Bundle Up!

 

I've been working for a while on an applique sample for my quilting class. I'm generally not very fond of applique because I find it so time consuming.  But the project is turning out great now that I had some time to sit down and work on it. 

 

The first thing to do was to finish up each of my applique block.  I used a raw edge applique technique and topstitched the pieced to the background using a blanket stitch.

 

 

 

Once, I got going, it really came together quickly.  (The most time consuming part was of course appliqueing the pieces, so simpling piecing the blocks was so much faster.)

 

 

Here's a fun close up of the cute "bundle up" applique!

 

I used the pattern from American Patchwork and Quilting. Love this magazine!

 

 The pattern was great and easy to follow.  I just made a few changes from their pattern.  Mainly, the snowball cornerstones I made small snowflake applique blocks, and instead of a solid border I used a pieced border. 

 

I laid out the wallhanging top and had to use straight pins instead of the usual curved pins since they are all wrapped up in a different quilt.  On a smaller quilt top like this I don't mind straight pins so much.

 

For the quilting I used a stipple in the background and along the sashing I used three rows of straight line quilting. 

 

I love the way the quilt top turned out.  Now it just needs a binding!  

 

I think I might show this at the Fiber Arts Festival in February as well. :)

 

-Katie