LaurieE

BrendaB -- please don't despair. I'll be the first to admit that paper piecing can be challenging. It took me a long time to wrap my brain around the concept and I've been quilting since 1974. I can't tell you the number of times I got the fabric & pattern backwards from each other. There are times I still can't put the fabric right so that when flipped it covers the whole area. It just takes perseverance.

Because I still have problems paper piecing, I chose to applique my blocks. Do you know how to applique? That might be easier for you to do while you master the art of paper piecing.

There are a lot of tutorials online. Plus we're here to help each other. I think it's safe to say we all have digital cameras now and can post photos. So any time you get stuck on something post a photo of where you are on the block and then, what do I do now, what did I do wrong, why is it doing such 'n' such, etc. One or more of us will be able to explain and then walk you through it.

First you need to decide which method you want to do -- applique or paper pieced. Once you make that decision then comes the tutorials and questions.

LaurieE

BrendaB -- part of your machine applique problem is you were using a heavy background fabric (denim). The background fabric should be the same weight as what you are appliquing. It's also best to use some sort of stablizer behind the background fabric. This can be interfacing, tracing fabric, etc.

Machine applique is normally the regular satin stitch which follows the line of the fabric and encases the raw edge. I have seen some people use their machine's blanket stitch. However, for the blanket stitch I would fold under the seam allowance first.

Here are some links to tutorials that you might find helpful on machine applique.

This one shows how to do it but uses a hoop. I've never used a hoop in machine applique:
http://www.designsbyjuju.com/applique.aspx

http://quilting.about.com/od/machine...r_Quilters.htm

I'm not using machine applique on my blocks. I'm stitching them down using a blind hem stitch. That might be easier for you.

Here are some tutorials for hand applique:
http://www.roserushbrooke.com/how-to-applique-1.html

http://dakotacabinquilts.blogspot.co...-tutorial.html

chksontherun

Don't give up. None of us will have perfect balloons. I admit I have been stumped a little but am sticking it through. Your blocks are cute, could you add a strip below them with a brown basket square under the balloon, then add a boarder all around to make them the right size for the exchange? Just an idea.

JudyG

I have just drafted a balloon block that I pieced and I am attaching a picture. It was super easy to put together so if anyone would like the instructions, I would be happy to post them.

Deb watkins

Great block. It looks easy. Thanks for the post, it may help those who are a little stumped!

sharon b

Brenda B you can also use a zig zag stitch around the hot air balloons to hold it down. But like was said earlier you need a stablizer behind it, wonder under is the first one that comes to mind

On the other ones what size are the blocks now ? Could you sew a strip in the middle then for the bottom row put a brown "patch" in the middle for the basket ?

Mandie

Judy you block is fabulous!

JudyG

Thank you. Here is another one. I have been playing this afternoon with this and it is fun. On this one I just split the balloon block and inserted a row of stripes (didn't do a very good job putting those together but was just playing to see what could be done). This is a super easy block to put together and you can do pretty much whatever you want inside the balloon block itself.

BrendaB

Thanks everyone. Yes, that was the idea, but I'm not happy with the balloon part yet. Thanks for all the help. You guys are the best!

BrendaB

LaurieE, thank you so much for all the support and information. I will check out each of those sites and am thinking may hand applique might be best for me. I haven't done it yet, but it may work the best on this block. You all are just precious! Thank you again. I'll let you know how it goes.