Supply List

Home Building

Betty Alofs, Instructor

You will need:

• photographs of your home or the special place you wish to recreate
• sharpened pencils and eraser
• Sharpie™ fine point permanent marker
• tape (scotch tape, masking tape or painters tape)
• ruler - drafting rulers are great, they are thin and easier to measure with and use for pencil lines.  Cutting rulers may also be used but their thickness will not give you a consistent thin line.
• clear plastic sheet to trace your photo onto.  Options:
  • clear acetate sheets that come singly or in pads at art supply sources,
  • write-on overhead projector sheets, or
  • page protectors (slip your photo inside to keep it in place as you trace).
• freezer paper (sometimes called butcher paper).  This has a paper side and a slightly waxy side.  We will be drawing and tracing on the paper side and using the waxy side to iron onto the fabric.  Some quilt stores sell this in packages as appliqué template paper.
• fusible web - I recommend Lite Steam-a-Seam 2, by The Warm Co.  This fusible web comes with a protective sheet on both sides of the web.  Other thin fusible web brands can be used but do not get the heavy fusible. (Note: this is NOT the same as fusible interfacing.)
• The Appliqué Pressing Sheet ™ by Bear Thread Designs is recommended; however, there are several on the market.  Any one you can see through will work.
• rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat will be used for cutting out your background pieces
• iron and large ironing surface.  You can create a large ironing surface with several layers of batting covered by several layers of muslin.  Pin or tape these to a tabletop or board.
• glass head pins.  These hold up under the heat of the iron.  You can also use metal pins.  Do not use plastic heads.
• Hot Iron Cleaner - just as a precaution.  If you get fusible on your iron, it will burn in and discolor your fabric. This product can be found at quilt and sewing stores.  Use with a half yard of folded muslin to periodically clean your iron's surface.
• sewing machine
• threads (cotton, embroidery, metallic)
• needles (topstitch, Metallica)
• walking foot or free motion foot for your machine for quilting
• open toe foot or embroidery foot for machine appliqué
• tweezers - Optional: these help when handling small appliqué pieces
• scissors (medium size, for cutting out freezer paper/fused shapes)
• basting needle and safety pins OR
• 505 Quilt Spray - for holding your three layers together for quilting
• Sulky Easy Tear ® Stabilizer (or any light weight stabilizer)

Fabric

• background fabrics (sky, ground) 1/2 yd each is plenty.  You may want to wait until you have chosen a final photograph.
• border fabric - the quantity and color will depend on the size and colors of your finished quilt
• various other fabrics in colors and textures that represent different areas of your photograph, such as
  • foliage
  • trees
  • flowers
  • building
  • roof
  • windows
• batting - recommended is Warm & Natural low loft batting. It holds its shape well for a wall hanging quilt. Low loft batting of any type will work.
• fabric for backing, binding and sleeve (the amount will depend on the size of your finished piece

OUTLINE

Lesson One:  Getting Started

• take pictures of your subject
• choose fabrics to recreate the picture
• add additional landscaping if desired
• consider light source, shadows and shading

Lesson Two:  Making the Pattern

• enlarge your picture using one of these methods:
  • overhead projector
  • copier
  • scanner
  • grid method
• number pattern pieces
• trace numbered pieces
• prepare fabric for fusing
• assemble house with appliqué pressing sheet

Lesson Three:  Sewing the House

• prepare the background fabric
• machine appliqué
• explore additional techniques
  • adding dimensional leaves
  • adding thread details
  • couching thread details
  • letting the scene escape into the border

Lesson Four - The Final Steps

• add borders
  • mitered
  • butted
• baste the quilt
• quilt
• add binding
• add a sleeve

If you have a question about items on this list, check the Class Supply Glossary in the Library for generic descriptions of products that may be sold under various names in different countries.  The Library also contains a link to online Class Supply Sources.

If you have trouble finding your supplies locally, many of our items are available online at Big Horn Quilts.  The notions are on a special page for your convenience.