Lasy year, I was diagnosed with diabetes. Now what has that got to do with Applique, I hear you ask, well, I love needleturn applique. I know it is very different to to my contemporary fibre art work but, early last year I started a block of the month called "Springtime in the garden" with
Alice Wilhoit and
The quilting School. It is a gorgeous quilt and Alice designed it to teach lots of different applique methods, which I found really great.
However, when I was diagnosed, my eye began to play up and I had to lay the applique aside, even with magnifiers, I found it a strain to see the stitches and what I was doing.
But recently, I have found that my eyes have improved and I have returned to my applique!
This is my centre block. It is not quite finished, needing a few more ribbon flowers and a lot of embroidery. The vines were done using backbasting and the birds were done using freezer paper on top off the block, then appliqued down.
This block is mostly embroidery (which I usually do last, when all the blocks are appliqued), but the applique is with ultra suede, so the edges will not fray and it is very easy to stitch.
This block was done using the freezer paper and starch method and I know I don't like using it for shapes like the flower in the middle. My results speak for themselves. However, there is still a lot of embroidery to go on and I have not done the applique yet.
You might notice my lines. I use a frixxion pen to mark on my backgrounds. It irons off easily. However, it does sometimes leave a waxy mark, so I don't use it on black fabric for that reason.
These last two blocks have been assembled, not sewn. I generally do this first so, I can just grab a block from the box and some thread and sew when I have time.
I also have several back basted blocks ready to go in the same box and of all the techniques, I enjoy backbasting the most.
A while ago, I began compiling a list of applique techniques and do you know, I found more than a hundred?
Happy sewing
