I'm in, I will use a dark teal background &do it with my embroidery mmachine,, original size.

That sounds scrummy too, Gal - it will have a totally different look, as will Meredith's - wow, that will be sooooooooo different, Aie would be hard pressed to recognise it, I think. I am really looking forward to everyone's blocks as the pics start coming in.

As for the book/embroidery - just because you may not be keen on how it was done on the original, it really is just a matter of practice, and I will be doing a thread on techniques, well before we start, so you can all have a go at practicing, or trying a different one compared to what you may have thought originally.

Please don't drop out before you have started, just because you don't like the pics on the original quilt. I could understand it if you tried it for yourself and didn't like your own efforts, but even then, we are here to help resolve those issues.

Wow Meredith....you have my mouth watering again!!! Those are gonna make a gorgeous quilt! You and I seem to get into the same type of issues...You'll be trying to keep those little stripes straight and I'll be trying to keep my little checks straight on our backgrounds. After Jane though, I'm pretty confident...LOL!! I like your border choice too...Are you going to use it in the direction you show it in the pic?

Gal, the teal sounds wonderful too! I really can't wait to start seeing people's blocks and then the quilts coming together....yummy!!!

It will be a darn site easier to keep backgrounds straight, compared to trying to use them in pieced blocks or PPing with them.

I know Lesley...thats the only reason I'm giving it a try. I seemed to struggle keeping my little pieces exactly where I wanted them on the Jane (sometimes my melons wandered :wink:). Anyway, I think I'm going to try the Elmers school glue. And I am thinking of taking a needle turn applique class at my LQS. Its beeing offered in early March. The timing would be good!

I was shopping for backing for another project...

As I just happened to notice the stripes and border fabrics, one of those moments, saw it, caught my breath, and thought ((that's perfect for AOTH)) My backgrounds will be mixed, probably 3-5 more fabrics, that read as white and blend with the stripes, I don't plan to match stripes, as the striped blocks will alternate.

I envision the border pattern will be cut length wise, matching colors at the corners, the lines will travel, in a continues line, around the quilt, probably 3-4 of the swirls. ---hope that makes sense---

Joy comes in the morning... I am certain the wind was punched out of me yesterday but this morning everything looks better... even though the circumstances are a little tougher today.

I know Leslie that with your excelllent demonstrations of how things are done that each of ours should turn out beautiful. Wilhelmina, your colors are so popping, I love it. I would love to use your colors.

When I mentioned blue or yellows to my DH he thought that might look really refreshing. With his red/green color blindness he sees yellows and blues best. So, I am sure he and I will look at the Kona shades next time we are in JoAnn's.

Wow, 24 hours can sure make a difference!

Leslie, on the embroidery: are the... well the stitches sorta remind me of chicken feet. Is that due to taking too long of a gap in between stitches? With that type of stitch where you poked your needle in and brought the thread up should be covered by the previous stitch, right? Would more strands cover better? What is the problem in the samples? Not your samples but the ones in the book.

Love you gals, thanks for the encouragement. Just so you know, I don't usually have the wind punched out of me quite like yesterday. :-D LindaAnn

Linda, I am glad you are reconsidering today - I am reluctant to pick someone else's work to pieces, but if you press me for an opinion, then yes, I think that Aie took stitches that are a little bit too long, and often seems to have gone in the wrong direction for the curve she was working on. I agree with you too that it looks as if she could have done with using an extra strand (at least for the size of stitch) I have only used two strands on mine, but I think my stitches are probably smaller, so it is a question of scale more than anything.

Glad you have had second thoughts LindaAnn. Take care and we look forward to seeing your selection.

I looked on page 62 at the centre sewing on that one and then worse on page 60 at that wonky middle. I am surprised it won ribbons. I know none of us are perfect but I am a little surprised that made it into a book

Elle

I think I've decided against the solid black background. I've thought of something more my style. Still looking at different applique fabrics.