Poison Bottle Quilt by Misty Cole General Block Instructions

Supplies: approximately 14” x 14” square background various fabrics for bottles (fat quarters and scraps) various threads fusible web-all bottles are 12” tall or less; max width is about 9”. I recommend buying a half-yard per block, so you have plenty of room and extra in case you make a boo-boo. General Instructions for choosing fabrics Look for fabrics that provide a sense of the bottles' textures. Keep in mind the value of the background fabric. Try to choose fabrics that will show up well against your background fabric. You may also choose later to use stitching or embellishment to emphasize the edges of your bottles. General Instructions for fusible applique This pattern assumes a basic working knowledge of the process of fusible applique. Beginners should look at some basic tutorials before starting. I highly recommend Pat Sloan's tutorial. This is the method she taught me in a class, and this is the method I used on my quilt. http://blog.patsloan.com/2015/06/pat-sloan-fusible-applique-how-to-make-it-soft-tutorial-.html Choose background fabric, press, and cut 14” x 14” (this is larger than finished block size, as block will shrink with handwork and quilting). Fold background fabric in half and press. Fold bottom edge of background fabric 1/2” and press. These pressing lines will help you place your bottles on the block. Trace bottle shapes onto fusible product of your choice. Be sure to reverse any non-symmetrical shapes before tracing. Here is a good tutorial by sewmamasew. http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/06/how-to-use-fusible-web-for-applique/ Draw a line about ¼-1/2” around the inside edge of the bottle shape, and cut out the inside of the fusible shape. This saves on fusible, but also makes hand embellishment and quilting easier later on. Carefully iron fusible bottle shapes to back of fabric(s), following manufacturer's instructions. Cut out bottle shapes. Remove paper backing from bottle shapes. Use fold lines in background fabric to aid placement. Bottles will be placed approximately ½ inch on each side of center line (there are some obvious exceptions to this rule); bottom of bottle will line up along the horizontal fold line on the bottom of the block) place fused bottle shapes onto background fabric until you are satisfied with them. Be mindful to leave plenty of seam allowance on the outer edges of the blocks. Press to adhere. *Note for horizontal blocks Fuse a fabric for the “shelf” and cut into a strip 14” x 1.5” I used the same fabric for my “shelves” as I used for the sashing and borders in the finishing steps. Align the center of the strip along the folded line

in the middle of the block. Align bottom of bottles on “top” shelf barely touching the shelf. Align bottom of bottles on “bottom” shelf as described above for vertical blocks. *Note for bottles with multiple parts Multiple parts are provided in the pattern, but they are, of course, optional. You may want to cut all bottle pieces and assemble them on a non-stick pressing sheet before positioning and pressing the whole bottle onto the background fabric. Machine or hand-stitch around each bottle (and bottle segments if appropriate) with coordinating thread. You may choose to use a machine straight stitch, a satin stitch, or a blanket stitch to secure the bottles to the background. Good general directions are here at the crafty quilter's blog http://thecraftyquilter.com/2013/03/applique-part-3-the-machine-applique-stitch/ General Instructions for embellishment Do all embellishment after fusing bottle shapes, but before basting. Think about the order in which you apply the embellishments. Paint first, then markers, then dimensional embellishments like stitching or beading. Be mindful of the fact that you will be quilting these blocks, so think about where you want to place your embellishments. Beads, buttons, brads and embroidery may catch on your sewing machine foot, so leave enough space around embellishments for appropriate quilting. All the embellishments mentioned are only suggestions! They are all optional. You may choose to use completely different embellishments. This is YOUR quilt! Have fun and make it your own! Cross-stitch-use 2-4 strands of embroidery floss, depending on how heavy you want your Xs to be. Sew all the diagonals one direction in a line, then go back the other direction, finishing the Xs. Embroidery-use 2-4 strands of embroidery floss, depending on how heavy you want your line. Refer to an embroidery book or online tutorial for stitching instruction. DMC has a great website with general tips and basic stitches. http://www.dmc-usa.com/Education/How-To/Learn-the-Stitches/Embroidery-Stitches.aspx beading-Use a strong thread and make backstitches or knots on the back every few beads. fabric markers-follow manufacturer's instructions for heat-setting if needed. My marker of choice is Tsukineko Fabrico Markers. fabric paint-follow manufacturer's instructions for heat-setting if needed. Be sure and allow your paint to dry thoroughly before handling the block. I love PROfab textile paints and Tsukineko inks, but inexpensive acrylic paints will work fine. Derwent Inktense pencils and sticks-these are inks that can be applied dry or wet. Really fun to experiment with! Metal brads-Mark holes where you want to place your brads. Use a thick upholstery or doll-making needle or awl to poke a hole in block. Place brad and open on the back of the block. I describe the techniques I used on each block on my blog at www.mistycole.com.