Applique - Show & Tell

More applique blocks by Becky.

Last month I shared a block and the history of the Civil War Bride (A.K.A. Bird of Paradise) quilt I am currently working on (see the January 28 post).

Since then I have more blocks to share with you.

I never follow the pattern exactly, since I like to make it my own. Red-winged blackbirds do NOT have red on their tails, but the pattern did so I did it that way. I inked in some spots on their eggs after researching and learning their eggs have spots on the larger end.

The next two blocks are completely my own designs, and I'm very pleased with how they turned out. The original quilt has an elephant on it and I am not doing that block. Cardinals are our state bird, dogwood blossoms for our state tree and the owl is sitting on a beechnut branch on one of the trees on either side of our driveway entrance. Of course, the deer are in the woods behind our house.

 

The fabrics I'm using are mostly civil war era reproductions; however I have relied on Vicki Welsh's hand-dyed fabrics to add interest and a little spark to all the blocks. In the owl block, I used Vicki's fabric to make the owl's eyes, the gray beechnut tree branches, the red clay dirt the deer are standing on and the white tail on the doe. Her fabrics are wonderful for applique; not only for the color, but for the way they needle. You can find her fabric here.

 

I only have 2 more blocks and then on to the borders!  I have no idea what I'll do .  .  .but I'm thinking LOTS and LOTS of leaves - huge amounts of leaves, so next week at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival I'll be on the lookout for 'good' greens to add to my collection. Variety is the spice of life and quilts!

One more thing: I use freezer paper, starch and all my pieces are glued in place with Elmer's washable school glue, so the final step for each block is a nice long soak in the sink.

If anyone would like a demo or a hands-on class just leave a comment and we can do it on a Friday/Saturday sewing day.