Getting comfortable with applique

I’ve always been a little intimidated, yet intrigued by applique; you know, those beautiful quilts with hundreds of tiny pieces that make up scenes, patterns, and motifs on quilts.

I’ve dabbled in the art of applique, but was never really good at it. The first quilt I ever made used applique pieces. I’ve learned however, that in quilting, as in life, practice makes perfect. Thankfully, I’ve also learned that nothing is really perfect, and that is okay. I still love this quilt because it was my first, but it is certainly not my best work.

I have done a few more applique pieces since then, and my skills are improving, but I am still not comfortable with it. I need more practice.

One of the things I love about quilting is how much there is to learn. And with each endeavor, my skills continue to improve. This first quilt was just a jumping off point, and I haven’t stopped jumping yet. I doubt I ever will. The more I learn, the more I realize how much there is to learn. I knew when I sat at the edge of my bed, in the sunlight, quilting this quilt that I would be a quilter for the rest of my life.

I know I will get plenty of applique practice with the border of this, my latest quilt project. It is the block of the month for 2019 designed by Becky Goldsmith for The Quilt Show of which I am a proud member.

This quilt screams precision, so I want to make sure I get the appliqued borders just right.

My first attempts at perfect circles took some time, a little study, and a bit of practice, but I’m getting there. Perfecting those petal shapes with their sharp points is getting easier as I go too. By the time I finish gluing all the edges to prepare them for sewing onto fabric, I should be an old hand at this.

Hand or machine applique—on no—another decision. When the time comes, I’ll figure that out too. But for now, I have some work to do.

How cool is this?

Still a work in progress, these pieces need to be sewn together and a border around the circle will create a square, but I just can’t say enough about how much I am going to love this quilt. 

When I was a kid, my favorite toy was a Spirograph. I loved making shapes with that toy, and the more intricate the better. I used to make a shape, any random shape, and then move the pen just a few clicks to ‘echo’ that shape. I did it over and over again until I got the effect I wanted. I wish I still had some of the gorgeous designs I made. They would likely help me with quilting free motion designs. I used to play with my Spirograph for hours.
This quilt reminds me of that toy.

Now that I think about it, I should start playing with shapes and designs and come up with my own ideas for a quilt rather than use someone else’s design. That is one of my quilting goals—to design my own quilts. I’m just not there yet. I’m still in awe of what other people are doing. Perhaps I will never get there, who knows? The quilting world continues to evolve, and there are so many different things I’d still like to try.

But, I am really enjoying this paper-pieced design by Becky Goldsmith. This is really an enjoyable project.

By the way, this will be the third block I’m working on. The first two have been completed.

There are 9 different blocks in the quilt. I can’t wait to make all of them. These blocks are huge. That means I am 1/3 of the way to a completed quilt top.

Making time for quilting

My latest quilt block, in progress

I’ve had a sick husband, sick cats, and bouts of vertigo in the last several months, but I refuse to forego my quilting passion.

The way I figure it, enjoying quilting doesn’t mean I need a thimble on my finger or a foot on the sewing machine pedal. Sometimes my love of quilting is much less subtle. Oh, it is great to carve out some time to actually work on the pastime I love, but when that isn’t possible, I do the next best thing. 

I immerse myself in quilting videos on You Tube, visit a quilting blog or two, or thumb through a myriad of quilting magazines I’ve collected. Sometimes I even sit with pen to paper and doodle, hoping to create a new or practice an old quilting design. There is always so much that goes into quilting from concept to completed project that actually making a quilt is really only one small part of it.

Such has been my story of late. There just hasn’t been time for me to quilt, until today. I decided to bite the bullet, which in my case means leave the sink full of dirty dishes, hold off on folding the dryer contents, and even offer just fast food for supper.

I’m working on the paper-pieced project that is the 2019 Block of the Month designed exclusively for members of The Quilt Show, designed by Becky Goldsmith, as described in my previous blog post https://chquilts.ozarkattitude.com/2019/06/this-one-will-be-next_1.html

Becky is a stellar designer and the directions in her pattern are detailed and easy to follow. I’ve been quilting for about 20 years and have done paper-piecing numerous times, so you would think this would be a piece-o-cake for me. Nope.

It is difficult to jump back into a project after a long hiatus. Skills need practice. I had expected not to do stupid things, like trim the foundation on the sewing line instead of the cutting line or sew the fabric wrong side up, or cut the wrong number of pieces, even though cutting directions are clearly spelled out. I guess all isn’t lost though; I did get to hone my seam-ripping skills.

All I know is it was just good to sit in that chair today; my brain, in perfect harmony with my sewing machine while all the cares of the day just disappeared. I was even in sync with the dirty dishes and laundry—both cooperated by promising to wait for me.

This one will be next

I'm about to begin a new project, although for some reason, I'm dragging my feet.

I'd like to start, albeit it late, this Block of the Month from “The Quilt Show,” a quilt that contains several beautiful paper-pieced blocks.

It is called "Sizzle" and was designed by Becky Goldsmith. The pattern came in two different colorways , one cool and the other very hot with lots of red and yellow and orange. I was drawn to this one though, since turquoise has become my new favorite color. I chose against buying the fabric kit, which would have made this so much easier, but I wanted to use the fabric from my own stash. After all, that is why I collect fabric every chance I get.

Several days ago I picked out some fabric, primarily turquoise, with some blue, yellow, and a hint of yellow-green, along with three that are white/off-white. I plan to make this scrappier, and just pick colors and fabrics out of a generalized selection of fat quarters and yardage.

This color decision is a source of anxiety because I want to make sure I will like it when it is all done. I am loosely following the design, but the fabric I use will dictate the final product. That always makes me nervous, although it shouldn’t. I’m never disappointed in a finished quilt.

I'm not sure why I’m intimidated by this quilt. I suppose I always am when there will be new skills involved that I’m not yet comfortable with, but I know I need to just pull up my big girl pantaloons and get going on it. The thing began in January after all.

I'm not sure what is holding me back. Perhaps it is my color choices. Perhaps it is my lack of skills. Perhaps I just can’t picture how to fit in one more thing into my busy life. Perhaps it is all of the above.

I can’t help but wonder if other quilters feel these anxious moments before they start a project. If so, I’d love to know how to overcome it.

One of these days though, I will stop second-guessing myself and will dive right in. It just isn’t quite yet.