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Appliqué books
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Jul
2
Little Homes
Filed Under Books, Fusible web, Improvisational appliqué, Machine appliqué, Patterns, Raw edge | Leave a Comment
While I was at Quilt Market in Portland, I saw the display by Ackfeld Manufacturing of bunches of darling wire hangers, and it got my mind spinning with ideas. I ordered some of the little hangers and as soon as I got home I set out making some little quilts. I love small things so this was a barrel of fun for me, and it also have me a chance to show off the motifs from my new book Home: A Heartfelt Nap Quilt and how you can use them different ways.
These are all machine appliquéd with a blanket stitch, and I just used scraps left over from making the original Home quilt. I didn’t really plan anything out in advance, just chose the motifs and played around until I thought, ‘hey, that looks good,’ then fused them down. It’s great working this way in between fussier projects!
BTW these little guys are for sale hangers and all, so if you’re interested shoot me an email at topdog at quiltpuppy.com.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Jun
28
An oldie but greatie
Filed Under Books, Designers | Leave a Comment
Elly Sienkiewicz‘ s book Appliqué 12 Easy Ways! has been around for more than a decade, and remains a great resource for those who are still looking for their best way to appliqué.
Until next time,
Happy appliquéing!
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Jun
5
A Quilter’s Diary
Filed Under Books, Designers | Leave a Comment
Mimi Dietrich is one of our most venerated appliqué designers. She’s been doing beautiful appliqué and writing books for many years. At Spring Market in Portland, I attended a Schoolhouse session where Mimi introduced her newest book, A Quilter’s Diary: Written in Stitches.
I really warmed to the concept. Mimi presents a wide variety of blocks, both patchwork and appliqué, and encourages quilters to choose designs that represent significant events in their lives. The hook that ties a block to you can be a stretch, can be humorous… as long as it means something to you, it works. By making a sampler quilt of these representational blocks, quilters can tell their own personal stories.
Here’s a link to the book on Amazon.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
May
28
Building a Home
Filed Under Books, Patterns | Leave a Comment
I just put up a post on the Quilt Puppy Show & Tell Center that shows how Home: A Heartfelt Nap Quilt went together in my studio. I’m certainly no Darcy Ashton when it comes to photography 
but it’s fun to see the motifs appearing bit by bit.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
May
22
Thoughts of Home
Filed Under Books, Patterns | Leave a Comment
I traveled to Portland last weekend to attend Quilt Market, the semiannual behemoth trade show for the quilting industry. I had THE most fabulous time. Saw old friends, made new ones, put lots of faces together with names, and learned a ton of new things. I was scouting the appliqué! Over the next couple weeks I’ll be posting interesting nuggets from my trip.
First though, I need to introduce my newest design! I got the pattern booklet back from the printer just three days before the trip.
Home: A Heartfelt Nap Quilt
Home is filled with symbols of warmth and welcome. As the years go by, I appreciate more and more the simple comforts of home and shelter. From beloved pets to pie and coffee to the feeling that “home is where the heart is,” this nap-size quilt with its cozy and familiar motifs is my commemoration to the places we make our own.
I did have a wonderful trip, but it’s nice to be home :).
Home is available on the Quilt Puppy website.
The 16-page booklet has full-size patterns plus complete construction information. Use any form of appliqué — nothing fancy required!
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Apr
29
Suzanne Marshall’s marvelous methods
Filed Under Books, Designers, Hand appliqué, Needleturn, Stems/vines | Leave a Comment
I subscribe to The Quilt Show on the internet with Ricky and Alex. I just got done watching an episode from Season 2 where Suzanne Marshall was the guest. She demonstrated some of her hand appliqué techniques, and I sat there amazed and agog as she showed some astounding things I had never seen before. I watched as she easily made bias tape without any kind of gadget or bar, then transitioned an appliqué pattern drawn on notebook paper into a beautifully hand-stitched block.
It just goes to show once again how many different ways there are to appliqué!
Ricky said that Suzanne’s first book, “Take-Away Appliqué,” is now out of print. However, her current book, “Adventure & Appliqué,” is going great guns, and contains the instructions for everything I mentioned above. Suzanne’s website is www.suzannequilts.com.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Apr
14
Teapots Show & Tell
Filed Under Books | Leave a Comment
I’ve been posting examples from Teapots 2 to Appliqué over on the Quilt Puppy Show and Tell Center. Take a click on over to see the fabulous projects made by my appliqué friends!
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Apr
1
A Spot of Tea
Filed Under Blanket stitch, Books, Borders, Fusible web, Machine appliqué, Raw edge | 2 Comments
Look at this cute thing I just stitched up to hang in my booth at quilt shows!
I made this version of “A Little More Tea” smaller than the sampler pattern in Teapots 2 to Appliqué…it has 9 of the 16 designs. I call this one “A Spot of Tea.”
The appliqué notes in Teapots 2 are all about the back-basting, or no-template prep method for hand appliqué. For this cheery sample I used fusible appliqué with a small machine blanket stitch.
Sometimes I pull fabrics and make blocks, then go hunting for a border that will work with them. In this case I started with the border fabric and pulled the teapot fabrics from there.
Cheerio,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Mar
18
Machine Appliqué: A Sampler of Techniques review
Filed Under Books, Designers, Machine appliqué, Raw edge, Turned edge | Leave a Comment
One of the best books that I have on my shelf, which pretty much taught me how to machine appliqué, is Sue Nickels’ Machine Appliqué: A Sampler of Techniques.
I was lucky enough to meet Sue a few years ago when she came to my guild to speak and to teach a class in machine quilting. I took that class, and I credit Sue with giving me what I needed to actually become an adequate machine quilter. She said that the women she knew who were finally successful were those who were determined to make it work. I said that to myself over and over as I practiced, and it helped me.
But back to machine appliqué! It wasn’t Sue’s topic that visit, but I did buy her machine appliqué book, and when I became determined to learn how to do it in order to make samples a little more quickly, I turned to Sue’s book. Let me tell you, it’s fabulous. I gravitated toward raw-edge fusible appliqué with a small blanket stitch. There’s also detailed information on two other methods — turned-edge “invisible appliqué” and “template and starch” appliqué.
Sue’s book, published by the AQS, is lovely to look at throughout and gives step-by-baby-step details on everything you need to know. There are close-up illustrations of where each stitch should go in each scenario. I’m pretty comfortable with machine appliqué now, but when I was still learning, I hauled out this book a bunch of times to refresh my memory. Thank you Sue!!
Sue has another book on machine appliqué, written with her sister Pat Holly: Stitched Raw-Edge Appliqué. I don’t have this one yet but I imagine it focuses even more on the method I like. Hmm… I’ll have to put this one on my wish list!
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs
Mar
4
Giveaway for kids
Filed Under Books, Fusible interfacing, Introduction, Machine appliqué, Prepared edge | 4 Comments
Due to a printing glitch and subsequent reprinting, I ended up with way more copies of In a Twinkle: Youthful Quilt Designs than I needed. It’s time for them to move away from home!
If you’re a member of a group that makes and donates quilts for kids in need, email me at “topdog at quiltpuppy.com” and tell me about your group. I’ll send you 6 copies (as many as I can stuff in a bubble mailer) by the “slow boat to China,” Media Mail. If you feel like paying me back for the postage, you can PayPal a couple bucks to the same address.
If you’re not a member of such a group but you know somebody who is, feel free to spread the word.
This book includes step-by-step. illustrated instructions for five easy quilts and a comfy cozy flannel blankie, plus detailed instructions on the fusible-interfacing method for machine-appliquéing big, simple shapes.
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs