Applique Thursday 2/7/13 & a Giveaway

This is why I started Applique Thursday.  I love applique, but with Life and other commitments, I never seem to get around to it.  AT makes me stop and do some - even if it's only a little progress. And that's what we have today:

The last pieces of block 5 of Anna's Garden are now prepped.  I just have to turn under the seam allowance and start stitching.  I use Linda Cantrell's method of tracing the right side of the piece.  I then iron the freezer paper to the right side and cut it out with my micro-serrated scissors.  Then I baste around the tips.  Once the basting is in, I place the piece with the dull side touching the back of the fabric - or shiny side showing on the back.  I then press over the seam allowance onto the shiny side and use a toothpick to get some nice points (as Becky Goldsmith taught me on her blog).  Then I'll be ready to watch Person of Interest tonight on TV.

                           Now for the giveaway.  Remember this?  I picked a winner, but she was no reply.  I hoped she still read my blog or was signed up for email notice of new post to my blog, however I never heard from her.  So then my so busy two months happened and recently I picked another winner.  I emailed her but after two weeks have not heard from her either.  So..., it's up for grabs again.  Please, please be sure there is a way for me to contact you if you are no-reply on blogger.  And so your email won't be harvested do use this format:  areader at gmail dot com   Okay?

 To win this copy, 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. And for extra chances, tell your friends about this giveaway. If they comment or link and mention you in their comment, you'll automatically get another entry in this giveaway. Submissions end Wednesday night. Use the blue link below. And remember, it doesn't have to be applique (that you share that is) -  all sorts of eye candy is eligible.

A Lovely Year...

 

To not lose my incentive to get this UFO done, I'm linking to Melissa and Shanna's A Lovely Year of Finishes.  I need all the encouragement I can get - it's so easy to get distracted by other projects calling to me.  I mean, 1997 was a long time ago!  They're only asking me to work on one finish a month.  I may just be able to do that.  And maybe even win a prize at the end of the month for my finish!  Click on the button to learn more.

PS: 2/8/13 - I've finished the border and need to look for binding strips! Think I'll link up with Pat Sloan's Show and Tell.

Design Wall Monday 2/4/13

I'm ready to post something.  After spending the best part of last week trying to get my new computer to resemble a more equivalent of what I had on the old one, I think I am close.  I will have to keep learning how to do things on Windows 8  - and it's a rather steep learning curve - but at last I know how to upload, correct and resize photos so I can post them.  Phew!  Moral of story - wait until the first service pack comes out on a new operating system.  I knew that, but did I wait? - Nooooo!

On my design wall is that 1997 UFO being readied to quilt the borders.  I found a motif by Mary Covey that I am going to use. 

 

I really like this product - this is the third motif I have used from this group. It's a pattern packet, not a book.  I'm going to be on the lookout for volumes one and two.  I did some free motion quilting in the center square.  The borders will be quilted using the freezer paper method

 

 

I laid freezer paper over the template and traced the feather onto the freezer paper.  I cut it out. I'm using the 3 1/2" border template.  Here it is pressed onto the border.

 

 

I'm linking over to Judy's Patchwork Times and Lyn's BOMs Away.  Go on over and see what others are going to be working on this week.