Building Blocks Quilt Along

Autumn time has to be my favorite season - until the next one starts! This morning I was woken by the screeching sound of a large flock of geese travelling in to the Island on the Lake. They come every Autumn, so many, that they really do mark the season. It's such a spectacle if you are out walking when they fly overhead, the sound of their beating wings seems really close. I often flinch in case one of them decides to send me a "message"!

I have been picking blackberries from the hedgerows and harvested lovely apples from my trees. There are shiny red rose hips and hawthorn berries at every turn. I have even made 2 batches of jam and a spicy plum chutney! Domestic goddess until you observe the dust! The surrounding fields are now being ploughed and the landscape is changing. I haven't ever been so aware of the seasons since I moved to the countryside.

Basket Blocks Applique

So I am still trying to catch up with my quilt along project - of course lack of progress has nothing to do with my jam making! I see some people have finished their quilts ahead of schedule even. So this week I have been working on this little block among other things. As I am free motion quilting these blocks the seams are pressed open to reduce bulk.

The pattern just calls for a handle now and then the quilting but for some reason I want to plonk in a flower. I think it may be a bit twee but never mind. When I have 4 of these to make, why am I adding extra work?!

Freezer paper applique

So handle first. I used freezer paper to trace the template and ironed it onto the wrong side of the fabric. I cut it out with a generous 1/4 inch seam. (I can always trim it back some more if I need to)


As this shape is a curve I have positioned it across the bias of the fabric and that will make it easier to turn under the edges for a neat shape.

Clipped edges on the inside curve also helps the fabric turn under.

Having sprayed a little starch into the can lid and used  a brush to apply little dots where the fabric will fold over the shape, I ironed it, pressing the edges over the paper to create a neat handle shape. No Steam!


Freezer paper can then come out.

I hand stitched this down with a fine silk thread but Aurifil is good too, 50 weight, something fine so the stitches are less visible.

Needle: Size 10 Milliner. For me the longer fine needle makes it easier to manipulate the fabric.

Thread Conditioner. It is very annoying when thread begins to knot or spiral as you work it. You can reduce this by keeping it quite short and a little wax or thread conditioner fixes the problem. Running the thread across the conditioner once or twice then once through your fingers to smooth and the problem is rectified. Have I said before how I love tools and gadgets?!

I held the shape in place with just a couple of pins. People basting glues, tacking or short applique pins. In this instance pins were fine.

Stitching
So you just secure the thread underneath or on top under the shape you intend to apply. Needle up and through the very edge of the shape then straight back down into the background fabric. This is where the long needle is handy. Next I travel along the back a little way then back up through the background and into the very edge of the shape again. The stitches need to be puled tight but not so that they pucker the fabrics. Mine looked like this on the back.


And here it is done :-) 3 more to go and some applique flowers! I better go get on with it!