Looking forward to seeing your material and blocks, Fromzstore.

I am doing 2 with the group on this board. I wont be doing this one due to the fact I bought the wrong book. I love your blocks and will continue to peek. To anwere the question of cutting the layer out on the back. I dont I think it weakens the top. I have been doing needleturn app. for many, many years and never did. Have no trouble with the hand quilting by leaving it. JO

Not necessarily all from a certain line of fabrics, tho some may be mates. I just picked them off of the JoAnns quilting wall.


hugs, Jupiter

Welcome to the group! Looking forward to seeing your fabric picks. Hope your book comes really fast to you.

hugs, Jupiter

Great picking :thumbup:

hi everyone, i ordered my book from amazon, the other day, and hoping to sew along with you guys :)
can't wait to see it and have a look through it!!

Hi Jacquie! Welcome!

Here's my first block. I'm not very experienced with applique. The biggest challenge was how rigid the block was. May I ask, what kind of needle you used? I tried 2 different sizes/types.

I am not an experienced applique person and I find applique needles too small to hold and thread so I just use the finest needle that I can manage, with a reasonable "eye" that I can thread.

The finer the needle, the smaller the hole it makes which creates a neater line but I usually end up having to compromise on needle size to avoid any frustration with dropping the needle 50 times because I can't grip it.

I totally agree! I'm working on the second block now, and I'm really having a hard time stitching the pieces down because of the stiffness of the two (in places, four) layers of paper and the glue. I'm going to try a smaller needle - I don't have any needles specifically for applique, so I'm just going to do like Deecee and use the smallest needle I have that I can manage.

I forgot to mention - I think your block is lovely!

Thank you.

I like the fine straw-like needles, but they are too long. So I tried a shorter needle, but it was thicker and didn't have the "bend" or "give" of the first.

I'm happy with the stitches. I use fine thread and stitches aren't noticeable, for the most part. I guess it's part of the challenge.

And I was so pleased with how the glue dissolved and the papers just came right out. Very cool!

I should mention that I use more starch than glue and pop the template out before I stitch. This makes it much more manageable for me to sew and I don't have to soak the block.

Keelybird I love your block. Good job.

Thanks,Kwiltkrazy.

You are going to love it here...

hugs, Jupiter

I used a sharp 10 needle and Superior clear thread, with Bottom Line in the bobbin. That is machine stitching, not hand work.

hugs, Jupiter

received my book today and have read it looked through my stash and found some material i think might work. is everyone that is making the 6 1/2 in blocks using it as a wall hanging would not be large enough for a bed quilt.am posting picture of material (I Hope)

Very pretty collection. It will be fun to see your blocks.

There are instructions at the end of the book for making a bed quilt. I 'think' I'll make that. But it's a lot more work! Penny even tells you how to make flying geese by pieced applique!

very nice colors. I think your blocks will be very rich.

I'm making the 6 1/2 inch blocks and plan to turn my quilt into a wall hanging. I'm going to put some 1 inch sashing between the around the blocks, and that is all.

I like your fabric!

I got my 6.5" block done today. It sure looks small next to the 12.5" block. I don't think either size was particularly easier or harder than the other one. Both went very quickly. I am impressed with all the photos I am seeing. I love this group!

hugs, Jupiter

hi ladies, my book came yesterday, and i haven't put it down.
i've looked through and got out some 'amy butler' fabrics, but alas, i have no stripe. does it really matter? or should i try and match up a stripe???
i'm hoping to make some sort of a start tomorrow, after we've visited DD2.

(one little thing that concerns me though. the way the blocks are done with the layering, it does seem pretty wasteful of fabric, compared to the usual way you construct a block)
will you 'cut out' the fabric that accumulates at the back?
i think i would maybe make a victorian crazy quilt with all the cut out bits (i hate waste! lol)
other than that, i applaud you all, your blocks look LOVELY!!!
i can't wait to catch up with you all!!
love jacquie xxxxx

Oh Jupiter your 6.5 inch is so cute, I love your fabrics you are using on it.

Hi Jacquie - I don't have any stripes either. In fact, my fabrics don't have any real pattern at all - I'm using all batiks. But I'm happy with a simpler looking quilt and am not worried about whether mine looks like the one in the book at all. I think it just depends on whether you want to have blocks that look like the ones in the book.

Can't wait to see pics! I'm sure the Amy Butler fabrics will be super pretty!

This is a bit off subject, but I want to tell all my buddies....
My cousin just phoned me to say that her computer email had one from "Michael's
40% off coupon". She opened it, immediately knew it didn't look right, so
closed it and shut off her computer. Turned it back on and her computer is
wonky. She is outside now, taking a walk, while her hubby is cussing at the
internet and trying to make her computer work right.

Michaels is a hobby store in the USA... just incase you didn't know that. So if you get that email, delete it fast.

hugs, Marilyn

Thanks, it was fun to pick out. I think it will be fun to make both big and little. This adventure is growing on me by the stitch!

Tomorrow begins Patrick's Spotlight, page 54.

hugs, Jupiter

Good morning and happy Sunday everyone! Since I finished it last night, I figure I will go ahead and post my Patrick's Spotlight. I'm not entirely happy with it - but I'm moving on. I had a really hard time with the stiffness of the templates on this one. Maybe because there are two layers of applique in some places. I may try the starch trick that Deecee uses in future blocks where there are layered applique pieces to sew through.

Anyway, here it is! Thanks for looking.

Obsessed, your block looks great and I love the colour combination.

I am half way through mine and am finding the double thickness of fabric a bit more of a challenge to sew, even with the templates out, but shall persevere.

Block is beautiful is everyone doing by hand or is anyone doing machine appliqué which may be easier with the thickness

I think the block i beutiful too! whats not to like

I am doing machine applique and will post my block and comments later today.

Thanks to all for the nice comments. I think part of my attitude problem with this block is how sore my fingers are from pushing the needle through all the layers and glue! ;-)

Very pretty block, Lara!

Mine is ready to stitch. I'll work on it during the Super Bowl.

Oh Lara, You may have had troubles with the thickness, but it doesn't show in the finished block. It is gorgeous!

I love your batiks!

hugs, Jupiter

hi, i know i haven't started yet, and don't want to sound like i'm trying to 'teach grannies to suck eggs' (old british saying...)
but as i read the start of the book yesterday, it's still kinda fresh in my mind...
'Penny Haren' was saying about where there are several layers, don't try and sew through all the layers, but only the top layers... when applying applique pieces.
does that make sense?
i was going to start today, but burnt the top of my left hand across 4 fingers on my 'iron press' and it's darn sore!!! :(
my sewing will have to wait... :(

I am a machine applique-er. I really don't like to do much hand stitching. For this project I am using a #10 sharp needle, Superior clear thread on top and Superior Bottom Line in the bobbin. I set my zigzag stitches to width 1.0, and length at .80. I think these are fairly good stitches. Barely catching the first couple threads on the applique, and the thread is so thin it practically disappears.

I have my Patrick's Spotlight 12.5" block done and hope to work on the 6.5" block later today or tomorrow. I'll post photos when I have them both done.

Happy SuperBowl!
hugs, Jupiter

Hi Jacquie,

I am sorry to hear about your fingers. I burned mine on steam from my iron a few days ago. Dumb me, I was trying to get sticky stuff off of my iron plate and rubbed it with a wet cloth. Major steam burn! Probably not as bad as your.

If anyone has WD40 (its a spray lubricant that my hubby keeps in the shop for odd jobs--I think it is fish oil based) as soon as you get a burn, if you will spray WD40 on it, a lot of it, the skin will still turn red but blisters won't form and the pain is completely gone. The next day its still pink but not sore.

Thats my 'tid-bits' for the day.

hugs, Jupiter

thanks for the tip about WD40, i will look see if hubby has it, the pain is really getting through to me right now... hurts to bend my fingers...
should get danger money for ironing!! now theres a thought!!
right now my hand is smothered in savalon lol...
bottle of wine is coming out of the fridge in a mo...
shall i soak my fingers in it or drink it??? mmmm
both options sound good! lmao!!

Oh, Obsessed that is outstanding, I love it. Looks perfect.