And the Winner is

Lyn in Colorado Springs! Congratulations, Lyn - it will give you something to browse in between starting school and unpacking. Thanks to all who participated. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to respond to all your comments - still so busy. And I hope you'll consider the new giveaway. Just go to the post previous to this one to see that book. I just noticed that the books have the same title to a point - both are Quilting the Seasons - LOL. But they're different books by different authors.

Look forward to seeing your eye candy!

Applique Thursday on Hold

Hi, I'm off to Colorado!  See you next week!

Applique Thursday 7/19/12

It may not be much, but I have begun block three of Anna's Garden.  I'm going to personalize this one. Hope I can pull it off.  Here's the little I've done:

The winner of last week's 5" batik charm is Billie of Billie's Blog. Congrats! I'll be sending out your charm shortly. Another is waiting for someone. All you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours. Or do both and have two chances. Submissions end Sunday night.

Would love to see your eye candy that you're working on - applique or otherwise. It could be one you've just completed, are working on (like me) or dreaming about. Use the blue submit button below.

And one last thing, because I love eye candy so much, I'm linking to Melissa's Try New Things. I do so like to TNT  - like that hand for instance.









Stash report 7/15/12

Working on the baby quilts and my applique so haven't used much of the stash except for a few scraps for the 2nd applique block

Good thing I'm ahead on my destashing goal for the year. Nothing in and a miniscule out, so essentially the total is the same as last week.  BTW:  today is the last day for you to win a 5" batik charm.  Go to my Applique Thursday post and see how you can be the lucky recepient. Closes at midnight.

I'm linking to Judy's Stash Report - go see how others are doing.

Applique Thursday 7/12/12

Only corner flowers to go!  And each corner flower has three parts.  Now I have to find some pinks for the petals.

Notes on process:  My favorite tool so far for these is a toothpick.  Yes, a toothpick.  I've been reading Becky and Linda's tips of PieceO'Cake Designs and they use a toothpick to tuck in the seam allowance or straighten those pesky points that form at curves - really works well.  I also heard them on Pat Sloan's radio program. Very interesting show.  Just google Pat Sloan radio and you'll get a list of the recent shows.

The other thing I found was that the center fabric I chose was very loosely woven and hard to use for applique.  It's a Kaffe Fassett fabric. I love the designs on his fabrics, so what was I to do?  I decided to starch it and that helped minimize the fraying.  Phew!

Our winner last week of the 5" batik charm is  Connie of Quilting by the River.   Congrats! I'll be sending out your charm shortly.  Another is waiting for someone.  All you need to do is comment or link to have a chance for it to be yours.  Or do both and have two chances.  Submissions end Sunday night.

Would love to see your eye candy that you're working on - applique or otherwise.  It could be one you've just completed, are working on (like me) or dreaming about. Use the blue submit button below.

Applique Thursday

Hello, I'm almost late in posting this but have been working on that first Anna's Block

Added the dreaded circles and stitched down pink flower, main flower, basket and a few greens. Phew!

What I did with this block was cut out freezer paper templates that I placed the dull side of the freezer paper on the wrong side of the fabric and ironed the seam allowance onto the shiny side. Once stitched in place you cut out the background and remove the paper. I did that for the big pieces, but for the small ones (the stems) I took out the freezer paper and lightly glued down the seam allowance. Then I pressed the pieces in place to then applique down or pin.


So far I'm not liking this method as much as I like back basting for placement. Look at that basket -  it looks kind of wonky.  Maybe some of the illusion will go away when I square the block to the 7 1/2" square - hope, hope, hope.
 
There is a winner for the 5" batick charm!  Win one by leaving comment or link or both (for two chances). Last week's winner was Rosa - all the way in Spain.  Congrats, Rosa!

--Would love to see your eye candy!

Applique Thursday Barely

I've begun assembling my applique block for May at Esther's Forget Me Not BOM.  I got this far and then badly burned two finger pads of my left hand. I immediately applied ice water to them until the pain went away - over an hour.  Silly me - haven't done something that thoughtless in a long time.  What did I do?  I pressed down on my Clover mini iron on the rod.  Don't ask me why - I wasn't thinking.

Our winner last week of the 5" batik charm was Marcia W.  I've sent her an email.  There's another waiting for someone who comments or links.  You get two chances to get the charm by commenting and linking.

Would love to see you eye candy - applique or not!  Blue button below. 

And for more fun, visit Melissa's TNT Thursday for more great projects. She has some neat living room curtains today and of course links from others.  Enjoy!

Applique Thursday Not

I found a new blog for us.  It's Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting.  She has a great blog, and a Thursday linky, too.  Check her out here.

Where did the days go?  I meant to start a new applique project - I did at least finally find the green I need for Esther's block - but wound up free motion quilting yesterday and before I knew it the day was gone.  But I'm determined to have something started today.  It will be that block for the Forget Me Not quilt.  LOL - I"d better start on it as the next month's block comes out tomorrow! Yikes.  Well, while I was convalescing, I did find this pattern (I bought it several years ago)- mostly applique with a little piecing - just what I like:

I hope to start this one also to take the place of my Jubilee Album blocks which are ready to be put in a top. 
And our winner last week was Debbie in NC again!  Debbie, your batik charm is on it's way to you.  So, we'll do it again, shall we?  A batik charm to one reader who leave a comment or a link - two chances for a comment and a link.  Good luck!

Lastly, won't you share some eye candy - applique or not, just finished or a treasured one?  Look for the blue submit button.  I love eye candy!

Applique Thursday 5/24/12

I'm a little late in posting this - at least it is still the right day.  Life has been busy!
Here's  a little more done on my fourth Jubilee Album block. 

Good thing I have this to post to or I wouldn't have gotten any done.  I'm determined to declutter and it's taking a lot of time, as each item must be analyzed and determined if stay or go.  It's like that story I read on the internet - the lady was going to the store but stopped to water her flowers but had to get her boots and then on the way she found a book that needed to go to the library....you get the picture.  Sighh.

Need eye candy!  Please share what you're up to applique or not, and you might win a 5" batik charm (comment or link work for me).  And speaking of charms - the winner for last Applique Thursday was Kathy from Florida!  Your charm goes out to you today, Kathy.  Congrats!! 

Applique Thursday 5/17/12

I'm participating in Esther Aliu's block of the month for this year (you'll find the button for this Forget Me Not BOM on my sidebar).  Here's as far as I've gotten with my cosmos block:

Still have three of the flowers to finish before I can start on the May block!  But I wanted to show you I am doing some applique.  And we have another winner!  This week it's Sarah.  She's sent me her snail mail address, so a batik charm square will be on its way to her soon.  I have another batik charm for this week.  Just leave a comment or a link to a post (for a second chance).  It's great to hear from you.

What are you working on?  Would love to see your eye candy.  It's inspiring and humbling to see your lovelies.

Applique Thursday 5/10/12

Phew, it's been a very busy last few days with family affairs - have not even been able to do my 15 minutes of sanity which is quilting and if possible, applique.  So here is my Applique Thursday post for this week:

New on my wish list and on top of the list is a new book by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins of Piece O' Cake Designs.  It is just what I like
    Applique    -   Fast   -   Cheerful 

Please click HERE and you'll go to their website and you can read more about this wonderful book and technique.  I'm in love with this book.

But I'd still like to see your eye candy - applique or not; past, present \, or on your dream to do list.  Submit a link below.  Look forward to seeing your entry.

And yes, I'm giving away another batik charm.  Leave a link or comment and you'll be entered.  Debbie was our winner last week and her charm is on the way to her now.

Applique Thursday 5/3/12

As I've said before, so glad I decided to have Applique Thursdays because:
1.  It challenges me to work on an applique piece - which still intimidates me but calls to me too, and
2.  I get to see some eye candy of the applique kind and other quilting kind to inspire and urge me on.

So here is what I worked on the last two days to have something to show:

Not much but it's a start on my fourth Jubilee Album block.
What are you working on - applique or otherwise?  Would love to see your work - past, present or dream.

Applique Thursday 4/26/12

Life has been busy and it's so easy to get bogged down with other things that keep saying me next, me next. That's why I'm really glad for Applique Thursday because it gets me back to my favorite type of quilting.  This morning,  I pulled out the background and cut another square, found the magazine, am making copies and will soon begin transferring the design to the back of the square so I can begin back basting my fourth Jubilee Album block.  Too soon I'll have to move on to meetings, housework, bank errand and ??? will come up.

What are you sewing, quilting, knitting, etc?  Sure could use some eye candy of any kind at this time. Thanks!

Applique Thursday 4/19/12

I was sorting through a box and came across this:


The label says it's from Lahaina, but I remember I bought it in Molokai when we went there on an Elderhostel trip (excuse me, they're called Road Scholar adventures now).  It was a great trip.  In one of the excusions to a distillery, I bought this kit which is very thorough - even had thread and needle.   Since it's about 6 years old, I'm going to try and finish it by doing a little at a time.  In other words not bury it for another 6 years.  I'm finding I'm not very good at needleturn - I can't seem to get the seam allowance even.  Maybe by just doing more I can correct that.  But then this was way before I learned back basting.  Now with that I've had more success.  Off to work on it.
 
What are you working on - applique or otherwise??  Please link below so we can all see your eye candy.
Thanks ever so much!

Applique Thursday 4/11/12 - My First Mystery Block

Not completely done - still have some thread work [using a varigated thread and tiny zig-zag around the edges] to do on the other leaf, the corn flowers and the sunflowers (but I don't know what to do on that yet - and I'm still waiting for a 50% off coupon at Michaels to get my pencils). Also have to add the name plate.The white border around the block is to show what I think will be the inner border as that was what Esther had on the pattern, but this is a mystery, so hmmm.  I've never done a block with so many pieces, but going one by one, methodically, with teflon sheet and pins, small iron and working in units of 3 pieces or more at a time{you can see one such unit at my post of the 9th}, it's coming together.  Thank you so much for this pattern, Esther.  You can still join in - her Forget Me Not button is on my sidebar. And the pattern will be free up to the 15th of this month when we get our next blocks.

Would love to see what you're working on, applique or not. Please add your link at the blue button below.

Applique Thursday 4/5/12

A group I belong to has been discussing what markers to use to mark the background for needleturn applique (Esther's new BOM, button on sidebar).  I realized I had never learned that method.  I recently found another at Kay MacKenzie's blog, All About Applique, called back basting.  She has a tutorial here .  It's a pretty cool method and I've been using it on my Jubilee Album blocks (which I should get back to).  However, the method I used with good success before and I still go back to is one I learned partly from a Sulky Thread instructor at a Road 2 Califonia workshop and mostly at a Zena Thorpe workshop.  Here's how it goes:

First I make an outline of the template of the applique that I am going to construct.  This one is for a 6 1/2" block from the book Better Homes & Garden Easy-Does-It Quilts.  The quilt is called Cosy Comforter and was designed by Peggy Kotek. I numbered the pieces in the order I have to lay them down from the bottom up.  Well, I used letters this time.  I then make reverse copies of my pieces and iron, cut out and have ready to assemble.

 I then take the outline to my ironing board and lay my teflon sheet over it, and turn on my iron to a non steam setting.

I take off the paper from the fused pieces and lay my A pieces in place.

I keep building the applique by added the next piece (B), and so forth.  Nothing is fused yet.

And I keep doing that til the whole applique is formed.  Now is when I fuse the shape by laying the iron on top of the design for about 3-4 seconds.  You just want to lightly fuse it together.

Now you will be able to gently lift it off your teflon sheet and place it on your background. Here is the back of the unit ready to fuse to the background which is now over the outline of your form. This is what I learned from the Sulky instructor.  And works fine except for dark backgrounds where you can't see your pattern.  Enter Zena Thorpe.

 

Zena had us make 3 copies of the pattern:  one to cut out to use as our outline, one for the reverse pieces and one for reference.  So here I have placed the cut out outline over my 7" square of black.  I then take my unit of applique and lay it in the outlined space, fuse the unit to the background (8-10 seconds, hot iron, no steam), and remove the paper.

Voilá, my block is done.  I have the makings of a new mug rug.

Would love to see your eye candy, applique or otherwise.  I like seeing your projects.  They inspire and motivate me to think about doing new techniques.  You can link your blog post below.  TIA!

Applique Thursday and more 3/29/12

Between dealing with gallstones and consequent pain, spring break, having fun with DGS and the vicissitudes of weather, haven't got much done on my new applique adventure other than numbering pieces and drawing shapes on fusible.  And they aren't worth photographing - so here's a book I'd love to make something from.  There are 15 great projects and 12 of them combine applique and pieces like the darling quilt on the cover.  Wish I had 48 hours in a day to do all these lovelies. 

Do you have a favorite book, project or work in progress you'd like to share?  How about an older quilt you're willing to show us?
Just click on the link below to share your eye candy.

Applique Thursday and More 3/15/12

Last year, Connie of Quilting by the River posted a great tutorial for a dish rug.  What is a dish rug? you ask.  Well it's for those bits and pieces that won't go in the dish washer, but not enough to warrant taking out the dish rack.  She made hers 18 x 20 - great way to destash.  Mine is 10 x 14 as the receipient has just that much space right of her sink.  And of course, I was able to add a bit of applique to this simply pieced item.  It is raw edge applique. The flower was adapted from a design by Esther Aliu.  She has a new BOM starting today.

What are you working on?  I love to see your eye candy in whatever stage it's in, and even if it's not applique.  TIA!

Applique Thursday

I was so busy finishing that January UFO that I only got a little bit more done on my 3rd Jubilee Album block.  My problem at this point is that the pattern calls for red flowers at the two stems left.  However, my botanical sense tells me it is not likely that would occur.  The only plant I can think that has various colored blooms on the same plant is the one commonly called yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I'll keep mulling it over - this isn't a true to life vase anyway -lol.

Would love to see your eye candy - done, in process or dreamed - use the blue button below to add your link.

Applique Thursday 2/16/12

Well I didn't get very far, but some tiny progress was made. Ms Medusa now has a flower and one to be back basted.  I'm hoping I'll finish her before the week is out cuz I have to start my second Promises and Borders block soon! 

How did you do?  Would love to see eye candy of the applique kind or any project you are working on, made before or on your wish list. Click on the blue button below to submit your link.

And some good news is that Esther got her fabrics for her new free BOM!  More applique goodness!  I can hardly wait.  You can go to her site via her WIP Wednesday's button on sidebar.