Apple Blossom Quilts: Berries

Let's Make Berries - continued

On a scrap of plain, white paper, spray a puddle of sizing. I avoid spray starch as is is said to attract bugs. Place the gathered side of the berry in the spray sizing. Some of the sizing will soak around the edges to the front. This is OK. If the front becomes too saturated, I like to place the berry right side down on a towel to help remove the excess.
	If you are using heat resistant Mylar circles you can place the berry right side down on your ironing board. Then using a medium setting, press the berry. DO NOT PRESS ON THE RIGHT SIDE as this will make the berry shiny. If you are not using heat resistant Mylar circles, set the berry aside to air dry. This may take a couple of hours and you may need to turn the berry over to allow both sides to dry.
After the berry is dry, loosen the stitching with a pin, toothpick or sewing awl. Remove the Mylar circle. DO NOT REMOVE THE STITCHING.
	Gently pull on the threads to tighten the berry to its circle shape. Adjust the gathers on the back to make a nice round circle. Pay particular attention to the edge of the circle as that is where we will stitch and it should be as smooth and round as possible. Our berry is now ready to stitch into place.

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