Chenille It! - Dream Big Panel Opal - Winner of Most Creative: Linda Semmen
Most Creative - Winner: Linda Semmen
Dream Big Opal plus Tidepool and Wildrose
I wanted to share with you a little about Linda Semmen and how she made her wonderful chenille Dream Big Panels. She had a lot of information to share. I think I'm going to try to make one. It seems so much fan but I'm a big fan of rag quilts and raw edge applique. Besides I have one of those Chenille cutters I have never used... I have to have those new tools.
Linda tell me a little bit about yourself?
I started quilting about 10 years ago, taking classes and making several sampler quilts. I have been sewing since grade school and had no idea how much I would love quilting. I am retired and moved to the country 8 years ago. I designed our house to be quilter friendly! Quilting is my favorite past time and continually wake up at 4 am with a new idea or a solution to a quilting problem or design that I experienced the previous day. Besides quilting, I love teaching Bagel classes or having friends out for special treats or projects.
How did you know the Chenille technique would work with this panel?
Last winter I was searching to purchase cotton chenille for the back of a lap blanket, but then I saw a video on making my own chenille... I found a great panel to use to make my first one. It was this snowman panel. I followed the YouTube video "How to turn 4 quilt panels into a chenille quilt". Here is the result:
When I first saw the Dream Big Panel I knew it would be perfect for this technique. My granddaughter had an upcoming birthday so I told her I would make it for her she chose the Dream Big Opal Panel. I loved it.
Can you share how you made your chenille panel?
After looking at the panel and it being a square I knew I wanted the lines to radiate out. So I chose this design to make it do that.
- Sew on the diagonal - mark it with chalk or FriXion pen.
- Sew on the other diagonal to make an X.
- Sew ½” inside the sewn lines.
- Sew ½” inside the sewn lines.
I added an erasable line vertically and horizontally so I could follow an accurate pivot point when sewing the additional channels.
All lines must be on the diagonal.
How I got the panels ready to quilt
- Lay out your batting - I use a lightweight cotton.
- Spray it with adhesive spray.
- Lay the first panel on the adhesive, blocking it as a good base.
- Carefully lay each additional panel on top-I stick several thumb tacks through the bottom layer facing up so I can align each additional panel.
- Repeat until all 5 layers are in place.
- Pin with quilting safety pins, remove thumbtacks.
- Mark your pattern on your top layer. (see above info)
- Quilt the design, cut the channels. It's easiest to use a chenille cutter.
- Trim your outside edge and stitch around the perimeter.
- Add your backing-either as a pillowcase edge or as a bound edge.
- After the quilt is bound, I pin it again along the center X and stitch on the two lines.
- Wash, brush, dry, brush, enjoy.