I'm not very experienced as a quilter and want to make a Sunbonnet Sue quilt. I'm using an old block from an aunt (now deceased) as a pattern. She turned under the edges with a running stitch then used what I call a buttonhole stitch to applique it to the block, which made it quite decorative. She used two strands of thread and I'm not sure, but thinking it might be embroidery thread. Would that be the best to use?

Also, this block doesn't have any "hands" and I have another pattern that does, but they're awfully small and curved to have to turn under the edge. Somewhere in my memory I have seen a Sunbonnet quilt where the "hands" were a folded square piece of flesh-colored fabric. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

Thanks for all your good comments; I've learned a lot in the past few weeks.

I have some Sun Bonnet Sue pieces that I bought at an auction. I think they are from the 1930's. I'm in the process of appliquing them using a button hole stitch with 2 strands of embroidery thread. Mine didn't have hands either and I'm thinking of embroidering a hand with flesh colored embroidery thread. Maybe even have her holding some embroideried flowers.

I made a SBS quilt. It didn't have hands. Instead of turning the allowance under, I sewed it to lightweight fusible pellon, slit the back and ironed the piece down. this made it much easier to sew on. However, I did sew them down with the machine. Turned out great. That was one of my first quilts and I'm still using it.

I made a Sun B Sue quilt using Eleanor Burns - Quilt in a day. Neat the way you sew them and then turn the. Look for it . Gladys
By the way we have snow in Rock Hill on Christmas. The first time since I was a little girl.

I made a Sun B Sue quilt using Eleanor Burns - Quilt in a day. Neat the way you sew them and then turn the. Look for it . Gladys
By the way we have snow in Rock Hill on Christmas. The first time since I was a little girl.

I have a Sunbonnet Sue quilt that my Great Grandmother made. She died in 1945 so it had to be made before that. When my mother was young, she was sick quite a bit and she embroidered the hands with black embroidery floss while sick in bed. They are shaped like mittens. Kinda funky and the stitches are irregular. It is one of my most treasured posessions.