I was in Laura's shop yesterday (Fiberworks in Billings, Mt). It is a beautiful shop with a gazillion quilts of hers hung on the walls. Also several quilts from other designers using the raw edge applique style. When you see so many together they look great, must be the latest style. She thread embroiders all of the applique pieces until you can hardly see them, and then does a very small stipple stitch on every little square inch of the entire quilt top- she must burn thru 10 miles of thread on every quilt!!