Hi all,
Just pondering new projects, I really love to do applique quilts. Have never done one by Mckenna Ryan, wondering how difficult they are? As far as applique quilting, I would consider that I am medium to advanced as far as experience...now that is on the actual applique...fmq is another story!! ;) ...Thanks for any advice...
Kif

I enjoy McKenna Ryan patterns. The secret to success are using her fabrics and a very good pair of Kai small cutting scissors. The better the scissors, the better your cutting is. Forgot to add, patience helps a great deal on her work.

I think it just depends on your skill set. I don't applique well so for me it would be very difficult. A friend of mine loves applique and has made several Mckenna Ryan quilts and she says they are easy to do (for her) other then having sore fingers. She hand appliques them. She probably has the strongest fingertips of anyone I know! It can be a little hard to go through that many layers of fabric.

Thanks...I love to hand quilt, last couple of years have been learning machine quilting, too...like them both for different reasons, and depends on what I am making, and its use...

I use light weight fusible to arrange the pieces then top stitch(machine)very close to the edges. I also use manicure scissors for fine cutting. I like to use batiks when possible as they fray less. (if at all)

To me, the difficult part would be coughing up the money to buy a set of them. They are beautiful, but they don't come cheap! The other difficult thing would be that I prefer to come up with my own fabrics for anything - and hers seem to look a lot better with the fabrics she uses.

Holy Moly everything and anything involving McKenna Ryan patterns is here on ebay

http://stores.ebay.com/Stitches-Quil...l?_fsub=723662

I know!! That is where I was pondering buying from...but, I am like some of the others here...I like to use my own fabrics...(I really have a hard time justifying buying specialized fabrics when I have the size stash of fabrics I have...) And I really don't want to spend that much money for something that may not look right IF I don't buy her fabric...sigh...decisions, decisions....So, anyone have any pics where they made one of her patterns and used their own fabrics? I am leaning toward the wildlife, outdoorsy patterns...maybe if DH was not so nice, and would say, " Why are you buying more fabric?" I wouldn't have such a hard time deciding to buy more...but, he never says a word...I may get a little "smirk", and a big grin...but that is all...Hmmmm....blame hubby for my fabric "addiction", yeah, mmmhhhmmm.... :-P Well, thanks ya'll for your input, and any pics you know of!!

I have recently bought the "Which came first?" pattern but unlike some of you I wish I could by a kit with all the fabrics!

I have "found" them all on-line but I'm sure its going to take some doing to assemble the whole list of them, especially if I have to order from different places! Shipping - ugh!

Going to check out Fabric Depot this coming week. They may have a few.

Thanks for advise on scissors, etc! I'd agree that the batiks would be the only way to go!

I have a kit still in the box. Took a look at all the tiny pieces and decided to wait on it a little longer. The basic construction is really fusible interfacing with raw edge applique. Not too difficult I'd say - just tedious.