Work in Progress - Winter Apple Needle Turn Appliqué

By Blackbird Designs...  Was started more than two years ago and I'm thrilled to report that I'm nearly done with the 4th quadrant of this awesome Lap quilt!

I just LOVE the fabrics and the pattern of this piece.  I was lucky to have attended an appliqué class taught by a good friend, Debbie Wick.  You can see Debbie's finished Winter Apple here.

Isn't Debbie's piece beautiful?  She had her piece quilted by an amazing long arm quilter locally.  I only hope that mine will finish as beautifully as hers. On this piece I plan to outline stitch all of the appliqué and then have a hand at a little More McTavishing!  Woohoo I'm so excited.

Below is pomegranate #2 on the final quadrant just waiting to be stitched.

Here is quadrant #1 which was finished a LONG time ago and is therefore very wrinkled.

Here is quadrant #2... And there is another one just like it completed as well.

I'm thinking this weekend I'll stitch, stitch, stitch and get this flimsy done!

I am using Mettler #60 fine embroidery thread and some Auriful #50 as well.

I am also using Clover Gold Eye Appliqué Needles (No. 12) 

I mark my darker fabrics with soap stone and use Sew Line or Primsacolor Verithin pencils... Both are awesome!

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Karen

Oh Mr. Postman!

I couldn't be more excited about winning this LARGE box of "Family Tree" scraps from Deb Strain's (for Moda) recent Blog Giveaway at debstrain.blogspot.com.

Imagine my excitement when I opened the box and walaaaa!

"These are a few of my favorite things!" 

Red birds!

Paisley...

and more birds!  

I just couldn't contain myself.  Within minutes I had the fabric out of the box and sorted on the floor!

DH just shaking his head at me {wink}...

I even took a few minutes to sketch down a pillow design using the scraps - complete with quilting ideas!

Now I just need a few minutes of machine time to create!  Woohoo I can't wait!

No sewing today though ... It's off to work I go...  I normally work from home but I'm trekking to campus for some important meetings today...  (This is what pays the mortgage ;)

Thanks Deb Strain for the fantastic giveaway!

Have a great day all!

Hugs,

Karen

No Stitch Regulator - More FMQ for a Friday Finish

Y'all are probably getting tired of my Growth Chart posts - but my sister needed one more chart quilted and its great practice for me so thanks (heart) for your patience!

This chart is for Caylee Felt - my youngest nephews, youngest daughter... 

Caylee is a sweet 'lil peanut.  

I decided to do all over loops with some swirl designs in the lighter spaces... 

I did a bit more quilting on the birds this time.  I love how the yellow bird came out!

The red bird had a little less quilting:

A close up of the red bird

And just a little finishing touch on the inner border... 

I quilted "Caylee"with a heart on either side all the way around the border... It was fun!

I used my Janome Horizon for all of the quilting with Aurifil thread.  

My sister Janet had the whole piece basted with cotton batting and backing when she dropped it off to me.  

No stitch regulator on this machine... So lots of fits and starts... 

Do you FMQ with a machine that is stitch regulated?

Do you have a preference or find that it makes a big difference?  

Anxious to learn more.

Thanks for stopping by today and have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs,

Karen

Ps. Janet is finishing up the binding this morning - I'll add a completed picture soon...

Wool Appliqué - Making Progress

Making progress on my wool applique "Penny Garland" table topper - a Kim Diehl pattern with modifications!

"Really?" 

My friends and sisters would say?  

"You modified it? -- No way!"

teehee...

Here is a picture of the original Kim Diehl quilt as it hung in our classroom:

I decided to NOT use the fusible applique method that Kim taught... I try to avoid glue and fuse if I can... You work a little harder at getting your pieces to stay in place but because this is a primitive topper...who minds if things are skewed a bit?

I also switched up the center penny design -- instead of a 9 patch I decided on "pennies in the round"... I really love the way it came out.

Here are some close up shots:

The wool applique shapes were traced to freezer paper, ironed on the wool, cut out by hand and stitched on with Pearl Cotton and an overhand stitch.

The vine was made with a Clover Bias Tape Maker and appliqued on with a Metler applique thread.

The berry above is one of my favorite wools in the bunch -- given to me by my friend Debbie... isn't that blue and burgundy awesome ?

These two (above and below) are also my favorites !!  Love those reds...

A neat thing about going to a wool applique class with your friends AND an Instructor that LOVE wool is you share small pieces of wool amongst the group -- it is really fun and your piece is very unique when completed!!

Only a few more berries and leaves to stitch and I'll be ready to trim, layer, baste and quilt.   Kim quilted hers with her big stitch method - but I think I'll practice my Free Motion Quilting on this one -- can't keep me away from that !

Thanks for stopping by everyone!

Linking up to my favorite blogs - check them out on my sidebar and stop by and see some WONDERFUL projects !!

Have a wonderful day!
Karen