Today is the day! After 5 years of researching and playing around and a lot of trial and error, I have figured out how to use my cutting machine to cut out one of my patterns. Big deal, you say. Well, if you have ever taken a class with me, you know there is a lot of cutting with scissors around sometimes very tiny pieces to make one of my flower quilts. I love to cut but I also love to make flowers fast.
Over the years at quilt festivals, I have watched many demonstrations at the Brother booth on how to use their cutting machines but I just could not figure it out, until my house burnt down and COVID-19 hit and I finally had time to focus. So, I bought the machine with the intention of scrapbooking but started experimenting with fabrics in the machine right away. Oh, the messes I made.
Bad cutting!
Good cutting
Yes, you could always use your cutting machine before with fabrics
but not with Steam A Seam 2. All my art quilts and patterns are made using my preferred fusible web, Steam a Seam 2 and, before you start an email
to me, yes, I have tried them all and continue to experiment with new fusibles. Then
I go back to S-A-S 2.
The key was finding something easier and faster than the good old pair of scissors, but, in the beginning, how to cut was just one of the problems. The prep work it took to make the patterns readable for the scanning machine was very tedious. I could cut with scissors faster than drawing new pieces or trying to block out the numbers and letters on the regular pattern pieces.
The scanner is powerful and picks up the smallest line or mark. The problem to solve was how to cut pattern pieces fast and easy.
What if I designed the patterns so you just scan the pattern sheets into your machine and build your flower?
So that is what I did. I have no idea if you will like these or use them but they are so fun and fast and now I am addicted to the process.
The NEW Rose is the first pattern that comes with the scanning sheets OR as a regular pattern. The YouTube class here on the blog is also for using the regular New Rose Pattern. If want to skip ahead in the video to the flower building part of the class, at about the 35 minute mark, go for it. Please let me know if you have questions - email me at melindabuladesigns@comcast.net
For patterns and supplies got to Etsy.com/shop/MelindaBulaDesigns or click on the SHOP button on the top bar of this blog.
The Keys to successful Renegade Thread Play are to have a
few of the right tools and follow your cut fused piece on each petal. All the
work you did of cutting out those little strips and wedges or vines in the
petals are your hit lines for how to curve your thread when quilting.
1.Do not go fast. Medium fast is great.
2.Having something on you hand is a must for better control. Aka, Gloves. It
really makes for better stitches.
3.Having the right needle for the job. What is the Job? Trying to quilt through thick
fusible web while making beautiful line drawings with thread and coloring at the same
time.
You need a big hole in the eye of the needle and a needle that is designed to go through thick fabric like fusible. Topstitch needle size 80/12 or 90/14, or a Jeans
Denim needle size 80/12 or 90/14. I start out with the 80/12, but if you
have skipped stitches try the 90/14.
4.Heat is your friend when sewing through Steam-A-Seam 2. Warm up the area that you are about to quilt
with your hot DRY iron. Steam will make your quilt wet. You can't quilt through a wet quilt. The heat melts and softens the fusible web. This makes its easy to sew through.
This only works with Steam A Seam 2. That is why I use it. You can iron it over and over. Not all fusible can take over ironing.
5.Lower your top thread tension. I wish I could give you a
magical number, but every sewing machine has its own number, and that number can
change from day to day. Depending on howmoody your machine is. The manufactures
number for regular domestic sewing is around 4, 5. But when doing free motion
quilting you are pulling and tugging on the fabric under the needle which means you need the tension to be looser than normal. You
need to have the tension at a lower number like 3, 2, or 1. I move the number down
a little at a time, always looking at the front and back of my stitches, to see
if I have equal tension on both sides.
6.I am using Rayon thread to do Renegade Thread Play. I love this
thread because of it shine and comes in vibrant colors. Rayon is very delicate and can break or
fray very easily if you do not know how to handle it. I coat every spool of rayon thread before I thread my machine and after I wind my bobbin with Sewers Aid. Its a lubricate that keeps the thread from being nicked or frayed while moving through the sewing machine and needle. I squeeze 3 to 4 lines of sewers aid a crossed the spool, length wise and squish it in.
The short video below will show you how I use Sewers Aid to helps with sticky build up on my needle.
To watch VIDEO - Click in the middle to play.
More videos are on my YouTube Channel-Melinda Bula Designs
It's mind-blowing to me how many businesses have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and those of us in the quilting, sewing, and fabric industries have not escaped the pain. Fortunately, the quilting business is made up of creative minds and that ingenuity, along with some tricky tap
dancing, has kept most folks upright and moving forward. I don’t know
about you, but when I'm given a challenge, and I've faced several big ones in my life, I need to overcome and conquer. That does not mean I don’t have a
good cry or get really mad - I do. But I eventually put the self-pity aside and find a creative solution to move forward.
My creative solution was to make some How To tutorial videos of a few of my patterns, like a recorded class, then post them to my
YouTube channel. I was pleased (and a little surprised) to see how many quilters watched them, proving that even in this crazy time, you still love to be creative, too. Sales through my Etsy shop have been a genuinely nice surprise.
THANK YOU. I love making videos - everything about it, from editing to lighting to adding graphics, even picking
the right music, I love it all. It is just the spelling I have trouble with but thank God I married a great speller.
I also love to design NEW patterns for you to
make and enjoy the creative process so, when I was asked by international quilting icon American
Quilters Society to be part of a new project using a new pattern I designed, I jumped at the chance. It's called QuiltCLASS@Home and my new teaching video will be part of their lineup. So, while we wait for the traditional venues to come back, and they
will, we can continue to support the teachers, designers, and industry we all love by
taking classes and visiting quilt shows online. I think it’s a great idea.
For information about my NEW class with AQS and to sign up, click HERE. The class will be through a private Facebook group.
Then order your pattern from my Etsy Shop.
You can get a complete pattern and fabric kit or you can get a downloadable
version of the same pattern and use your own fabrics. The downloadable pattern
also has a color chart to help you find the right colors from your own stash.
In the class I demonstrate how I used Ombre
batik fabrics in this quilt - the process is incredibly fun.
The Ombre fabrics I use (and sell) are from Hoffman of Californian and Robert Kauffman. The complete
kit, pattern and fabrics is $75. Background fabric is included.
Digital pattern is
$12 - use a color printer when printing - all pages are letter size.
Traditional pattern through my shop is $20.
Hope this helps.
If you have any questions, please email me at melindabuladesigns@comcast.net.
Class starts today. I decide to just post the whole 2 1/2 hour class here and not break it up into 2 parts. You can watch this over and over if you need to review a technique. It's been a busy Thanksgiving weekend here which I'm sure you can understand. I hope everyone had a very blessed Thanksgiving. The video is at the bottom of this post.
If you need any supply to make this quilt. I have most of them on my Etsy shop.just click the button on the bar above. My shops has Steam-A-Seam 2, scissors straight pins and other helpful items I talk about in my videos. Plus I will have thread packs that go with the Texas Wildflower kit.
The kit includes all the fabrics to make the flowers plus the pattern booklet.
I don't include a background fabric because this flower can go on so many fabulous background colors. the you pick the background it make it your own.
This flower is known as the Indian Blanket flower.
If you have any questions you can contact me on my Etsy shop or message me on FB. But I would watch the whole video be for you write because I cover a lot. Enjoy! melindabuladesigns@comcast.net
New class is coming Saturday November 28. That just means that I will post the class on that date but you can watch it any time you want. You can always watch my classes here on my blog or on my YouTube channel. This is a free class about 2 1/2 hours long. I have broken it up into 2 parts, the second part will post on Saturday Dec 5, and covers how to thread play this quilt.
I thought you may want to know the history of this quilt. It was originally made for an auction that The Quilt Show had to raise money for a special quilter Libby Lehman who had a stroke plus other complication. If you don't know who Libby is you need to google her. She is a true Quilt Star. And helped paved the way for many quilters including myself.
The below video is my process of making the auction quilt back in 2014. I hand dyed most of the fabric for this quilt. After I watch video I wish I had some more of that background fabric. I love that print.
Later when making this pattern I had to simplified the number of fabrics in the quilt. I originally had 60 different colors of fabrics, which is not good for a pattern for the public. Now it has 20 and you can always add more.
I also found this beautiful song by Oran. It's call Every Flower. So appropriate don't you think?
If you would like to make this quilt you can find all the supplies on my Etsy shop. There is a Shop Botton above on the tab bar. I have patterns, kits that included fabrics and the pattern, yards of Steam-A-Seam 2 which is the fusible web I use and thread packs for the Texas Wildflower.
I hope you get inspired by this video and want to make your own Wildflower Quilt. You don't have to use Texas in the name. If you are from Illinois you can call it the Illinois Wildflower. It's all ok with me. But Libby is a Texan and I'm a Californian and we can all be wildflowers. Hope to see you back here for class on Saturday Nov 28.
Video's at at the bottom. So you will read the post!
Let’s get educated. Iv spent the last month working on making some “how to "or Tips and Tricks videos on how I do my technique for making my Art. Or as some of you may call it Quilt Art or Art Quilting! Call whatever you want but I’m creating and making stuff so I call it, Art and I use my sewing machine so that quilting so we have Quilt Art!
I get asked a lot of question about how I do what I do, why I use Steam-A-Seam 2 and how to handle the sticky that comes with this product. I thought I’d answer those question by doing a few videos. They will also be posted here on my blog so you can come back anytime and watch your favorites.They will also be on YouTube under Melinda Bula if I do all this tech-y stuff this right!
Let’s talk about fusible webs first. There are many fusible webs on the market today. The last time I counted it was close to 20 and growing. Here what you need to Know!They are not the SAME and are used for different fusing and quilting techniques! When your pattern or the instructor says to bring a certain kind of fusible web! Bring that fusible! That pattern and the instructors technique is based on that fusible web they are asking for. This is so important! all of us so called fusersare notdoing the same thing! its like we are called Quilters but under our sewing machine we are all doing different quilting techniques. Right! Same with fusing.
You can’t use just one fusible web for all these techniques. Just like the threads we use today, you have to buy the right thread for the technique you are doing. We now have many choices and that may not be all good. Are you confused yet?
In this blog and videos below, I’m just going to talk about the fusible I use. Steam-A- Seam 2. I have tried many. But come back to SAS2 for my technique. did you hear me say it. My technique.
I’m always up for something new! They are all good products. But fusing is not the same for every creative person out there. We are doing many different and unique techniques with fusible web.
And don't get mad at your quilt shop owner. They can't afford to carry all 20+ fusible webs under the cutting tables. That is why bring yards with me to classes when I teach and sell it on my Esty shop.

Every time you see a color change its another piece of fabric.
Ok, what’s my technique? I am laying or overlapping layers of fused fabric on top of each other just like you lay paint on top of other paint. That’s how I make my art quilt. Iv layered up to 6 layers and still been able to sew through it. The threads I add when quilting are another layer of color added to the composition. Steam-A-Seam 2 allow me to do that. And of course I have developed some tips and tricks I want to share with you.
And I don’t use the Lite Steam-A-Seam (Tip)It’s dose not stay adhered. When I’m trying to quilt my piece it lifts up off the fabric. when peeling it off the release paper half of it stay on one paper and the other half is on the other release paper. Which makes my students panic and have a bad experience!
First #1 video is about how to put the fusible web on the fabric! There are tricks that make it easy to use.
Video #2 is how to deal with all the sticky and how to clean it off all your sewing tools. That means your scissors also. Did you know there are special scissors that work better with sticky fusible web?
Hope these videos will answer some of questions? You can leave questions below or on YouTubeand I will try and answer them. Remember the video is just talking about my technique and using Steam-A-Seam 2.
NOTE: no company is asking me or paying me to do this. I just have a lot of experience with this fusible and watching 1,000's of students a year using it. I figure last year I bought about 2,000 yards the sticky stuff for myself and student.
