January 2016 - Lost Socks!

Do you ever lose just one sock? Well here they are in this quilt. All kinds, all shapes, plain and fancy.

Quick applique, hand or machine.

1. Choose a light fabric for the background, print or solid. Cut into a 6" square.

2. Choose a medium or dark fabric for the sock. Cut into a 3.5" x 5" rectangle.

By eye, cut any sock shape that you like. Position it in any direction on your background.

Applique the sock to the background using any method. 

Do you want to make tights or low ankle socks? Baby socks? Pairs of socks? Lace edging?

It's all good. 

June 2015 - Broderie Perse Hand- Applique

Choose a 6" square of solid white (or ivory, parchment, a pale pastel) for the background, and a floral bouquet. Cut the bouquet in a very simple shape echoing the design (not cutting around each leaf and petal). Gentle curves are much easier to applique.

Place the bouquet on the background square and use a pin or glue stick to hold it in place while hand-sewing. Using the "needle-turn" method of hand applique shown below, turn under the outer one-eighth to one-quarter inch and hand sew. See the finished block at the top of this post.

This quilt will be quite a flower show!

May: Donuts (Quick Applique)

This is a quick and easy block that will make an awesome quilt: Donuts! Start with a 6" square for the background using a light print or solid. (That's 5.5" in the finished quilt.) Cut another 6" square for the donut. Fold in quarters, then cut the outer curve and the inner curve. Then applique by hand, machine, or fuse. (If you fuse, apply fusible backing on the square before cutting the donut shape.)

Cut 6" square for back - light print or solid. (Above)

Apply fusible backing if desired. Then cut into donut shape. Free hand, no measuring.

Here are some examples (above). Have fun!

See you in May!

Autumn Leaves - November 2010

Are you an "old hand" at hand applique? Or maybe this will be something new. Either way, this bite-sized project will delight your creative spirit.

We'll start with a 6" square foundation and add one or more leaves (of any shape) in autumn colors. Any combination of prints, solids, batiks, plaids, stripes...whatever says autumn to you. (Finished size in the quilt top will be 5 1/2".)

As you know, this method is called needleturn applique. You can see a tutorial on YouTube by Karen (not me) and Deb of CT Quilting Videos. It's about 7 minutes long. Some parts are hard to see, but hang in there; other parts are very good.

For each block that you make, you get a chance to win all the blocks. Join the fun. This will be a beautiful quilt.