Applique

Recently I have been drawn to hand applique.  I am not exactly sure why, except to say that my current knitting project is giving me fits.  After putting the knitting project into a temporary time out, I needed a project that was portable.  I decided to re-try hand applique.  I took a hand applique class about 6 years ago.  While I enjoyed the peacefulness of hand applique, it wasn't something I could easily tote around with smallish children.  I chalked it up to experience and moved on.  I have tried several forms of machine applique and while the results are certainly not ugly, they are not always pretty.  Needless to say I have steered clear of applique projects for the most part, until just recently.

I started working on this applique for The Easy & Breezy quilt found in Spring/Summer 2010 Better Homes and Garden's Quilt Sampler.  I had gathered the pieces together as a back up project for a car trip we took last summer.  Since then the pieces have sat and gathered dust in my sewing space.  With back to back soccer tournaments and a trip to Philadelphia planned I decided to pull it out.

The bright and bold fabrics were a delight to work with.  I finished this up in just a couple of weeks.  I noticed just yesterday that the basket is tilted to the right, ever so slightly.  I decided to call it whimsical and leave it be.

I haven't decided what to do with this panel.  I initially was going to make the entire quilt.  The more I experiment with unplanned quilting the more I love it.  I thought perhaps I could add some 4x4 blocks around the panel and make a table runner or even larger blocks for a smallish wall hanging.

 I still need to pull out my embroidery floss and add eyes, beaks and feet to the birds.  But for now its tucked away once again waiting for inspiration to strike.