Beautiful.

I'm not sure of the time exactly. It was 3 weekend days to piece the dahlia. I sewed 1/4 of it on each of two evenings onto the background then did the other half on Saturday. On Sunday I cut out the applique and layed it out. Oh, plus the time of laying out the background on the floor and getting it cut and pieced then laying out the dahlia and starching and pinning it. I'd have to look back at posts to see when I started it... a few weeks ago. I procrastinate about the background for a week or more though.

The background is Hoffman, Love Is In The Air. It's a white-on-white with a silver (Pearl) sparkle. The dahlia fabric also has silver accents.

When I applique with paper, I paint the seam allowances with starch and then iron them under to form my piece, then remove the paper, pin in place and stitch. I think it would be hard to applique with the paper still attached!

I took all the papers off, turned under the seam allowance and ironed it, then basted it. It IS hard to do it with the paper on the top, like I've seen it done with freezer paper. I haven't tried doing it with the paper on the back side yet.

My material is lightly starched and I see what you mean about just starching the seam allowance. Mine is a little too stiff to do curves neatly so I'm rolling the edge between my fingers to soften it up again as I turn it under.

I have 4 more of the small flowers to baste then will sew them all on.

Very pretty.

I am in such awe of your talent, Cindy...

You are keeping this one? It's so beautiful I don't think that I could ever part with it. Please show us when it's finished!

I love applique and I can see that this one is going to be a stunner. Wow, can't wait to see it finished. Thanks for sharing.

This os going to be great! can't wait to see the completed quilt. If it's all by hand, it my be awhile but some folks are fast quilters/appliquers.

This is going to be worthy of a juried quilt show. You should think about which one to enter. It is going to be a stunner.