Love with a Twist: Balloon Poodle

Balloon Animal Block 1A – Pretty Poodle

Finally, it’s here – the first appliqué for the Love with a Twist quilt along! You will find the free downloadable balloon poodle appliqué pattern within this post. And a short pictorial on how to put it together too.

You know how I have always had every intention of this quilt along being a little relaxed and random in its delivery?…. Well, that is still so. But I didn’t really intend for it to be quite this long between the throw-size quilt construction instructions and the release of Block 1A. Apologies! But with my Triangle Friends magazine quilt publication, and my big 2018 Island Batik Ambassador finale quilt due, and getting set up for the new 2019 Island Batik Ambassador year, it’s been kinda crazy here. I hope you have enjoyed the eye candy in the meantime. And I hope you’ve got your Love with a Twist fabrics all ready to go.

Yes? Well, let’s get on with the 2019 Clever Chameleon quilt along then! I am loving this one already.

Things to know before you start Love with a Twist

• If you missed it, you will find useful information about the throw quilt fabric requirements in the construction instructions available from this post.

• I am making my appliqués from fabric scraps as I go, so there is no yardage listed in advance for them. Each pattern release will have a recommended minimum scrap size required for the major colours in that appliqué.

• The blocks are numbered by their position in the throw quilt layout. They are also designated A or B for whether they officially belong to the first throw quilt or the second. However, for each block, you can choose either the A or the B version for your throw quilt. They are designed to be totally interchangeable. As long as you have one of each number in the end. So, for instance, your preferred quilt might be made up of 1A, 2A, 3B, 4A, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8A, 9B and 10A. It’s totally up to you. You will need all the A and B and bonus blocks if you want to make the twin quilt (constructions instructions still coming).

• The appliqué templates provided are drawn in red lines and black lines. If you are doing raw-edge appliqué, ignore the line colours and simply work with the shapes supplied. If you want to do turned-edge appliqué, you will need to add a seam allowance to the black edges only. The red edges are where the shapes overlap and extra fabric allowance is already added.

• The appliqué pieces are numbered for easy reference. Many of the balloon oval shapes are very similar to each other, so this seemed like a good idea.

• Basic raw-edge appliqué technique instructions are included in this post – however, use your own favourite method to do the appliqués. I like to do free-motion raw-edge appliqué, using a polyester batting as my stabiliser. Once my appliqué is finished, I cut away the excess batting to give the appliqué extra loft over the background once the quilt is layered and quilted. This technique is called trapunto. My completed appliqué blocks look like this from the back:

And hopefully it will look a little extra “balloonish” from the front. 🙂 You can find a little more detailed information about my trapunto here, about half way through the linked post.

Let’s also have a quick word about the paper I use to build my appliqués on

I have been asked several times about the paper I use to build appliqués on before I place them on my backgrounds.

• I use baking paper in place of an ironing sheet in lots of situations, such as protecting my iron, protecting my ironing board and to build up multi-part appliqués.

• If you have a teflon ironing sheet or similar, by all means use it. I have one and I do use it. However, I do a lot of appliqué and often have more than one on the go at once. This means I need an alternative, cheaper solution than multiple ironing sheets for pre-building my appliqués onto.

• I use Multix brand Baking paper as ironing sheets. Now, this paper is difficult to explain to a worldwide audience. It is a slippery, non-absorbent, non-stick, heat-resistant paper used for baking. Multix Bake comes on a roll and looks like this. It’s easily obtainable in Australian supermarkets.

• In the US, I am led to believe “parchment paper” is functionally equivalent to our baking paper. But an overseas friend used what she called parchment paper to test appliqués for me, and her appliqués stuck fast, so this is not a universal nomenclature. We also have paper here in Australia called parchment paper but it is not the same thing as baking paper/bakery paper/US parchment paper. It is used for fancy stationery (ie. wedding invitations).

• Baking paper is NOT freezer paper. It is also NOT waxed (wax) paper (waxed on both sides). It is NOT what is sold here as Grease-proof paper which is inconveniently similar in appearance to Baking paper and is also used for baking. Grease-proof paper does not release appliqués (ask me how I know!). Grease-proof paper makes marvelous cake tin liners, tracing paper and quilting paper, but not appliqué paper.

• If you would like to use baking paper/parchment paper to build your appliqués like I do and can’t get Multix Baking paper, please do a small test of your paper before you commit to anything important. Iron a small piece of your fusible webbing to fabric, and then fuse the fabric to your baking paper. After it cools, peel it off again. If your paper is suitable, the fusible fabric will easily peel off the surface and be ready to fuse to another position. If your paper is not suitable, the fusible fabric will be permanently attached to the paper and completely unusable.

Anyway, enough details already!

Download your Poodle pdf pattern and get started!

The poodle block is the first option for Block 1 of the throw-sized version of Love with a Twist quilt. Download it here:

**** It is really important that you print this pdf at 100%, otherwise your pattern pieces will be the wrong size for the quilt blocks. Turn off any “fit to page” options in your printer dialog and ensure that the printout size is set to 100%. There are check boxes supplied in the document. If your printout is successful, these will measure 1″ square. The document is designed to fit on US Letter and A4 paper. ****

The second option for Block 1 (Block 1B) will be a sweet floppy eared dog, coming soon. Of course, if you are making the twin size quilt, or both throw quilts, you will need both balloon dog appliqués.

What you will need to make the (raw-edge appliqué) poodle block:

If you have not pre-constructed your quilt top, you will need background fabric for your appliqué:

• If you are making Block 1A for the throw size quit you will need a background fabric piece of 13″ x 15.5″. This measurement does not include any trimming allowance.
• To make Block 1A for the twin size quilt you will need a background fabric piece of 13.5″ x 14″. Again, this measurement does not include any trimming allowance.
• So, if you use a piece of fabric 14″ x 16″ you will keep your options open and have a small trimming allowance 🙂

You will also need:

• 12″ x 9″ of fabric for the poodle balloon pieces. My poodle is made from Island Batik fabric from their Basics collection. It was a scrap remaining from my 2018 ambassador activities. The colour is called Primrose.
• scraps of white and black fabrics for the eyes
• fusible paper-backed fabric adhesive , approx 12″ x 10″
• thin batting for trapunto or your favourite stabiliser for stitching (optional)
• general tools and notions: sewing machine, iron etc, teflon ironing sheet or non-stick paper, small sharp scissors, pencil, quilting pins, grease-proof/tracing paper, machine embroidery or sewing threads for appliqué and embroidery

How to put together the Poodle Balloon Appliqué

Trace your appliqué shapes directly onto the backing paper of your fusible adhesive. Fuse the shapes to the back of your fabric, according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Then cut out each shape and remove the backing papers. They go together as follows:

Step 1

Assemble the layout diagram supplied and cover with an ironing sheet/non-stick paper. Position appliqué pieces P1, P2, P7 and P12 in place and secure them temporarily by touching them briefly with the tip of a hot iron.

Step 2

Similarly, position pieces P3, P5, P9 and P14.

Step 3

Next place pieces P4 and P11.

Step 4

Position appliqué pieces P8 and P13.

Step 5

And finish off the main balloon pieces with P6, P10 and P15.

Step 6

Use a tracing of the poodle’s features to make it easier to place the small features (eyes and nose parts). Also, don’t forget to mark out a mouth!

Step 7

Give your appliqué a thorough pressing and transfer to your background fabric.

Stitch your appliqué poodle down using your favourite method. As, I mentioned earlier, I use free-motion straight stitching over a low-loft polyester batting. I layer my appliqué over the polyester batting and secure with quilting pins. Then I stitch around my shapes 5-6 times to secure them thoroughly. And finish by removing the excess batting with curved blade scissors/snips.

Thank you for joining me on this quilt adventure for 2019! Sorry about the huge post today, but hopefully the information in this post will stand us in good stead for the rest of the quilt along. Next up we will have the floppy-eared dog balloon, and then hopefully instructions for the twin-sized quilt version.

P.S. Did you see my Cat on a Wall quilt? There is a giveaway running for a pack of the featured fabrics. I hope you have entered… the Paisley Park fabrics are just delightful. If not, there is still time. Get your poodle pdf download and then head over to that post. Hope to hear from you!

P.P.S Linking up with The Madd Quilter.

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The Chameleon turns rainbow with pleasure when he hears from you. I am more reserved, so I will respond in gratitude by email instead. Now that it’s your turn…. Scroll right to the end, leave me a comment and tell me, what do you think? Thanks for connecting!

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