Tag Archives: #makingitfun

Don’t Ruffle My Feathers

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We were sent some beautiful batiks by Michael Miller Fabrics for the Peek into Batiks Monthly Sew Along. Check out the program here Peek into Batiks

These are the fabrics being used. I LOVE THEM! While waiting for the program to start, we just couldn’t keep our hands off.We made this cute 12 1/2″ block, “Don’t Ruffle My Feathers”.

In the Michael Miller Ambassador box we received in December, there was a bunch of ruffles included, 1″ Ruff Ruffles. My first response to the ruffle was, “What the heck am I suppose to do with this?”. Challenge accepted. We used the ruffle for the owl’s chest! The ruffle is a 100% cotton with a raw edge. Lora decided to try a permanent marker dye technique she had read about. Too fun!

You’ll need about 2 yards of ruffle. Start by wrapping the ruffle around a piece of cardboard. Then select Sharpie Markers in the colors you’d like to dye your ruffle. My ruffle is with tan speckles. Lora’s ruffle is yellow, orange, and pink to match the batik she wanted to use.

After you speckled the heck out of the white ruffle, spray or sprinkle Rubbing Alcohol on the dyed ruffle. This blurs the pen inks. Rinse with water until the water runs clear. Allow to dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lora’s ruffle turned out great! It matched the batik fabulously. While you’re waiting for the ruffle to dry. Print out the appliqué pieces here. 12×12.DontRufflyMyFeathersOwl.Applique, DontRuffleMyFeathersOwl.AppliqueSheet1, DontRuffleMyFeathersOwl.AppliqueSheet2 (Limited time only so don’t wait to download!) Be sure to tile at 100% size the 12×12 sheet and print 100% size the pieces sheets. Cut your background square at 12 1/2″.

I really like using Heatn’Bond EZ Print Lite Fusible sheets for double sided fusible appliqué. You can put your reversed appliqué images (already done for you in the download images above) on the glass of your home inkjet copier/printer. Then put one sheet of the EZ Print Lite Fusible product in the tray. Copy your images directly to the fusible web!! No tracing.
Next you’ll trim out your images, 1/4” from the outer edges and then “window pane” the larger images by trimming a 1/4” on the inside of the lines. This gives your appliqué a soft feel instead of being stiff from too much fusible product.

Fuse for just a couple seconds to the wrong side of your fabric. Trim out on the line.
Trim your dyed ruffle just a bit wider than the chest of the owl. Beginning at the bottom, sew a ruffle on about every inch allowing about half an inch of ruffle to show with each layer.  Lora added 11 rows of ruffle. Trim off the excess ruffle on each side. Remove the fusible paper around the edge and it is ready to fuse to your background! 
Since the background is dark, it is easier to layer your appliqué pieces on a white fusible teflon sheet on top of the 12×12 positioning sheet. Position your owl and branch pieces and then lightly fuse the pieces together with a light tap of the iron. Just enough to hold the pieces together. Then peel the entire fused unit off the teflon sheet. Lay on the 12 1/2″ square and fuse into place.

Add a blanket stitch in coordinating threads around the edges of the appliqué pieces.
Yes, Lora put the 12 1/2″ square on her long arm. Quilt as desired, bind and enjoy on your wall or stand or make into a pillow or tote!

Too much fun! Yes, I suppose we’ll have to order more fabric for the Sew Along, but I’m okay with that.

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

Christmas Came Early!

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Last month, when Lora and I were in Houston at the National Quilt Market (see a couple of blogs back for the Houston show report), we were approached by a super cool quilter that told us we should apply to be Michael Miller Ambassadors. She loved our patterns and thought we’d be a great addition to their program. She even went back to the Michael Miller Fabrics booth to collect the program information for us! Talk about sweet. Quilt Market and Festival were busy, but when we got home, I immediately went online, and I applied for the program. So what was the program, you ask? This was what was on their webpage.

1.    Free fabric and goodies.

Go no further, right? You got me at number 1.

2.    Promotion of you and your brand by sharing your content on our social media channels.

Uh, yes, please. This would be awesome for our little pattern company.

3.    Opportunities for you to be featured on our blog and marketing channels.

Really? Can it get any better?

4.    Sharing our “I Like Mike” promo badge and other graphics and images for your posts.

Easy-Peasy. (Already up, did you notice?)

5.    Opportunities for your patterns/projects to be included in our catalogs and marketing materials.

OMG! It just doesn’t stop!

6.    Connections to magazine publications for your projects using Michael Miller fabric.

Someone help me off the floor.

So of course, I applied. But, considering the competition out there, I didn’t hold my breath. Imagine my surprise when I got an acceptance email. It was to just 11 email addresses welcoming us into the program! YES!!! I was so excited. I shared the info immediately with Lora, mom, and a few Material Girlfriends, but didn’t share with you all yet. I kinda had a little fear that they would email again and say, “Just kidding, we changed our mind.” But it is happening!! Pinch me. We feel so honored that they would trust us with this program!

My Material Girlfriend proofing and editing team is now in a group chat called MM Am-bad-ass-editors. LOL.
The Minky was cool. They had cute stuffy toys made of it too.
The Michael Miller Solids, called Cotton Couture, are to DYE for. They have 214 colors! Woodland Musicians cute display

My husband, Michael, wanted to know if I was getting my own embassy too. “No,” I told him, “just an embassy car, with Material Girlfriend logo flags flying over the side mirrors (aka my old blue Durango).” I get free parking in Discovery Bay.

Sew, we will keep you posted. We should be receiving a box full of goodies later this month. We’ll show you all the fun things we will be creating with Michale Miller fabrics in 2020!

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton

Michael Miller Fabrics Brand Ambassador