slow train series: appliqué quilts: the hummingbird

[@elainemcatee4347]

You are amazing! What an artist!

[@scottpennington2445]

Really enjoy watching your work in progress. It is nice to see how you make your decisions. I am learning a lot. Thank you for sharing!

[@maryschiff9580]

Beautiful work. ❤

[@annerankin1191]

Quilting ASMR!!!! You have shown you can cross lines of quilting and it looks gorgeous!

[@gafsastenekamp148]

It is 4 34 am in cape town can't sleep been watching you thanks

[@delhuertonormiss8504]

❤ Bellísima Obra de Arte. Felicitaciones 👏 👏 👏 👏

[@MaryMakes]

Omg I love this! I wish we could collaborate one day 🤗

[@beaner2907]

That's gorgeous!

[@angelavaladez6450]

Thank you for this lesson 👍❤️

[@alejandrogonzalezgutierrez4970]

Precioso trabajo

[@gafsastenekamp148]

So soothing to watch

[@lcarolynghearing854]

What thread do you prefer to use? This quilt is very lovely, your quilting adds the movement it needs! Very well done from the pieces to the quilter!! 🤩👏🏻👏🏻🌹

[@KarenMcTavish]

I love Glide thread by Hab & Dash. The link is in the description of the video.

[@virginiaolsen5265]

Exquisite

[@hazelem1266]

Hi Karen. If a quilt like that was to be hand quilted, would you sew/baste around the edges first and then do the centre? And would you quilt is first and then put on the large appliqué? Thank you.

[@KarenMcTavish]

Hi Hazel - applique' is a technique done before quilting. When hand quilting - you would use safety pins to baste the 3 layers together - then start ihand-quilting from the middle and work your way out. The binding is the last thing to put on after the quilting is all done. When quilting on a longarm - we start at the top and work our way down to the bottom. I would do some research on applique' and hand quilting - you could find thousands of hand-quilting books online - one author to look for is Elly Sienkiewicz - her books are amazing but may be out of print.

[@hazelem1266]

@@KarenMcTavish thank you.

[@cherylnewell9806]

Is that a clear poly thread? Does Glide make one? I do order from them. By the way I'm self taught, even though I have been sewing all my life, I do exactly the same way you are doing this quilt. I always stitch in the ditch. I use a ruler with a notch that defies my hand. Made me feel good watching you do your work.

[@IngDebo]

The Music, where can I get it? I've looked on line and I don't see anything for download. I love Cello and Karen is playing it!

[@KarenMcTavish]

Oh this is composed by my sister Kathy McTavish! You can find her at McTavish.io

[@catherinesofikitis179]

Why do you put 2 pins in each corner? My guess is for stability.

[@KarenMcTavish]

Yep! Stability & so the fabric doesn’t rip in the corners.

[@sandrastitt527]

What color thread R U using to outline the edges. & the outside of that hummingbird?

[@KarenMcTavish]

All the products used are in the description of this video. It is Nylon clear thread. Very hard to see! 😊

[@merriewoodward8579]

You have revolutionized my use of rulers! Took an all day class with you many years ago which is why there is a long arm In my basement and why I practiced feathers for ages before that 'ah ha' moment. I assume that the piece was raw edge and that the first pass was to stabilize the edges?

[@KarenMcTavish]

Yes! I always quilt the edges of appliqué- even raw edge.

[@deannagaudaur5103]

Thanks Karen, great videos! What is the name of the small curved ruler you are using?

[@KarenMcTavish]

You can find it at “A Quilters Rule” - it’s the smallest ruler in the set called Ronda’s Rulers.

[@sandrastitt527]

Sorry but it looks like that one pole on the bottom of the quilt is in your way ?

[@KarenMcTavish]

That is the quilt top roller which is needed to keep the quilt flat. A longarm machine has a 23 inch throat - the roller is set at 30 inches. The roller stretches the quilt top -so it’s stable and flat. The quilting machines “throat” is the amount of space you have to quilt. It’s impossible to run into a roller. Hope this was helpful. 😊

[@cherylnewell9806]

That is steadies my hand.