OT:silk thread

Hi Amy, I'm not really good at this, but the way is to make a tiny little knot up at the needle. It's small enough to pop through your fabric (cuz silk is really fine) but is still enough to keep the thread in the needle. Takes some practice and I still have to try and try before I get a knot that will work.

Worth learning, though I think.

Sunny

Sunny-how would i do that? one loop like a quilter's knot? hang on...going to try it... ok, i see...oh, woohoo! that is great! Thanks!!! {{{singing}}} no more slipped threat, yay!!! amy

I just learned this in a class last week. It takes a little finesse (IMNSHO) though. After you thread your needle, you poke your needle through one end of your thread - sort of stab it in the middle & then do it again & bring it down over your needle. I guess it's kind of like a knot, but it is so small that it easily slides thru your fabric. Perhaps someone here can explain it better than I can. It's almost like shredding the end of our thread.

I just tie a simple knot at the eye of the needle. (I don't know any fancy knots!!!) There is a tiny bump when the needle is pulled through for the first time, but then all is smooth. You may see the knot slip down the thread after time, but just pull it back to the eye again and all is well. . In message , amy writes

I knot it at the base of the needle by folding the thread over several inches from the cut end and putting the folded end through the eye of the needle (I have to use a needle threader). Then pull the needle back through the loop formed between the folded thread and the needle. Pull it tight against the needle to form a small knot. It's small enough to go through the fabric but still holds the thread on the needle.

Julia in MN

I was wondering this too, so thanks to all that replied, I will try it. Am doing some applique at the moment so it's been frustrating me too :) Elly

hey Elly, now you got the knot and slipping sorted out. how is the rest of the applique working out for ya? got pix of work in progress? what design are you doing? whats it for? what colours? what fabrics? sitting here in the south pacific drink'n my coffee, :) jeanne

"Elly" wrote...

I hold the needle at the eye or have enough thread tail that I can hold the tail in my palm most of the time. I sometimes get hand cramps from the second method though. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Oh my goodness Elly! That is a "practice" block? It's perfect! Your curves, your points.....perfect! Are you going to continue using batiks for the rest of your Dear Jane? I haven't made one, nor will I, but if I were......I think I'd want to work with fabrics that I like. Oh...I just re-read your message. Maybe you are going to make a small wallhanging from the batiks and go with the original look for the rest. Anyway....I'm sure it will look wonderful from your solid start. Keep posting pictures as you go along....I'd love to see them.

That's some beautiful appliqué, Elly. Really smooth curves. Lovely. Because I am constrained by size (only one place I have that's large enough to hang it), I am only going to make 100 blocks. They will all be straight line ones, and I plan to use the curvy blocks to make quilting designs for the square blocks! So, they will all be there (not the triangles), but not in the same form. I did put mine out on the table yesterday to photograph to show you. I reckon I'll have my photo site up and running by Monday at the latest. So far it's going well. Just got a few more to do. . In message , Elly writes

Elly, the Dear Jane is a journey to be enjoyed. A couple of suggestions, if I may. Keep a "journal" of the journey. Just a note or two about what is happening and the block you are working on. I didn't and wish I had. :(

Don't worry about the whole thing, just one block at a time. They are addictive. I never intended to do the whole quilt, but ended up doing the whole thing, plus have started a second, plus several swaps (which are on the "to-do" list to put together.)

If you have the software, plan to hand piece (which is easier for many of the blocks, especially those with tiny pieces and odd set in angles) do "learn" the freezer paper technique that Linda Franz explains so well in her Quilted Diamonds books. ("Quilted Diamonds 2" has a DVD that is almost 2 hours covering hand piecing with this method. Lots of great info that I wish I had had while doing my first Jane.) Even if you don't have the software, trace the blocks onto freezer paper to use this technique. I am even using it for appliqué, doing back-basting. I can press the shape on the back of the bottom piece and trace it there.

Don't leave the triangles all till the end. Do some as you go and you will be surprised at how easy they really are. I started with the tris.

Join either/both the "big" Dear Jane list, and/or the DJRetreats yahoo group. The big list has a lot of tips for several rows of blocks in the files section. Both will give you lots of support and answer questions, ooohhh and aaaahhhhh over completed blocks and so on. (even though the Retreats list has a lot of Quilted Diamonds and some Inklingo chatter on it, there are several "goddesses" (those who have finished whole DJ quilts) on it. And many are working on Janes too.

Have fun, ask questions and use fabric you enjoy working with. That is the key. It took my about 2 and a half years to piece my Jane, and It sat for a couple more waiting to be quilted. So now I just need to get the quilting finished on it.

Pati, in Phx

Elly wrote:

You may not like your red/white block, but I certainly do! And it's beautifully made, too -- I can't do hand applique to save my life and wish I could.

Thanks for the compliment Patti. :)) I never thought of where I'd put it if and when it was finished. But that's a thought now. Not quite sure what you mean below.. but for example will you quilt the shapes in C-11 over say C-12? Elly

Patti wrote:

Hi Pati, thank you for all the good advice. I've used freezer paper for appliqu=E9 needle turn method for a while now but am learning it has other uses. I tried the freezer paper piecing with my second block (which would get finished if I would stop procrastinating) it's brilliant isn't it. I hummed and harred over which way I was going to do the block. (B-8) I thought first to try the back baste appliqu=E9 but gave that up as I couldn't see the pattern when I marked it on the back of what would have been the background. Never thought of using the FP for that bit.... thanks for that tip. Would you sew threw it and the background and applique piece? After cutting up the FP templates and using them to piece, I reused the outer ones as a placement guide for the melons. I did think to reverse appl. the melons on but then coward out thinking that if I messed it up I'd have to do those set in seams again. So I've gone for my usual method. I haven't used batik on my second one as I wanted to use red and didn't have any batik. so I thought what the heck and used a nice Hoffman floral.... the background is the same as the first which is a Moda Marble in a very pale green, which looks white on the scan. Do you have any pictures of yours anywhere on the web.? I'm already on the main DJ list. When are you going to rejoin?

Elly

"Pati C." wrote:

obvious)

that is your 'practice' block. back to the drawing board for me then. that has perfect points, perfectly set in position, perfect middle seam joint. how exactly is that 'practice'??? ok, wheres the pix of the second block then? lol i dont see any reason at all you cant use batiks with other type fabrics. as long as the colours mesh/meld/look nice together it'll be bootiful. :) stumped in the south pacific, jeanne

"Elly" wrote... Hi there Jeanne I've made a dither> hey Elly,

Yes, Elly, that's the idea. I haven't worked out what will go where yet! and some will have to be duplicated. . In message , Elly writes

Mine take it in turns to be hung over the banister or go on the spare bed. But then, of course, I chickened out on the scalloped borders!!