Applique Quilting Secrets

Recently, I quilted two basket quilts for the same customer.  This one is a table topper.  Cute idea for left over blocks.  Hopefully when you look at this quilt, you really notice the baskets.  They just pop off the quilt.   

There are a couple secrets to making your applique really POP.  SID (stitch-in-the-ditch) and dense quilting is needed.  Here is my approach.
First SID (stitch-in-the-ditch) all the applique and block itself.  If you skip this step, all the pieced will look like a big BLOB on the quilt.  SID makes each piece stand out - crisp and sharp.  Next I added a feather design in each of the four corners.

Not bad... looking good. But when you add the extra quilting, it really makes those baskets sing!

Try it on your next applique quilting project.

Block One

I really want to hand applique.  I love quilts with applique on them - in the borders, a touch of applique in blocks or those baltimore albums.  I joined a block of the month club for needle-turn applique.  I thought by the time I'm finished with the last block, I'll be so much better and will have really learned a lot about this method.  I can only get better - right?  I worked diligently on block one.  It looks..... okay, and I expected it to be a little wobbly.  Block one is still unfinished and then I get block two in the mail.  Then block three - panic sets in - I'm not even finished with block one yet!  Then I started to feel anxious and frustrated every time I picked up block one.  When I worked on it - it became a job I had to finish!  I wasn't enjoying the process.  I dreaded getting the next block in the mail!  I don't want this to become another project I won't finish - oh no!  I tried and I tried, but I just cannot learn to love it.  What's wrong with me? 

Why can't I get the hang of hand applique too?  I have books on different methods.  I took a class on hand applique (David Taylor) - and that project is unfinished too.

So here's the update.  I have stopped the BOM club.  It was a great relief.  I put away block one and all the others.  Maybe I can try it again after a while.  I need a break.

I still like hand projects.  But simpler, like hand embroidery or knitting dish rags.

I'll let you know when I pick up block one again.  

Black and White Quilt

A simple black and white quilt is fun and sophisticated with a floral border! This one was pieced by my customer Beth H. She made it for her daughter. It is quilted with swirls and flowers in the black border. There are some bumble bees and dragon flies quilted in too.

Bounty of Door County

The name of this quilt is "The Bounty of Door County", pieced by Carole L.

She stuffed the individual flower shapes and layered them to give dimension; then finished with hand embroidery.

It is a large quilt, over 100 inches long and 90+ wide.

Quilting....sashing and borders were done in scroll-like patterns. I was able to continue the border pattern in the background of the wording on the bottom. The background of the baskets is a dense McTavshing.