APPLIQUE PAINTBOX-I LOVE APPLIQUE

MAKING PROGRESS IN THE LAST LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

Four blocks and the quilting sampler are finished. All four of the blocks are based on Chuck Nohara's but on one I really riffed.

Fuchsias have always been a favorite of mine.  My mother grew them when I was a child in California.  I was drawn to this block and the idea of fruit hanging from a limb.  I was not sure about the pears and from there the block gradually morphed into the fuchsias after a bit of playing around with fruit and flowers. I think this one is my all time favorite.

The other Chuck blocks are more straightforward reproductions.

You can see this is a close copy-the only change I made was in making the center circle small to exaggerate the mirror image look.  Chuck's block looks very Oriental-I keep thinking "I Ching" probably due to the fabrics she choose to make her block and the design symmetry.

I love yellow and this block combines that with another favorite-twisty stems.  I like the way this one came together.  More definition will be added to the leaves during machine quilting. Chuck makes some bold and fluid designs.

And lastly another leafy sort of wreath:

I used a leaf from each of the aqua flowered prints from the different collections used in the quilt and then used rose as an accent.  

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I finished the sampler from the Sit Down Free Motion Quilters facebook group.  This sampler was fun to do with some squares being hard and some easier.  I felt like I learned a lot.  The SDFMQ's did a very professional job in designing and teaching this learner's sampler.  I have gained confidence and am ready to do more. It is not to late to sign up if you want to make this sampler.

You can see the quilting is far from perfect but if you wait for perfect, nothing will happen!  I think I will do some wild and crazy doodle stuff next.

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Applique Paintbox has three new international visitors this past week:  Serbia, South Korea, and the Isle of Man.  Admittedly, I had to look up this last knowing only its association with England.  The Isle of Man is a small island in the Irish sea between England and Northern Ireland.  It is not a part of the United Kingdom but is self governing and crown dependent (like the Channel Islands? New Zealand?).  All three of the flags of these countries have proudly added to the list of international visitors.

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With these three photos, we have come to the end of the Caswell quilt demonstration. 

These two blocks I adapted from the Caswell carpet itself. You can see my favorite twisty stems and leaves.  Snails, ladybugs. a butterfly, and a hungry hummer all add to the garden.  I find more and more that embroidery is creeping into my applique. You can see it in the stems, the flower details, and the snail shells.

These two blocks I also designed directly from the Caswell carpet though you can see Threadbear's influence in the blue flower block.  The bird block was made then remade about 6 times until I got it right.

I don't know where this block came from except I wanted more dragonflies and you have to have a water source to have dragonflies.  Ergo-a bird bath complete with bird, flowers and berries.

There are other blocks that I have not shown but I am ready to move on to display another quilt.  Since I have completed about 20 appliqued quilts before I began blogging, there is lots to show. 

HAPPY QUILTING!

 I will be linking up this week with the lovely linkies listed left!