"Act Upon These Values": Finishing Steps

 The photos in this post will demonstrate a few of the finishing touches that go into the final steps of  construction for this project.

FABRIC PRINTED VALUES TEXT STRIPS
Text strips for the values blossom blocks are printed using a home office jet ink printer which prints onto the solid cream or white fabric. Start by cutting fabric to letter paper size, then "fusing" or ironing the fabric to the plastic side of a piece of freezer paper. 

This first press is to get the paper and fabric to adhere. Final pressing is completed after the trimming step, next.

 Use rotary equipment and gridded cutting mat to trim away excess freezer paper to match the fabric trimmed size.

After trimming, press the layers well to make sure they are well connected. Press from the front, then turn it over and press from the back. Then one final press from the front.

Commercially prepared fabric printer sheets are also available all ready to fee through the home printer, if preferred.

 Place the fabric into the printer paper feed tray, oriented so that the printing will happen on the fabric face side. (Often this is FACE DOWN in the tray, but double check yours first.)

Place the master on the glass, or feed through the document handler. Print a good quality black image, then make sure it feeds through the printer okay.

Printer ink is water soluable. To prevent bleeding, prepare a vinegar solution as instructed in the pattern and spray the printed sheet. When DRY, press from backside with a hot iron.

Use rotary cutting equipment to carefully cut apart the eight value text strips following the guidemarks as instructed on the pattern sheet and instructions.










Fold edges of fabric strips over card stock pressing guide, cut scant 5/8" wide. 

 Remove the card stock strip.

Rotary cut a matching width (scant 5/8") strip of paper-backed fusible web. Fuse to back side of pressed text strip.

Remove paper backing. Center text strip on face side of beige twill tape and fuse in place.

Cut to length. Press under 5/8" on each end. Apply FrayCheck solution to raw ends to keep them neat and prevent fraying. 

Use eyelet hole punch and setting tools to cut holes on each end of folded-end strips. Apply black eyelets.

Reserve prepared strips until the quilting of top to batt and backing is completed, buttons in place, etc.  At that time, position at the bottom of appropriate block (match text name to block blossom color), just above the base seam. Neatly glue or otherwise secure in place.

 OVER-EDGE BLOSSOM APPLIQUES
Follow pattern instructions to prepare fabric front and back layers, fusible interfacing and paper-backed fusing layers. Trace and cut out each color blossom,

Treat cut edge with FrayCheck solution to keep edge neat and prevent fraying. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Experiment to determine best button-hole or other decorative zigzag stitch. Set up machine with fabric color matched thread in upper and bobbin.

Carefully stitch along edge all around shape. Thread stitching should wrap at cut edge, as shown by needle in photo falling beyond the fabric edge on the outward "swing". Inward swing will catch into applique.

 When quilt's quilting and edge finishing is completely done, position and lightly glue each blossom applique in place at center of corresponding block. Position and stitch selected, matched-color button at center. Stitch in place securely.

 Push needle through to back side after final stitch is completed.

To tie off, slide needle under previously stitches visible on quilt backside.

 Pull needle through, then pass needle through created loop and pull up tight.

 To hide "tail", insert needle next to knot, piercing backing layer ONLY. Slide needle along for 1-2", then exit again. Pull thread flat, then clip thread close to fabric surface.

BUD PATCHES
Prepare a square tracing template to trace 7 stitching guides onto layered section of fabric. Layers include brown face fabric on front and back of a piece of thin batt. Carefully stitch on marked square lines, overlapping stitching with shortened stitches to secure and avoid unraveling. 

Trim just beyond stitching with decorate edge shears. Scallop shears are used in this image.

Position squares along H border in spacing indicated in diagram and instructions. Lightly glue in place, then position and secure buttons at each center. Tie off invisibly as shown in previous steps and images.