Machine Appliqué

I am ready to welcome Autumn! Here is my first double wedding ring quilt, a table topper measuring 45" x 45", just bound and ready to replace the garden quilt I have had on my dining room table since Spring. The wedding rings were not stitched the traditional way, but using the QuiltSmart fusible interface (details of construction here). As I was getting ready to FMQ it, I had no idea which motif to use.  I opted to fill the quilt with leaves, thousands of them, scattered very close … [Read more...] about Double Wedding Ring Table Topper

I am trying to get ahead of the game by working on Christmas gifts. I remember I had two of these blocks from a wall hanging I made a little while ago (and gave to someone, don't remember who, and did not keep a picture...). So, I made another table runner with one heart with stars on each end, and four layer cake pieces in between, separated by sashing. There is only one border, pieced; the backing has the same fabrics pieced in squares. As in my previous project, this table runner is also … [Read more...] about Applique in the USA

I've been working on a fun quilt with [real] pineapple blocks. Using mostly batiks, I started assembling a square with strips from various fabrics, then ironed fusible web on the back, cut it, and machine appliqued it onto the mottled cream background. The leaves were supposed to be cut individually from different green fabrics. However, due to all the colors I had already used on the fruit, I decided to use the guide for leaf placement in place of many leaves, and chose a single … [Read more...] about Colorful pineapple blocks

This is my other source of relaxation: machine applique. I can't show you the whole quilt as it is for our round robin... The colors turned out so nice, I may even make a quilt for myself with them. I am adding some embroidery on the corners, but am not sure I like the thread I am using (too thick) as the French knots are not turning out right.  It looks like a do over... Applique is a great technique to use when the quilt blocks are very geometric, and the whole project could benefit … [Read more...] about Machine applique

Last week I purchased The Rose of Sharon Block Book by Sharon Pederson (you can find it here). What wonderful block designs! Although I had already downloaded the designs onto EQ6 a while ago, I am glad I bought the book, which features the 12 winning block designs from their EQ6 challenge, plus other 83 beautiful designs. One of the reasons I got the book was because they used batiks for the blocks. The amazing, vibrant colors from all the batiks wowed me. As I read the book (I do so, cover to … [Read more...] about Rose of Sharon block