COLOR MY WORLD--MONTH 1--Small Houses 1 and 2

[lotti]

Wonderful, love this idea, Jillypea.
I've decided not to do a mariner's compass in the center but most likely a park or a garden - looking at designs of knot gardens. my mom has suggested a playground - but i'm more into gardens so...

Yesterday I made some gaps for my houses, here in The U.K. we certainly don’t have long straight roads and I live in a hilly area, so I shall do more of these.

[PatriciaS]

I love your doors and windows!

[TrueColors]

I finished 2 of House 1. My background fabric is part of the Art History 101, but doesn't have as much negative space as the one in the kit. I like the Kit one much better. I'll have to do more to see if the background overpowers the houses, if it does, I'll prob switch to something else, or use less of it. They are fun, but time consuming as this is the first time I've paper pieced.

[LesMorris]

I finished 2 of House 1. My background fabric is part of the Art History 101, but doesn't have as much negative space as the one in the kit. I like the Kit one much better. I'll have to do more to see if the background overpowers the houses, if it does, I'll prob switch to something else, or use less of it. They are fun, but time consuming as this is the first time I've paper pieced.

TrueColors, please remember the trees Will dominate the area around and over the houses. The background fabric (whatever it is), will be just that: Background. Also, all of us will have a second round of buildings around the outer circle, at which time, we can Change our background fabric to something else if we want. I have the second kit background, the white w/black polka-dots. I will stick with that for the first round of houses, but am seriously considering changing my background in the second outer ring of buildings.

[BKLYNMIKE]

Finally happy with my 16 houses. By the time I was done I'd learned a lot about what worked and what didn't so redid a couple. Glad I did them before checking out the ones posted, I would have been stymied with many new ideas.

[BKLYNMIKE]

Finally happy with my 16 houses. By the time I was done I'd learned a lot about what worked and what didn't so redid a couple. Glad I did them before checking out the ones posted, I would have been stymied with many new ideas.

[HelenW]

Finally happy with my 16 houses. By the time I was done I'd learned a lot about what worked and what didn't so redid a couple. Glad I did them before checking out the ones posted, I would have been stymied with many new ideas.

BKLYNMIKE, You are going off on your own I see. Looks like you added a few extra windows and already did the trunks for the trees. Did you just figure it will all go together
when you make them into a circle. Love the colors. Nice brown tone for the tree trunks. HelenW

[Ktmosedale]

Yesterday I made some gaps for my houses, here in The U.K. we certainly don’t have long straight roads and I live in a hilly area, so I shall do more of these.

I love this idea. I’m from Uk too and may add a few gaps to mine. Thanks for the inspiration.

[HelenW]

Some of you maybe considering doing some decorative stitching in the windows or doors of houses 1 and 2. Or maybe a cat or dog in front of the house. I always do as
much decorative stitching as possible before assembling the quilt because it is do much easy to maneuver under the needle when it is small. I decided to go whole cloth,
60 percent, raw edge applique. I build my houses on parchment paper, and do the inside roof line, the window and door so when I actually put them on the whole cloth, it will
just be the outline of the house to stitch. I use the parchment paper i build on as the stabilizer for the stitching and then just tear away after interior stitching is done. Just
throwing out some tips on my technique. HelenW

[TrueColors]

Helen - do you think machine decorative stitches would distort the size of house? I thot about machine embroidery, but think I would have to do it on fabric I haven't cut out yet, as it "shrinks" the fabric some. Thxs!

[HelenW]

Helen - do you think machine decorative stitches would distort the size of house? I thot about machine embroidery, but think I would have to do it on fabric I haven't cut out yet, as it "shrinks" the fabric some. Thxs!

TrueColors, I would not do machine embroidery like a cat or dog. I would do a raw edge fusible applique and edge stitch it on the house. If you did like a double straight stitch in windows to make window panes that should not distort.Or make tiles on the roof with straight stitch you should be OK. If you are doing a heavier decorative stitches I would put two pieces of stabilizer under it so it does not get wavy looking.
Density is important. Not too dense is best, but you could still have a lot of fun. You might make a sample and try it out to see what happens.
You can really give some character to it if you personalize it. HelenW

[smardl]

I build my houses on parchment paper... I use the parchment paper i build on as the stabilizer for the stitching and then just tear away after interior stitching is done. Just
throwing out some tips on my technique. HelenW

I am always eager to learn something new to make my quilting easier or better. Do you mean parchment paper like the kind of paper that stuff doesn't stick to and you put it in the stove? Why parchment paper instead of say paper paper?

[smardl]

I live at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in East Idaho. I'm thinking about adding some mountains and animals like deer, Elk, or even Wolves1

[HelenW]

I build my houses on parchment paper... I use the parchment paper i build on as the stabilizer for the stitching and then just tear away after interior stitching is done. Just
throwing out some tips on my technique. HelenW

I am always eager to learn something new to make my quilting easier or better. Do you mean parchment paper like the kind of paper that stuff doesn't stick to and you put it in the stove? Why parchment paper instead of say paper paper?

Smartl Yes, I do mean the parchment paper that fusibles don't' stick to. You can take the raw edge applique piece, pull off the release paper, lay it down on the parchment paper. Let's use the small house as an example. I cut out my main house piece with steam a seam on the wrong side of the fabric. I pull off the release paper. Lay it on parchment paper. Take the roof piece overlap by 1/8 ". Press with iron. Place the door and press. Window and press. Then I have the whole house made as a unit. I can pull it off the parchment paper and fuse to my background fabric and edge stitch to the background fabric. or I can leave it on the parchment and do my edge stitching around the door and window. Nothing shifts around on the paper and then I tear the parchment paper away and I still have the fusible on the back so I will fuse the pre made houses in a circle on the background fabric. For this process if I used regular paper, the fusible would stick to paper. Or if you built the house on parchment paper why waste a sheet of regular paper when it is already on the parchment and you can stitch thru the parchment paper.

Here are a couple photos of hummingbirds I built on parchment paper. Helen

[HelenW]

I live at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in East Idaho. I'm thinking about adding some mountains and animals like deer, Elk, or even Wolves1

Suelynn. We think alike. I too plan to put applique moose deer and other wild life in the second circle. All the wildlife and some evergreen trees and pine trees. Probably the houses will look more like cabins in the woods. HelenW