APPLIQUE THURSDAY

I only participate from time to time, but I managed to finish the embroidery on my Southwest tree of life project.

 Of course, after I took the picture, I realized that I had forgotten to stitch the spines on the cactus!  Guess I'll be working on that tonight...
My next job will be to find fabric for the borders - off to hunt through the stash.
Check out everyone's applique projects here.

FORGOTTEN BLOCKS!

Since I couldn't move forward on my "Pushin Up Spring" quilt until the backing fabric was washed, I decided to plan the layout for another applique project that I had worked on over the past winter.  The pattern is called "Baltimore Bliss" and is found here.

Block 11

 

 

Block 12

These were hand appliqued using a wash-away stabilizer, and I recently spent some time adding a bit of machine stitched embroidery to each block.  Here is the border fabric that inspired the colours in the quilt blocks.

 I enjoy designing in EQ7.  I imported pictures of each of the finished blocks, and then added a picture of the border, so I could see the actual border in place!  Too much fun!
Since I was able to wash and dry the backing, along with the 15 yards of fabric that I recently purchase, I'll be spending the rest of the morning at the ironing board.

PRESIDENT'S SCHOOLHOUSE CHALLENGE

The latest tradition with the outgoing President of the Limestone Quilters' Guild is to have a quilt challenge for the final meeting of the year.  This year's challenge consisted of using an 8 inch finished schoolhouse block and making a wall hanging, no larger than 20x30 inches.
Of course, I left mine until almost the last minute.  I used a schoolhouse block from EQ7, and pulled some fabrics from my stash.  Since I had lovely "sky" fabric, I didn't want to cut it into small pieces to finish the block, so I made a base layer of sky and grass, then I turned the seam allowances under and machine appliqued the schoolhouse to the background! 
I decided to add some thread painting, so first I stitched a tree

 Then I added the little flowered area......

I added some small buttons to the front of the schoolhouse, for a door knob and the heart because it mimics my guild's logo.....

I decorated the tree and the schoolhouse with tiny quilt blocks, cut from fabric bought many years ago.....

And finally the finished product!

I was amazed at how many sewing related fabrics I found in my stash!  I can't wait to see what others have done.  They will be on display on June 1 at our spring dinner meeting, and they hope to have them on display at the quilt show in June 2012 as well.

Finished the dragonfly wall hanging

This was a great kit by WHIMS, that included the pre-cut squares, fabric for the appliques and 2 dragonflies made from angelina fibres.  I used the fusible grid to line up the squares, then it was just a matter of sewing along the rows.  it does make it a bit stiff, but since is is a wall hanging, I don't think it matters.  I used leftover strips from my bins to make the borders and the binding, and even the backing fabric was a cut-off from the backing of another quilt!

 The dragonflies are dimensional.

 I stitched the waterlily and the rushes before layering and quilting.  I used monofilament (invisible) thread to outline the shapes and to do a large meandering in the "sky" area of the wall hanging, as well as to SITD (stitch in the ditch) of the narrow borders.   I stitched some ripples in the "water" area using a mylar type thread - a bit fussy through the fusible, but I persevered.  I just have to label the back before I send it to my son as a gift for his girlfriend.

Finished Snowman Collector

I finished the simple, stitch-in-the-ditch quilting on Monday, then hand stitched the binding yesterday.  I then went back and did some outline quilting around the snowmen and trees, but I kept it simple as the fabrics and embroidery do most of the work on this quilt.  I plan to take it to Florida to freshen up my Christmas display this year!

Snowman Top Complete

I managed to get the borders on before my DS1 arrived for a long weekend visit.  Lots of baking and cooking going on now, including a turkey roasting in the oven.
Here's a closeup of the border.....

And here is the finished top.....

 I added some white highlights to the snowmen and snowy areas in each block.  I also added a couple of buttons as well.

Finished A Tisket A Tasket

I

 I managed to take a fair picture of the whole quilt with DH's assistance.  Now back to the quilting on my last "for fun" quilt.
I'll be away for a few days, travelling for my Mother-in-law's funeral.  I'll miss Design Wall Monday this week......