Monday, April 4, 2011

What Does Mary Ellen and Octagons Have In Common?

Hello Everyone,

I am working on a new project that involves octagons. While I love Octagons, the technique that I am using requires them to be appliqued. So there is some prep work that needs to be taken.


Mary Ellen's Best Press and my iron are my new best friends. Have you ever used Best Press? I love it much better than regular starch. It is light weight and doesn't cake or build up like much like the store bought brands. Plus, it comes in wonderful smelling scents too!


Anyway, it has really been a dream in assisting me in turning under the 1/4" seam allowances. See how they stay put until they are ready to be appliqued! Love that.


From the front side they look almost perfect. I am sure that they aren't because, I know I just can't make them perfect, but they are close.


I love how they look... so pretty. If you haven't tried this method, go ahead and give it a try! You will love Mary Ellen like I do!


Until Next Time...

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18 comments:

Debbie said...

Sorry to have to tell you this, Jackie, but those are octagons!
They do look good, though. Can't wait to see what they turn into.

Mary said...

Love Best Press! I use it all the time and it does smell so good!

Glenna @ Hollyhock Quilts said...

Looks interesting!

Debbie said...

Whew, it's good you changed hexagons to octagons, we wouldn't want anyone to think you can't count, LOL!

Abby and Stephanie said...

I can't wait to see what you're up to. I like the larger size of your octagons...perhaps they're easier to work with?

dutch sisters said...

Looks interesting, I like to try this out!

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Good morning...they look perfect to me....pretty colour too. I am going to get some of this Best Press...anything that holds like that has go be good,eh.

debbie m said...

I bought a very small bottle of MEBP, but have only used it once. I can't do fragrances, they cause me to have breating problems. I usually use BoPeep starch. It comes in a concentrate and you mix it to the stregnth you want. The key to starch not flaking is to spray the back of the fabric and let it soak in. I usually spray all of the fabric I want to starch for a project, put it in a plastic bag and put it in the fridge for a while. This give the cotton time to relax and the starch to soak in. I use this method, using plain water when I don't use starch. Remember when your mom/grandma use to sprinkle her cotton laundry before ironing. It has the same effect. Cotton has a memory when dried and needs to be dampened to relax and let the rinkles fall out...Now if that would work for me!

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

I haven't tried BestPress but I guess it's time I did.

Anya said...

I buy Best Press by the gallon...love it!

Janet said...

I've heard only good things about the best press but I don't see it very often here and maybe they should do a fragrance free one, I'd be sneezing with the perfume.

Nedra said...

I LOVE Best Press. Can't leave home without it.

Barb said...

Looks interesting....I am waiting for the rest of the story.....

WoolenSails said...

I am doing that with hexagons and using fusible.
I can't wait to see what you are doing with yours. Mine are christmas prints, so I was thinking of quilting a snowflake design in the middle.

Debbie

Thimbleanna said...

Ooooh, whatcha doin' with those pretty hexagons??? I love Best Press too. Oh...and Congratulations on your magazine quilt -- it's beautiful!

karen @ badlandsquilts said...

I'm quite curious to see your project... it looks very interesting! I love Best Press, I buy it by the gallon from JoAnns by mail with my coupons.

VickiT said...

I just LOVE Mary Ellen's Best Press. I've been using it for about three yrs now in my machine embroidery and in folding my fabrics to stack after washing and drying it. That stuff is just amazing.

Lynette said...

Has anyone with allergies tried the fragrance-free Best Press? I used a scented one at a retreat once and loved the crispness (better than starch), but it gave me an allergy migraine in about 60 seconds, flat. :(

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