Slow Sunday Stitching - Life is Beautiful

I have been working on my Life is Beautiful project for exactly a year now and it was time to evaluate how things are progressing and what might need to change (if anything).
I have been collecting the fabrics for this quilt over the past year, always carrying the fabric swatches with me just in case I found myself in a fabric store. I am using the same colours as the quilt in the pattern. I decided I had accumulated enough fabric to start making some blocks.

So I cut up some of the fabric for a test block to applique an embroidery block onto. I deliberately chose the block with the saying "Success is not to succeed, but to try". 
I trimmed the block with the 1/4" seam allowance, clipped into that allowance all around the circle, and folded over the edge with my fingers as I was taught by Becky Goldsmith. It's amazing how much that crease helps to get a smoother edge when appliqueing.

It was fun! I just need to find my small applique pins so the thread doesn't get tangled up on the pins as I stitch.






And here is the first finished block! The next step is to cut away the extra fabric behind the embroidery circle, and that scrap will then be appliqued onto another four patch block. That's what I will be doing today, with renewed enthusiasm as I see how much I really like the look of the block.
What are you hand stitching today? Link up your blog post below and share your project with us.

Slow Sunday Stitching - Applique

Applique is something I've always wanted to do, and I really admire appliqued quilts. It has been a gentle learning curve for me and since I know that the only way to improve is to practice, I have been practicing on "pumpkin seed" blocks. You can see some of my first blocks, and the tools that I use on this post.  Over the past year, my needle turn applique has greatly improved from all this practice.

I was able to confidently applique these four blocks for my Votes For Women quilt last year. 

I only had one more block (block #49) to finish for that quilt so I thought I'd work on that for Slow Sunday Stitching this week.

It was a simple block really, and I just had to construct the wedges, then applique the curve. It went so quickly, it's already done, so I had to look for something else to applique today!
I came across a beautiful free applique block of the month pattern. If you like applique, maybe you will be enticed to start this one - Sycamore Rose.  I was able to exercise restraint (*snort*) and haven't started it (yet!)


It's back to my pumpkin seed blocks for more applique practice today.
What are you hand stitching for Slow Sunday Stitching?! I hope you will slow down today and make some time for stitching! Link up your post below and share your hand work project with us.

Can you teach an old dog new tricks?!?

Photo from See-Creative

I want to like applique, so the only way is to practice and become more efficient.  But is it really possible to teach an old dog new tricks?!?
I read all the wonderful and informative comments on my whiney post last week and am determined to try more of the methods that were described. I loved it when people commiserated with me... especially Kate who said she avoids applique "like the plague"!!! LOL 

I started with one of the Votes For Women blocks that I had previously skipped over because it looked too hard. Now, fueled by determination and information, I made block #4 Kansas Sunflower all by hand! 
And it lays flat! 

And I like it! AND I had fun! 
I especially like how I fussy cut the striped fabric which gives the block a lot of movement and energy.

This was my favorite part...hand piecing all these tiny bits.
It's a win-win situation in hand stitching land!

I hand stitched the 27 center pieces (did I mention that it laid flat?!? woohoo!) and then I stitched together the frame/corners. Then I tried the starch method to iron the edges of the curves under using the tutorial that Dea told me about which you can read over at Sew Mama Sew. 

I enjoyed the process of "painting" the starch on the seam allowances and it seemed to work well, but I had to stretch the frame a bit to make sure I didn't lose the star points.

Here is the block from the back. All the seams are laying so beautifully. I am a little worried about some of the seam allowances being too narrow on the curves.  
But I am definitely one happy camper....or should I say appliquer!!?! This old dog definitely learned some new tricks this week!
What are you hand stitching today? Post a link to your blog post below and share your project with us.