Book Premise #2: Always Learning / How to use the book

In many ways, my book Recreating Antique Quilts reflects my quilting journey.  I have tried to incorporate some guiding principles that I have clung onto in my years of learning and enjoying quilting, with the hope that my quilting friends will also benefit from those guiding principles as I have.  I had shared with you the premise of “That” first quilt that shaped my book.  You can read more about it here.

Today, I am sharing with you premise #2 that shaped the book: Always Learning!  I purposed from the very beginning when I made my first quilts, I would always try to learn something new in my quilts.  And I can say I have greatly benefited from the habit of always learning something new when I quilt.

With that in mind, I designed one of the applique projects in the book Floral Fancy for quilters who have yet to try out applique.  From time to time, I hear from quilters they are afraid to do applique projects.  Instead of reproducing the entire DAR applique album quilt (picture of original quilt in the book), I selected just one block to make into the focus of Floral Fancy.

When you look more closely at the block, you will notice that aside from the leaves, there aren’t that many pieces to complete the applique block.  Trust me, even the leaves hold no mystery. :)

You can refer to my machine applique tips on page 83 in the book to stitch the pieces in place. Tips on various techniques are sprinkled throughout the book to help jumpstart the learning of new techniques.

The color coded applique templates (always at 100%) and placement diagrams are probably my absolute favorite aspect of the book!  To say that I am pleased with how they turn out in the book is an understatement.  Kudos to Landauer’s capable team!

Here are a few more pictures of Floral Fancy.  Of course Floral Fancy isn’t just for beginning appliquers.  I can see the quilt center being used as the starting point of a fancy medallion quilt for the advanced quilters who also custom design their own quilts.  How about using the applique block as a start for a Round Robin quilt in your quilting group?

There are a few other projects in the book that are conducive for “trying out something new”.  For example: Gingkos on Prince Street pillow uses my “mark without marking” freezer paper quilting method; Priscilla’s Garden Party uses template piecing method; Feathery Formation deals with piecing with small pieces and quilting asymmetrical feather wreaths; Patches & Crosses teaches on-point setting, and more!

Projects At-A-Glance

Speaking of learning opportunities, I will be teaching my painless, seamless, almost effortless fusible machine applique method at Rogers Sewing Center in April 2015!  We will be making Ivory Baltimore wallhanging from the book.

I will also be having two separate classes to make Ginkgos on Prince Street pillow, as well as a lecture/show and tell.  Click here for more details.  I love to interact with quilters in a class setting, but because of I am a Mom and wife first, at this time of my life, I teach very minimally. But even when I teach, I always end up learning something from the attendees.  Isn’t that just so with the quilting community – always giving, always learning, always teaching?

If you are in the Northwest Arkansas area and plan on coming, would you drop me a line?  That way I can be sure to be on a lookout for you and give you a REAL hug, instead of just a bloggy virtual one.

Thanks for stopping by, Dear Friends!  I shall catch up with you later.