Welcome to the Fantasy Birds Collection, our 3rd Special Edition. The first two Special Editions were similar in that they were symmetrical floral quilts. This is entirely different. This collection has beautiful birds in beautiful Jacobean inspired flowers. There are also 4 different birds that cover multiple blocks. This collection has a lot of options. There are fully stitched blocks, blank blocks and dozens of individual designs. Each of the different blocks comes in 3 different sizes and many include mirrored versions. There is absolutely no editing needed on your part to create the projects, simply embroider the designs with your choice of fabrics, then sew the blocks together to form your quilt or pillow, it’s that simple! The following pages will tell you everything you need to know to create a beautiful project. We include layouts, tips and ideas as well as the colors we chose. Steve Wilson 25 Stitched Quilt Blocks There are 25 different stitched blocks in the Fantasy Birds collection. Most of the blocks come with a mirrored version for easy layout. All of the blocks come in 3 different sizes. 6 Blank Blocks There are 6 different blank blocks that can be used to create a larger project. Each of the blank blocks comes in 3 different sizes. 48 Individual Designs There are 48 individual designs that can compliment any embroidery project. There are also many large scenes that contain the birds and flowers. Fantasy Birds
wonderful machine embroidered birds, with many tips
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Welcome to the Fantasy Birds Collection, our 3rd Special Edition. The first two Special Editions were similar in that they were symmetrical floral quilts. This is entirely different. This collection has beautiful birds in beautiful Jacobean inspired flowers. There are also 4 different birds that cover multiple blocks. This collection has a lot of options. There are fully stitched blocks, blank blocks and dozens of individual designs. Each of the different blocks comes in 3 different sizes and many include mirrored versions. There is absolutely no editing needed on your part to create the projects, simply embroider the designs with your choice of fabrics, then sew the blocks together to form your quilt or pillow, it’s that simple! The following pages will tell you everything you need to know to create a beautiful project. We include layouts, tips and ideas as well as the colors we chose. Steve Wilson
25 Stitched Quilt BlocksThere are 25 different stitched blocks in the
Fantasy Birds collection. Most of the blocks come with a mirrored version for easy layout. All of the
blocks come in 3 different sizes.
6 Blank Blocks There are 6 different blank blocks that can be
used to create a larger project. Each of the blank blocks comes in 3 different sizes.
48 Individual DesignsThere are 48 individual designs that can compliment any embroidery project. There are also many large scenes
that contain the birds and flowers.
Fantasy Birds
Joining the blocksWe wanted to make creating this project as easy as possible. Each of the blocks are created using applique. Once the applique is cut, the finished design will form a perfect square. There will be a running stitch visible around the whole block once it is created. Once you are done embroidering the design, use your rotary cutter and ruler to trim each block. Simply add your seam allowance to the outside of the block. If you do this, each block is exactly the same size, there is no need to measure and center the design! When you are joining the blocks to create your project simply sew the squaring stitches together by lining them up. The squaring stitch will then be hidden in the quilt giving you perfectly joined and centered segments.
We used silk dupioni for this project for a few simple reasons. The first reason is that it is a very strong fabric. The second reason is that there is no pattern to it. If you choose a fabric with a pattern you may run into difficulty. If you have a pattern that runs left to right like stripes for example, it may look fine on the top row of the design, but when you rotate that design for the side of the block it will be going the wrong way. If you decide to use a patterned fabric make sure you know exactly where that block is going and rotate the fabric accordingly. Or, you can just use plain fabric and not worry about it. The second reason why we used plain fabric is that the blocks are busy enough with all of the embroidery and patterned fabric may be a distraction. As you may know all fabrics are not created equal! On the next page there is a guide to choosing fabrics and stabilizers. Make sure you read it to get the best results possible.
Choosing Fabric
Fantasy Birds
Working with Fabric and Stabilizer
As an embroiderer you know that not all fabrics are the same. How do you know that your fabric will work with this project? Obviously, the more durable the fabric the better your results will be. As you’ve read so far you know that we used silk dupioni for this project. Even silk dupioni comes in different weights. What we do at Anita Goodesign to insure great results is back our fabric with fusible interfacing. If you have never used fusible interfacing with your embroidery projects you should start. Fusible interfacing will eliminate puckering and distortion in your embroidery designs. Many of you have used fusible interfacing to strengthen your fabrics when sewing, so what is the difference when you’re embroidering a design? Absolutely nothing! We use a medium weight iron on fusible such as armo-weft, ultra-weft or whisper-weft. You want to avoid any of the thick craft interfacing because they will make the fabric too thick. To use the interfacing simply iron it on to the entire piece of fabric that you are embroidering. You will notice an improvement right away.
Now you may be asking what about stabilizer? Even though you used interfacing on your fabric you still need to use some type of stabilizer. Interfacing will strengthen your fabric, your stabilizer is needed to support your embroidery threads. If you interface your fabric properly you will only need to use a single piece of medium weight tearaway.
There is one more tip we can give you to insure optimum embroidery results: proper hooping. Since you are only hooping a piece of tearaway stabilizer with a piece of muslin we recommend hooping and not stick back stabilizer or magnetic hoops. These designs are very stitch intensive and need to be hooped. When you hoop your fabric make sure it is tight in the hoop. We also suggest doing a test with your brand of stabilizer. If you get puckering with tearaway try using a cutaway instead.
If you visit our facebook site you will see numerous videos on embroidery techniques like using interfacing and stabilizer. Simply visit our website at and follow the link for facebook.
www.anita-goodesign.com
This is a photo of the interfacing we use.
Fuse the stabilizer to your whole piece of fabric.
This is a close up shot of the interfaced fabric.
For best results use the same technique on your cotton base fabric.
Fantasy Birds
Border BlocksYou can basically divide this collection into two parts. The first part of the collection is the bird designs. There are 10 different bird designs each in their own unique scene. The second part of the collection consists of the Jacobean floral designs. The floral designs come in a few variations, but were mainly designed to be connecting borders. There are four different corner blocks with corresponding straight blocks. You will notice that each of the blocks has two numbers underneath them. The odd number is the design that is shown. The even number is the mirrored version of that design. We are giving you both versions of each design so that you don't have to rotate or mirror the designs yourself. The designs that go together are represented next to each other. However, you can mix and match the corner blocks with the straight blocks since the applique shapes are the same. These designs are so beautiful and ornate they create great projects on their own. The pages in this book will further demonstrate how we use these designs on their own and to compliment the bird designs.
1 - 2
17 - 18
21 - 22
25 - 26
3 - 4
19 - 20
23 - 24
27 - 28
Fantasy Birds
! T I PBy switching border designs in the main project you can save quite a few stitches. If you use design 1-4 you will use approximately 800,000 stitches. If you used designs 17-20 you would only use 600,000. Even a slight difference in stitch counts makes a difference when you are embroidering 20 eight inch blocks.
There are four different birds in this collection that use more than one block. We did this to create large beautiful scenes with these birds. Due to the fact that the birds are bigger than a block you need to be extra careful when choosing and setting up your colors for these designs. Parts of the designs need to connect to complete the scene and these colors need to match, a mistake would be fairly obvious. If you carefully follow the colors your blocks will line up seamlessly. When these designs are viewed in the large quilt they become the focal point that anchor the whole quilt. They also look great in pairs when creating a pillow or you can line them up in a row for a smaller quilt or table runner. The ideas will never stop with this collection.
Fantasy BirdsMultiple Bird Blocks
How to use the blank blocksWe also included blank blocks. These are a real stitch saver. By adding rows of these designs you can create a very large project such as a bedspread with relative ease. Since the blocks are symmetrical, there are no mirrored versions included. You can alternate all three types of blocks to create a truly unique project.
Fantasy Birds
! T I PYou can always add other embroidery designs to the blank blocks for different
projects.
Notes on SizesEach of the block designs come in three sizes . The sample we embroidered used the large size. Each of the 3 sizes look wonderful. Of course, the larger sizes take longer to embroider. We created all of our samples using the “A” size
Designs with the letter “C” at the end are the small designs for a hoop that can embroider at least 5.8” x 5.8”
Designs with the letter “A” at the end are the large designs for a hoop that can embroider at least 7.8” x 7.8”
Designs with the letter “B” at the end are the medium sized designs. You will need a hoop capable of embroidering 6.8” x 6.8”
Fantasy Birds
Fabrics and Thread Colors
Thread ColorsAll thread is Madeira Rayon
We used silk dupioni for this collection because of its beauty and durability. We chose three different colors of silk dupioni for this project. The only fabric that is not shown here is cotton muslin. You can use either natural or white muslin, it is just used as a base so the color won’t show through.
Light Green Dupioni Dark Green Dupioni Olive Green Dupioni
Tan Dupioni
Dark Brown Dupioni
There are 7 basic colors in this design that create all of the flowers and foliage. There are many additional colors that are used to create the birds. These colors are listed on the next page. We include the yardage you will need for these 7 colors if you create quilt project number 1 using the largest blocks. If you create a different project you may need more thread. You can use this list as a basic guide.
How much thread or fabric will I need?This is a hard question being that there are four different sizes for each design and endless project options. Since all of the fabric is applique you can estimate pretty easily. Take the size of the blocks and then multiply by how many you are making. As far as thread goes the same applies, I would suggest purchasing large spools of each color since there are only 13 colors in the design.
We created a 36 block quilt as our main project. The finished quilt is 48”x48 ”if you use the largest blocks. You may be thinking this sounds like a big project. It really isn’t. We actually created 4 small quilts and then stitched them together to create a large one. The following pages will show you everything you need to know to create this project. If you want to create a smaller quilt or a pillow we will show you how to do that as well. The technique for all of the projects is the same.
Fantasy Birds
The diagram below shows how the large project was designed. There are actually only 13 different designs in this project, 15 if you count the mirror images. We gave the mirrored designs a different number so that it would be easy to create a pattern. If you notice below, block 1 is in the upper left corner and lower right, and the mirrored design, block 2 is in the upper right and lower left. Each row of blocks is created in the same manner.
We created an additional 36 block quilt as our next project. You will notice that this project uses less green fabric and more tan, also the birds are featured in the exterior border with the floral elements going around the center. The finished quilt is 48”x48” if you use the largest blocks. You may be thinking this sounds like a big project. It really isn’t. We actually created 4 small quilts and then stitched them together to create a large one. The following pages will show you everything you need to know to create this project. If you want to create a smaller quilt or a pillow we will show you how to do that as well, the technique for all of the projects is the same.
Fantasy Birds
The diagram below shows how the large project was designed. There are actually only 6 different designs in this project, 12 if you count the mirror images. We gave the mirrored designs a different number so that it would be easy to create a pattern. If you notice below, block 1 is in the upper left corner and lower right, and the mirrored design, block 2 is in the upper right and lower left. Each row of blocks is created in the same manner. The next page will show you how we built the quilt.
There is a photo tutorial on the following pages that will show you how to create the projects. The example below shows you how we split the larger quilt into 4 segments. The top left corner is the same as the bottom right. The top right is the same as the bottom left. You actually make each of the top two corners twice and then rotate them for the bottom portion when you are sewing the project together.
Fantasy Birds
This is a step by step guide on how to create the projects in this collection. These photos are specifically for the large project. If you want to create a smaller project you would just embroider less blocks.
You want to hoop tear-away stabilizer with cotton muslin to start your design. The cotton muslin provides a good base for the designs. Stitch step one of the design, this is the squaring stitch.
Stitch the next step of the design. This is your marking stitch for your first applique.
Lay your applique fabric down so that it completely covers the marking stitch with at least 1/2” extra around the outside edges. . Stitch the next step of the design, this is the tackdown stitch for the first applique.
This is what your design should look like so far.
Notice how the fabric extends at least ½” past the line.
Fantasy Birds
Now we need to trim the first applique. Here is the critical part. You need to trim the applique along the lines on the inside of the block, but leave at least ½” around the outside edges. This extra fabric will actually become your seam allowance when piecing later.
This is what the first applique should look like trimmed.
You will now repeat that process for each additional applique, making sure to always leave enough fabric around the outside edges extending past the squaring stitch.
Once all of your appliques are finished you will embroider the rest of the design.
Notice how the fabric extends at least ½” past the line.
Fantasy Birds
Step one of the project construction is to embroider all of the blocks. We suggest starting with a master layout, like the one shown on the previous pages. All of the blocks use applique. If you have never done applique before there is a home decor tutorial included in the tutorials folder on the CD-Rom that will show you how.
Using your ruler and rotary cutter trim the blocks leaving a ½” seam allowance around the outside.
This what each block should look like trimmed.
We will now arrange the blocks for the top left corner. Follow the layout page for which blocks you will need.
Fantasy Birds
Before you sew the blocks together you need to line them up along the outside stitched lines. Pin them together to insure accurate sewing.
Sew the blocks together in the same way you would piece a quilt. Sew right along the squaring stitch lines in the block.
This is what two blocks will look like when pieced.
You want to press your seams flat after each block to insure accurate sewing.
Fantasy Birds
Since we broke up this large pattern into four - 9 block segments we started by sewing the first three pieces together in the top left block. We did this for all three rows.
We then stitched the 3 rows together to form the completed corner.
We then followed the same steps to create the other 3 corners.
The final step is to stitch all 4 corners together to create the large quilt. Add your batting and backing layers. There are then two ways to finish the quilt. The first way would be to stitch in the ditch once you add your batting and back, the second way would be to add decorative stitching and stippling in the large areas. Both ways look great. We then added ½”binding along the outside edge to finish the quilt.
Fantasy Birds
This is an option for a smaller quilt. You will notice it is the same as the large quilt minus the outside border. We just took a 36 block quilt and reduced it to 16. If you use the largest designs a 16 block quilt would be 32”x32”
Fantasy Birds
7
78
8
6
15
1011
11
12
1213
5
16
9
14
This is another option for a 16 block quilt. As you can see there are unlimited options with this collection.
Fantasy Birds
23
23
2324 15 9
1016
24
24
24
23
21
21
22
22
You can make elegant pillows with this collection using only the corner designs. The pictures below show 4 different options using the fully stitched versions.
Fantasy Birds
12 13
9
12 6
16 7
11 14
10
11 5
15 8
You can make elegant pillows with this collection using only the corner designs. The pictures below show 4 different options using the fully stitched versions.
Fantasy Birds
2 26
18 22
2 26
18 22
1 25
17 21
1 25
17 21
The pillow below used blocks 5- 6 and 13-14. This design is truly beautiful because it looks like so much more than 4 blocks when it is finished. We added a 2.5” border to the pillow and then added tassel trim. A decorative pillow like this one will compliment any of the quilts perfectly!
Fantasy Birds
Fantasy BirdsDon't forget the individual designs! There are 48 different designs that you can use for other projects. It is like having another design collection. The following pages demonstrate how to use some of these designs together to create large arrangements. Tcreate these types of designs you will need to hoop your project multiple times, or if you have one of the new jumbo hoops you can combine the designs in your software and embroider them at the same time.
This is an example of a beautiful design that doesn't use any of the birds.
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Fantasy BirdsThis design uses one of the corner designs mirrored along with the individual Robin design.
sefb73sefb55b
Fantasy BirdsCorners and Borders
When you page through the individual designs you will notice there are quite a few corner designs and numerous borders. The corner designs look great on napkins or framing other designs like you saw on the previous pages. The border designs can connect to form longer borders or are also great wherever you want to put an accent.
Here is a blank grid that you can use to help lay your quilts out. If you use the whole grid the project will be 36 blocks. To make the smaller projects just eliminate the outside row.