APPLIQUE PAINTBOX-I LOVE APPLIQUE

IN WHICH WE RECEIVE THE BEST GIVEAWAY EVER!

I received this wonderful package of fabrics from Robin at I Like to Create @ http://solsticestudio.blogspot.com.  I photographed the fabrics below Caswell because I wish I had some of these pretty fabrics when I made this quilt.  They would have been perfect.  The fabrics are all designed by Paula Barnes.  Isn't this the most generous giveaway ever!  I am very lucky to have won!

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On to more mundane topics........

I have been working on the borders for Sweet Surrender.  I have been working on the right hand side:

The border is basically completed.  All that is needed is some leaves from the brilliant Kaffe fabric and, I think, some colorful dots but no flowers.  Keep it simple.

 The vines as you can see are based on the stems on the body of the quilt.  The applique stitching is completed.  I think I will make the vines for all four sides before I add the leaves just so I can see where I am at that point.

I origninally used my 1/4 bias maker and make yards of stems while I was waiting to buy the background I needed.  However, I molded and basted some of these bias stems and realized they were quite a bit different from those of the body of the quilt.  The 1/4 inch bias formed stems which were much more sturdy, architectural, and, substantial.  See what you think-match it against the thin stems in the quilt body.

Those on the right are the 1/4 " stems.  I much prefer the thinner ones which match the flowing, curvaceous, and more delicate look of the stems on the quilt body.  Here is my process for making the thin stems.  All my tools are there except for the clover mini iron.

I use freezer paper to trace my shape, then iron the shape to my cloth, clipping the edges of the cloth. I paint the cloth with starch as I go, then iron the edges of the cloth over the paper shape.  I have some fray-block handy for tightly curved areas which have lots of clipping. You can see by the two finished pieces the nice, clean results of this process.  I made several of the little silver ironing pads to use to keep the ironing board clean.  I can just throw these in the washer.  I use the Elmer's glue to glue baste the finished pieces on the applique.  To prevent glue from getting all over things, i lay the applique piece on a small piece of plexiglass and apply the glue there.  I cut lots of these squares from an odd piece of plexiglass I had around and just rinse the glue off after working. 

I like to use Elmer's because it glues the applique piece down sturdily but it is also easy to move and rearrange the piece.  When I have everything in place, I do big stitch basting with white thread .  I have found this method works well for me.  Everything stays put nicely and there are no pins to tangle me up.

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Two friends watching the sunrise together.  

This is Rommy the yellow Lab and Yoshi the orange cat.  My husband caught this perfect image in the early morning  with the  Lieca camera in his cell phone. These two are good friends.  The cat generously  allows for the dog's more limited mental capacity (his words, not mine!)  

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AND NOW....

YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

There is so much beauty in the natural world.  An here is a sample for you to enjoy.  These are Mandarin fish which live in the Pacific Ocean and love the reefs around Australia.  They are part of the Dragonet fish family-they look like they could be part of a mysterious dragon family:

Lucky Australia!

OK...that's all for this week-happy quilting until we met again!

I am linking up with:

Slow Stitching Sunday, Bambi's Blog,

Patchwork Times,  Em's Scrapbag,

Esther's Wow, Let's Bee Social,

Whoop Whoop, and Off the Wall Friday.