The Thing About Applique...

is that the prep work takes me almost as long as the stitching! Once I get all that prepping done, I can't resist sitting in front of the TV and appliquing things down. I decided to get some more blocks ready for the 12 Days of Christmas wallie. Days 4, 6 and 7 were actually supposed to be pieced blocks but I decided I wanted the whole wallhanging to be applique. So the search was on. The four calling birds use a pattern from an old Country Threads book I have. The goose and stitchery swan were adapted from online coloring book patterns. The five golden rings are--surprisingly--what was suggested in the Saffiote book! I had intended to do these blocks in June for my "page-a-month" project but like a kid at Christmas, I was too antsy to wait!!! This little wallhanging will be a puzzle to put together LOL. I am waiting to square up the blocks till I see what conglomeration I can use. Such fun.

The Fiesta Quilt from Laurie Simpson's book, Modern Primitive Quilts, had to become a wallhanging! Reality set in when I realized how many "gifty" projects were waiting for me to complete!!! Another queen-sized quilt was just not practical right now. But I loved the idea so much of a quilt to complement my fiestaware that I at least had to make a wallie for the kitchen. I took some liberties with this pattern too. Can't seem to stop doing that. I added some letters at the top and some cups at the bottom to the block. It will need to be a skinny wallie as the only spot left in my kitchen for a quilt is pretty narrow. When it's all done and hung, I'll post a pic along with photos of some of my fiestaware and jadite. I have collected both for about 30 years and have plum run out of room for any more!!!!