One thing I learned is DON'T GLUE it down.
The next thing I learned was to pull it taunt as you see above.  It works better and the yarn doesn't  relax into a bigger thread, if that makes sense?  Of course, you do not want it too taunt but just enough to have a nice even line.

As you see here, this is where I started...hummmmm

I will have to say that my husband and I like the design on the yarn here but it just doesn't look crisp enough....also this is glued (the yarn is more relaxed and kinda fluffier which made it hard to crouch).

This is how I ended up.  I could say that is much better.  I think next time I am going to make a longer stitch length.

Here is is finished.  I can certainly tell I got better as I went along but that is what learning is all about, right?  If I was perfect at everything I tried for the first time, well..that would be amazing.

As I was reading on my facebook page I saw that one of the Island Batik Ambassadors did a Hawaiian applique as well

You can go here to her site "Mania for Quilts", she does an amazing job of needle turn, do go and check hers out.