Six complete

Thank you for all your great comments on my last post, some requested seeing the blocks pictured together, so here they are.....

Seeing them like this has made me realise that I need to plan the colour combinations for the remaining lollipops so that they all look good together. I also remembered a previous post by Janet on colour values & seeing them better by removing the colour from the image & you can see in the photo below this is going to be a valuable tool in planning future blocks.

Once again thanks for all the good advice given on this blog, I am learning so much as a novice patchworker/quilter & really appreciate all the tips shared.
Now back to block 7, happy stitching :)

The First Five

Block 1

Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas & that Santa brought you all you wished for, I was fortunate to receive more KF fabrics amongst my gifts to add to my ever growing stash :)

Block 2

Block 3

Block 6 layout

I tend to pick out, cut & prepare all the fabrics for the pieces of which ever block I'm working on in one session. Then to help me remember their placement, take a photo of the layout which I set as the desktop background on my laptop for quick reference.

Block 4

I've been having great fun making up these Lollipop Trees (am now addicted to fussy cutting!) & never get bored as they are all so different.......... here lies the secret of Kim's patterns!

Block 5

Wishing you all a happy, healthy & prosperous 2011 with lots of stitching time :)

Block 1 progress

Previously very fearful of attempting needleturn applique, as it looked so difficult, I can now say that I love it and have found it so relaxing to stitch a bit each evening in front of the TV.
Here's the progress so far on my 1st block, I had trouble choosing which fabrics/colours to start with & found all your advice really helpful, thanks girls :) Looking at this photo now I'm wondering if it is a bit too pink, hopefully the last 2 leaves will balance that out a bit. I'm not sure if I'll add all the smaller circles yet as I quite like this simpler version, I do tend to like doing things slightly different & rarely follow patterns exactly.......we'll see how it goes.
Loving this blog & catching up with everyones progress, real works of art are being produced here, keep it up girls!

Getting Started - Lollipop Trees

Well I had 2 potential backgrounds lined up for my Lollipop trees but kept having visions of bright fabrics on a dark background, so the spots were put aside for black. This then presented the problem of how to transfer the design to the fabric? Tried the window method....no good, remembered the overlay method for placing the shapes, but had no vinyl/plastic on hand.

Then I remembered seeing Shirley's Hearts & Flowers applique with the design tacked onto the background & had an idea. What if I trace the pattern onto plain tissue paper, pin this to the fabric, tack the design through both layers & then gently tear off the tissue once done?.... guess what, it worked! I haven't bothered tacking in all the smaller circles as these can be easily placed once the main larger pieces have been stitched. I was wondering if there are any other ways of transfering the design to dark fabric?

Now I just have to decide which applique method to use: needleturn, front basting or Floriani stitch & wash? Oh decisions, decisions......

New Venture

Hi, I'm Gisele & I've decided to finally take the plunge & venture into an applique project. Having followed this wonderful blog for quite some time and taken in all the valuable advice offered by the experts in applique, my decision was made & the Lollipop Trees pattern was ordered.

Some Kaffe fabrics also arrived this week from Glorious Color (the 12 along the bottom) as I felt I could do with just a few more reds & greens to add to my little collection........well a girl always needs a few more doesn't she?
Whilst going through my stash of bright fabrics I came across 3 colourways of Kaffe's Lotus Leaf, this has always been my favourite design of his, but then today's mail brought me Coleus Leaf by Philip Jacobs in teal below........and now I have to admit I have 2 favorites. Aren't the colours in this fabric just wonderful? Do you have a favourite in your stash you just have to get out every now & again to fondle?

So now I'm all set to go & have the difficult decision on fabric combinations for the 1st block. Any advice on this process will be most gratefully received :)