McKenna Ryan by missmommy

Title: McKenna Ryan
Post by: missmommy on December 23, 2007, 07:23:05 AM
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Who's done a McKenna Ryan? I finished the top of one about a year ago and it just surfaced again yesterday. The directions say to sandwich it and then use monfilament thread and straight line free mq along the edge of the fused applique pieces. After that fmq the background. Sounds sketchy to me...anyone have a good close up picture of one of these things done? It's on my to do list for tomorrow. Was hoping to see one before I start.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: jennQT1 on December 23, 2007, 10:35:45 AM
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Missmommy I working on one right now :santa_afro: I justed finished a block today as matter of fact. I'm doing her Storybrook Farm BOM, got 3 blocks done so far. The directions are a little vague sometimes I find. I've seen completed ones where the stich over all the pieces with straigth lines and others with mendering over the quilt. I'm still undecided which method I'm going to use.

I love McKenna Ryan's patterns though I'm not sure I'll do another pattern. It gets a little boring cutting out all the shapes. :santa_undecided:


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: iambuzzysma on December 25, 2007, 10:49:49 AM
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I Have done one - Bear Up There in the Coming Home series. I would post a picture if I knew how - lol. But I did not follow her finishing directions. Instead I sandwiched, then did a very small zigzag stitch around all the appliequed pieces. You have to stop & turn alot but I am not good at fmq. I liked my result. I also did not fmq the whole thing after I stitched the appliques. Instead I used matching threads & used a straight stitch in the sky to form clouds & in the background to outline mountains. Agan alot of turning but I just went slow. So really you can finish it any way you want. Take a good look at it & decide just how much quilting needs to be done to hold it together. Sometimes less is more. :santa_smiley: Have fun.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: missmommy on December 25, 2007, 11:23:09 AM
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Thanks girls....best laid plans gone astray...I probably won't get to it until tomorrow now. Another project took way longer than I expected.



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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: finisher on December 25, 2007, 02:13:06 PM
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I have seen the Mc Kenna Ryan patterns..and I love them..but I've never seen one done up close. I'm not a machine quilter..so the whole free motion thing would scare the bejeebers out of me. BUT I think if you're using the clear thread..you just need to make sure you've gotten everything fastened down real well. Let us know how it goes for you. We can all learn from your experience. I have one of her patterns set aside for "some day"..but I just don't know when that will be. I think choosing the fabrics for her patterns would be a real fun part of the process!


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: missmommy on December 26, 2007, 11:25:36 AM
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My plan was to tackle the fmq on my McKenna Ryan yesterday but I couldn't find the backing that I bought for it. I know I set it aside in a safe place so I wouldn't use it for another project. So safe infact that I can't find it. lol. I plan to look again tonight, meanwhile I decided to work on a different PIP. I have so many to chose from. :santa_grin:


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: gimpy cat on December 26, 2007, 06:59:27 PM
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Hi, her directions are sketchy but what she does is just allover quilting, free style, she doenst actually sew down each and every piece around all its edges. She put the top together, sandwiches and then simply makes sure with her quilting that each piece gets a few stitches run through it to 'anchor' them to the top. I did the autumn beauty one, its hanging on the wall above my bed - you can see it in my album, look at the flannel churn dash pic. I have been working on a landsscape quilt and have quilted it the same way as mc kenna does BUT I trialled a new way and its much easier. McKenna makes her top, sanwiches it then free motion quilts, on my old sewing machine I cant drop the feed dogs and to do that puckers and pulls the backing fabric badly. So with the top I have here currently I fused a section of muslin to the back of it, THEN I sat down and fm machined all over it, doing a simple all over pattern, I made sure to anchor all the pieces. Now i will sandwich and add backing, stitch in the ditch around the edges and bind, I think it will sit better. Will get hte battery charged and take a close up pic later for you to see of what I did.

See I thought McKenna sttiched each and every piece down and I was amazed, I did one of hers with a lot of it hand sewn. Then I found out what she really does and it much simpler and less scary LOL I like her new patterns "Out & About"

Here is what she says about it all

"What is free motion quilting, and how do I do it?"
Free motion quilting is similar to a straight stitch, except you feed the quilt through your sewing machine and control the size of the stitch length by the speed of the foot control and your hand speed. The slower you go the more control you have! The quilting process is layering the quilt top, batting and backing and then quilting on the edge of each appliqué. I iron my blocks front and back before and during the quilting process to avoid puckering of the material. I use a darning foot or a freehand embroidery foot on my machine, lower my feed-dogs and free motion (straight stitch) on the edges of each appliqué. If your sewing machine does not have the option of lowering the feed-dogs, tape a playing card over them. I use monofilament thread on the top of my machine and a cotton thread in the bobbin. Then I bring the bobbin thread to the top and knot the thread at the beginning and end of each appliqué piece by pressing the foot control quickly to make a few stitches that are very close together. This eliminates the need of having to pull your bobbin thread to the top each time you move to another appliqué piece. After all of the appliqué pieces are quilted, I clip the threads between appliqués.

On a multiple block quilt, I start quilting in the center block first. Then, I stitch in the ditch around that block. Now I am ready to move onto my next block repeating this process. After the entire quilt is quilted, I go back and free motion quilt background designs like clouds, water, etc.

This technique allows you to quilt the design at the same time that you are stitching down each appliqué piece. Remember to relax and have fun. Free motion quilting is not as intimidating as it seems! "



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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: maggie on December 29, 2007, 05:52:12 AM
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I have seen Mckenna Ryan patterns and I love them but have never done one myself. I hope to do so at some point. I have the pattern for Catching Memories in one of my books. I may give it a try.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: maggie on December 29, 2007, 05:59:09 AM
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Gimpy, I had a look at your wallhanging. It looks beautiful. Would it be possible to get a closer look? I love all things autumn... guess it's the richness of the colors. I've been looking for something to put over my bed and this may be what I need.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: gimpy cat on December 29, 2007, 01:08:30 PM
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Sure Maggie, when hubby wakes up I will take a pic for you. I have decided that Im going to make 3 more, one for each season and swap them around. Shouldnt be hard to do, bare tree in winter, white ground for snow, icy colour for lake perhaps. Summer lots of green leaves etc, spring less green leaves and a bear cub. What do you think? Thats actually a fast one to put together (once you cut all the pieces that is LOL) :santa_cheesy:



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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: BearFoot on January 02, 2008, 09:53:56 AM
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I was invited to a Christmas party at a quilter's home. She uses some of her quilts on the table as table cloths AND she leaves them on while she & DH eat dinner! At first I was sort of appalled that she would treat her beautiful (and they were gorgeous) works of art in such a disrespectful way! But she is a prolific quilter and she said she wanted her quilts to be USED...(she had quite a few hanging on the walls too). So she used them on the table, but the interesting thing is...on the backs of her quilts she fused Christmas motifs....so at the holidays she simply turns her quilts over and voila...she is ready for the holiday entertaining! (The Christmas side was just a beautiful, even if it was just fused). She added that, when her beloved quilts became "battle worn" (as she called it), but still had life in them, she donated them to charities for the homeless! After thinking about it for some time...I thought...after displaying them...then I can use them throughout the year and while they still look good, but I am tired of them, someone else gets to enjoy them and wear them out! It seems like a great plan now.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: Merry Bee on January 02, 2008, 10:21:45 AM
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BF, did she stitch the fused motifs down on the backs before she quilted them? I think it is a great way to get extra mileage out of a quilt. My DD talked me into piecing the back of a quilt to get two-in-one, and I can tell you it is nearly impossible to quilt through extra seam allowances unless it is machine quilted. But it is beautiful. It is a pinata quilt on one side and a Day of the Dead on the other. It is used in a classroom where they teach ESL, mostly Spanish speakers who are learning English as a second language. She says they have discovered that quilts really do get the kids attention, and work nicely in a classroom. All the quilts I have made for her school get hard wear, because the quilt b ecome a work center and the kids sit on them, so they get laundered a lot. Needless to say they are all machine made, quilted, etc.

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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: BearFoot on January 02, 2008, 10:55:14 AM
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Quote from: Merry Bee on January 02, 2008, 10:21:45 AM
BF, did she stitch the fused motifs down on the backs before she quilted them?
No...she just fused them on. She said they laundered beautifully!...
She did say that she spot cleaned in between launderings...


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: stitchinjj on January 02, 2008, 11:10:43 AM
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I do a similar thing. I love all the great holiday prints. When I make a table runner I use a holiday print as the backing. Like when I make a Valentines one, I back it with a Spring print. Then it can be used on both sides. My fall tablerunner is backed with Christmas print. I love green and use it a lot. I have recently used green or black as the binding. That way it goes with both sides of the table runners. I don't use my quilts on the table, but like her idea. I have cats and they know they can sleep on my quilts. They are also trained not to get on the table, but if I put a quilt there, they will jump up for a nap. So I am just trying not to confuse them!


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: TxMaryQuilts on January 02, 2008, 02:27:59 PM
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I just made a Christmas table runner and have not quilted it yet. Ya'll now have me thinking that maybe I want to put something besides Christmas on the back.

But if I stitch in the ditch to bring out the pattern a bit, I will have ornaments on the back :santa_undecided: Not cool.
So what are ideas to remedy this other than meander all over? :santa_sad:


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: Merry Bee on January 02, 2008, 02:43:30 PM
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My Fall table runner is pieced, and I backed it with a very busy Christmas fabric. I quilted it from the Fall side, and used clear thread on the bobbin, so you cannot see the quilting on the Christmas side. It is so covered with centerpieces, candles, and candy dishes most of the time you wouldn't see it anyway. I will probably make a pieced Easter table runner and back it with red heart fabric for Valentines.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: golo on January 02, 2008, 03:31:08 PM
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Alot of times on table runners I do the quilting before putting the backing on .. this might work for you... :santa_afro:


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: stitchinjj on January 02, 2008, 06:27:57 PM
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Or just quilt in a grid? I do that a lot because of using the 2 very different sides and because I can't think of how to quilt it otherwise.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: TxMaryQuilts on January 02, 2008, 07:23:26 PM
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Thanks for the ideas. I may do the distinctively ornament parts ( the ornament hook) before the backing and use the clear or matching thread in the bobbin for the rest so that it is not so noticeable.

Merry Bee, you have a point, there is always a centerpiece.

I think this might just work. I am so happy this came up now. :santa_smiley:


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: gimpy cat on January 02, 2008, 07:26:51 PM
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A lot of people back wallhangings the same so they can just be flipped, its a great idea. my mother uses her quilts on the dinner table but she has a thick heavy duty clear plastic that she puts on top, saves washing and soiling the quilt. I have heavy clear plastic on my dining table to protect the timber and at christmas I slide chrissy fabric under it, works well


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Title: Picture for Maggie
Post by: gimpy cat on January 05, 2008, 04:36:18 AM
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Hi Maggie, sorry I took so long getting this darn pic, this is the 6th time I will try to get it to upload! Cheers Helen


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: maggie on January 05, 2008, 06:03:07 AM
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Thank you so much for taking the time to do this,Helen. It's beautiful. I think you said you fused muslin to the back of your top and then fm all over the top. What does it mean when you say you fused the muslin to the top? I'm thinking of fusing as when I use wonder under to add the applique pieces to the top.Sorry if I seem really dense. Some days I am!
I like your idea of doing one for each season....I just wonder how long it would take me to complete. I'd probably be old and grey. Hey wait, I've got the grey bit already.LOL


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: gimpy cat on January 05, 2008, 05:53:42 PM
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Thats ok Maggie Im 38 with lots of silver hair LOL. This one I did the top and then quilted it all, I didnt like how my old machine puckered the back (I cant lower the feed dogs) and so the next one Im doing I used some fusible web stuff, ummm trying to think of a name, Heat 'n' bond or Vlisofix, thats it, I ironed some onto the muslin piece then peeled the paper off and ironed the muslin to the back of the quilt top. Then I quilted it and will sandwich and then quilt the borders just in the ditch to hold all together and bind.

That autumn quilt, the slowest part is cutting all the pieces putting it together is fast as could be as its just ironed on (fused) pieces. Then its just the matter of freehand quilting the top just making sure a few stitches cover each piece to anchor them. Its unbelievable how fast it is to do, it will shock you!


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: Pookie on January 06, 2008, 02:04:21 AM
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Besides my love of Nancy Halvorsen I do adore McKenna Ryan however some of her quilts are rather expensive to buy ... I have brought only called Morning Mews "Clifford" for those that don't know the design it is a black and white cat standing under a autumn tree looking at a bird and the bird is yellow sort of like a canary their is also one its back... this is in due to my cat slyvestor who you can see as my abatar [probably spelt wrong] LOL I have actually started collecting for this project and brought a very expensive piece of black velvet for the cat hope this will look okay..My mum has also given me a copy of another cat design by McKenna Ryan featuring a Marmalade Cat name escapes me at the moment and as always when you want something one cannot put their hands on it, which will be in marked honour of my late but beautiful cat Tiger a Big 12kg Ginger Cat...whom I was lucky to have for 12 years.


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: gimpy cat on January 06, 2008, 04:35:44 AM
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26 1/2lbs, thats a big old pussy cat indeed. Look forward to seeing your kitty appliques, they really are easy to do.

Maggie & Mommy, I took pics of the FHQ I did to anchor the pieces, will resize them and post tommorow (accidentally take them in RAW mode so need to process them first)


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Title: Re: McKenna Ryan
Post by: Pookie on January 09, 2008, 07:01:02 PM
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Stitchinjj, I hope you finally get the pattern and give it a go..let me know how easy it is....LOL

This is what I did today... I haven't decided whether to leave it as a wallhanging for my DD (whose name is Faithe) or use it as the front of a bag... so I am going to set it aside for awhile and think about it.... this was fast, fun and easy...

[img][/img]

It's beautiful!!! It would be nice either way. Sometimes it is best to sit things aside and mull it over?

I wonder if MissMommy ever did her quilt that started this thread?