trapunto by machine question

I have done a small amount of machine trapunto, and it worked beautifully. The first 'working' is with the top and some batting only. It is usual to use a medium to fairly high loft batting for the trapunto part. So: you have your whole cloth top, place batting for the trapunto underneath it. You don't need to pin it or baste it as much as for quilting, but I would advise you to secure it in some way. Using the water-soluble thread on the top and ordinary thread in the bobbin you sew to outline all the parts you want to raise. (Don't use moisture to thread the needle!!!) When that is finished, you turn it over and *very* carefully cut away the batting from all the areas between the trapunto parts, as close to the stitches as you can. Discard the excess batting. You will see that this cutting stage would be rather difficult to do if you had put an extra backing layer, but not impossible. Then place a full layer of batting underneath the trapunto-ed top, and your backing. Baste these layers as for quilting, and then quilt. The first quilting to do is to sew directly over the water-soluble thread. Then you can do whatever other quilting you want or need to do. Once at least the quilting over the water-soluble thread has been done, (though I completely finished mine) you can immerse the piece in water to dissolve the soluble thread, leaving you with the raised parts outlined in quilting. Finishing is the same as for any other quilt. In case you're wondering, the bobbin thread just stays there in the middle! It is sewn over, so should never become a problem. . In message , thistleneedle writes

Nicely done, Patti. (We thought you were supposed to be celebrating and resting.) Trapunto by Machine by Hari Walner uses the water-soluble thread method and is a very lovely book You just might be able to get a used copy very cheaply over at abebooks. Polly

"Patti" wrote >I have done a small amount of machine trapunto, and it worked

Yes, water soluable thread in the top, regular thread in the bobbin. The bobbin thread will stay in your quilt layer, but you won't see it so you won't care. Sew a bit slower with the water soluable stuff, as it's fragile. High humidity days will give you grief, and keep any extra thread in a sealed zipper bag. (please don't ask me how I know this one.)

Only if you need to. I like to use a poly with a scrim for trapunto, so there's no need for fabric behind it while I sew. You can also try putting a brightly colored fabric *between* your marked wholecloth and your batting, which will give you "shadow trapunto".

I'd strongly suggest making a couple of sample squares before diving into your wholecloth. Trapunto isn't all that difficult, but a bit of practice helps a whole lot.

And have fun!

Very clear explanation....Makes me want to try this technique! Thanks Allison

Do try, it looks so pretty. Perhaps you could just do one small square first, as Kathy said, to see how you like it. The soluble thread is affordable. I, too, keep mine in a sealed plastic bag!

(Mind you, I did forget once and tried to thread the needle in the usual way with moisture!! luckily it was on my fingers not my tongue >gVery clear explanation....Makes me want to try this technique!

I may try using this to "fix" a "boob" in the centre of a really scrappy block that will one day be an art quilt - a leaf shape might do the trick nicely :-D

thanks!

Aha. to the question "Do you put fabric beneath the poly batting for the initial

Kathy answered " Only if you need to. I like to use a poly with a scrim for trapunto, so

And I thought > I don't have any poly with a scrim but I do have a stabilizer that is water soluble. Wonder if it would work to use it beneath the batting? That would take a little more time to soak and dry it. It would also be one less thing to cut away. Yes. Polly

That is so beautifully explained Pat.I've just done a little for a sample for C & G and I loved it!

Steady on, Polly - check your order of working >g< You need to cut away the trapunto batting *before* you do any quilting. You need to do the quilting *before* you do any soaking, or it will all come apart. You can't do the quilting until you have the full batting and backing made up in the sandwich. So, if you use your soluble stabiliser, you would have to cut it with the trapunto batting - so it wouldn't be one less thing to cut away I fear. . In message , polly esther writes

The way I first saw to do this was with water soluble stabilizer as the bottom layer. You still have to cut it away however, because if you soak it before cutting, the thread will dissolve and you'll end up with intact batting no longer attached to intact top. However, with the water soluble stabizer in the back, you don't have to worry about the batting getting stuck in your machine or linting it up. And it should help with the cutting out because you should be able to see the stitching line much easier from both sides.

-georg

Madeira has a fun new product: tearaway stabiliser that *sticks* to the project - so can stabilise while quilting the initial shapes and rip away afterwards leaving the stitches in place

As do I.

Thats sounds interesting Jessamy. My SM Lily loves all things Madiera!

people who enter the European Quilt Championships get a goodie bag when they collect their quilt - this year it included a starter pack of Madeira stabilisers - cut aways, wash aways and tear aways - the starter pack has one of every kind of stabiliser so I have been having fun getting to know stabilisers hehehe. the fun part is that it comes with instructions so you can keep it for reference later on.

the one I was talking about is called: cotton fix - it's self adhesive and tears away afterwards. and the bits can be reused I have discovered so my Scottish genes are not too worried about my using this stuff LOL there is also Avalon fix - a self adhesive wash away - just right for free motion playing with fibres stuff :-)

NAYY (I *wish* I was though - it's the only way I will ever have that wooden box of all the Madeira threads LOL)

I just want the box! rofl