Fusible Batting

I've been steadily working on the two quilts I hope to enter into the Markham Fair in September. The tying on At Home and Away is about 3/4ths done, and I have finally made some progress on Folk Art Finery.

My favourite batt is Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 and when I discovered they offered a fusible version, I was more than happy to try! This is the best thing next to my rotary cutter :)

It turns out that the fusible batt is actually, according to tests, less likely to have fusible chemicals stay in the quilt after its washed. I've found that the two lap quilts I've done with the batt have no noticable difference after the quilt is complete and washed. Also, machine quilting seems just the same as the Hobbs Heirloom without the fusible - and much better than the odd time I used a spray fusible.

The other intersting characteristic of this batting is that both sides are somewhat sticky because of the fusbile. This allows you to get pretty much perfect placement of the batting on your backing, all smoothed out, then add the top and get its blocks and borders centred and squared before proceeding with the pressing. Pressing is important - do not do anything more than just plop the iron on a space and then pick it up and plop it on the next space. If there are any mistakes when you're done, its easy to just peel off the layer and smooth it out again. I do use pins along the borders, only because it does peel off and knowing me I would catch the top on something and whoosh! the whole thing would be undone :)

I can easily do a top about 60 x 80 on my dining room table - I have one of those large cardboard layout mats that are used for dressmaking - that protects the table from the iron. Its okay if parts of the quilt are draped over, as they've kind of been stuck in place as described above.

Applique
I started yet another applique block, about the middle of last week, and made great progress on it. I liked the colours and the pattern, but put it down to work on tying. Now it seems to have vanished - gone - not in my needlecase, not on the coffee table, not on the porch, not in my sewing room. I suspect a dog's tail is the problem. Our lab, Chevy, gets very excieted sometimes and has his tail is way too long, one swoop can knock many things on the floor - from the tables, couches, and chairs. I don't even have an interest in starting another block while all the binding sewing awaits me - but I sure hope I find this one.