One Banner, Five Techniques, a Few Problems

Our neighbors have created their own holiday – Corn Day, a celebration of all things corn and corny.  The prize for the corniest joke is a large ugly ceramic tureen that looks like a basket of corn.  Oddly enough, the winner of the contest never claims the prize!

My contribution to the celebratory ambiance is a Corn Banner.  I love to make things like this – fun projects that use up scraps, and allow for some technique practice.  The tough thing is to not go overboard and spend hours on something that is essentially just a joke.

The image is from Microsoft Office clip art.  I pieced the back with quilt-as-you-go, used fusible webbing to applique the corn leaves, and then “scribble stitched” around their edges.

I made the corn cob separately and quilted some wavy lines to suggest kernels.  I used some Inktense pencils to color in a few kernels, put the cob on top of the leaves, and fused a few more leaves over top.

I didn’t have any problems stitching through the fusible webbing, until I got to spots where I had several leaves stacked up.  The needle punched through all the layers fine, but the top and bobbin threads wouldn’t catch each other.  I ended up straight-stitching, but I think I should have put more pressure on the presser foot.

The other problem I had was creating the quote – first I tried to use iron-on transfer sheets.  I really wanted it on yellow fabric, to tie in with the giant ear of corn, but I got patchy results.

I made two changes – setting the printer for “best quality” instead of standard, and using my old iron instead of my cordless one to make sure I had enough heat, but those two things didn’t help. This was the “SuperSoft Inkjet Transfer Paper” from Dharma, but I’ve had it two or three years, and the directions say it only has a shelf life of six months in controlled conditions.  I’m guessing that doesn’t mean months of 90 degrees and 95 per cent humidity.

I had to go and buy Dritz Inkjet Printable Fabric.  That gave a sharp print, but the white background is too glaring for this piece.

I think it still needs some 3-D embellishments.  Yellow buttons would be cute but I don’t have any.  I think I am going to add some yo-yos.  Any other corny thoughts, anyone?