What's New?

I have made a couple more rows to my orphan quilt. That red and blue row may not stay. Bits of the red and blue would have been good throughout the blocks. I have enough bits and tiny orphans to make another row and then I'll decide what to do next.

A couple weeks ago I went by my LQS and while there, I signed up for an applique class. Last Friday I went to the first class. It meets once a month and there are six classes. It is from a book called Birds of a Feather. The instructor has enlarged the patterns for us. I should have put a ruler in the pic. Anyway, each bird is about 5 inches. This instructor does the most perfect applique. I took a class from her several years ago too. That was before I had hand surgery and at that time, I was having trouble gripping the needle and also holding the fabric. Now I'm able to do these things, so I wanted to try again. The instructor has so many great hints and gives each student a needle and so much more. She also lets us use her glue, thread, scissors, etc. Most of all she is very nice and allows for individual likes and dislikes.

After looking through my stash (I think I can't really see it unless it is pulled out and thrown about some.), I decided to use a purple theme. The instructor teaches the needle turn method although she has also taught the spray starch one. Her edges are so smooth and you get the feel that the applique is printed on the background. I tried to do some of this but I really like a 3D feel better. I actually like wrinkles. Although I like to add batting under my piece, I didn't do this on either bird. I did sew the wing on the left bird by sewing all the way around two layers of right- side-together fabric, then slicing the back and turning. That way I just tacked the wing down. I should have left the front end of the wing open and turned it from there and then appliqued it down. Around the birds, are a lot of vine. The instructor makes hers by just eye balling the turning and ironing of 3/4 inch bias strips. She showed us some other ways too. I had this Clover bias tape maker and hadn't used it. It works wonderfully! The end of the strips get a little off but other than that, it really works.