APPLIQUE PAINTBOX-I LOVE APPLIQUE

IN WHICH I CHECK BACK IN TO THE BLOGOSHPERE AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE

Here is what I have been doing:

This block is the latest in Helen Godden's BOM “Curiouser & Curiouser” which will tell the story of Alice in Wonderland.  Now I am not the biggest Alice fan but I love her programs and signed up to learn more about fabric painting and quilting.  However, I have fallen in love with this quirky BOM.  

Here are the blocks so far (Feb, Mar. and April):

This is a mystery BOM so we don't know the layout of the blocks yet but aren't the colors wonderful?!!

I am learning so much and enjoying the fun in “Curiouser & Curiouser” BOM with Helen Godden. Every month is a new block based on Alice in Wonderland. You don’t need to know anything about painting because she teaches us all with the videos. The added advantage of signing up later is you can see what other have done on the private facebook group.The videos are excellent-full of detail.  Also Helen is a very nice, funny lady with an Aussie accent.

Here is the link to Helens' page to learn more:
https://helengodden.com/produ…/curiouser-curiouser-2019-bom/

I enjoy Helen's patterns and videos so much I signed up for an extra class called "Polygon Parrots"

This is the painted block before quilting.  We use Jacquard Lumiere paints which are easy to use and very forgiving. And this photo is after quilting.  I quilted mine a bit differently than Helen but she loves to see what others make of her designs. Mine is Parrots at Sunset-You can see the setting sun in the lower right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chuck Susan and Me has all the quilting completed (whew)....All that remains is to sew on the binding.  Here is a sneak peak to whet your appetite:

 

this quilt was so much work...,arrggh! but all done now and I like it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am finally beginning on Yoko Saito's Pattern Imaginary Garden-a pattern from Quiltmania which is heavily appliqued.  I have decided I will not make big quilts anymore but rather focus on quilts not bigger than 4x5 or so.  So I had to shrink the pattern down by about 50% which made the appliqued elements very small.  

Looking at alternatives, I find two choices:  one is raw edge applique thus:

Which looks okay but this method usually works best with fabrics with high thread count like batiks,  I am afraid that my calicoes will shatter when I stitch them tho the stems above seem okay.

The second method is intriguing: shadow applique.  All the raw edge applique pieces are ironed down and then covered with a sheer organza.  The quilting is done then through the organza at the edges of the applique.  

The colors are dimmed a bit but all the colors are bright and can take a bit of dimming.  The finished quilt will have all the quilting on top of the sheen.  There is also some embroidery which would go on top of the organza.  Has anyone else done shadow quilting?

AND NOW....
YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

Best bookcase ever

HAPPY STITCHING (AND PAINTING) UNTIL WE MET AGAIN!

I am linking up with:

Slow Stitching Sunday, Bambi's Blog, Making Monday,  Em's Scrapbag, Esther's Wow, 
Midweek Makers, Whoop Whoop, Finish or Not!, and Off the Wall Friday.