Macybaby

coffeecozy, I love the look of the gold stitching on the black background, but I knew I didn't want to use black - so I decided to try the gold with black stitching. I had some similar colored gold fabric and messed around with it and decided I liked the look. I'm a "fall" color type person - I also don't like "hearts" as a design element, so I'm going with colors that do de-emphasize the heart motif a bit. I'm hoping I end up with a quilt I want to keep for myself. I knew that if I went black/bold, I wouldn't want to keep it. I already know the green/beige will be for someone else, it strikes me as too "lucky four leaf clover" but I'm sure I'll find someone that will love it.

Cogito

Well, I just ordered this book. Will wait to see it I can keep up with the group. I am notoriously slow.
i haven't done any serious appliqué since the 80's. I don't know why though because I love the process and outcome. I look forward to seeing everyone's work.

kaelynangelfoot

[ATTACH=CONFIG]502758[/ATTACH] Aha! It finally let me post my test block.

Knitette

Looks great!

Cogito

Gorgeous Kaelyn! Love the fabrics you chose and the red tips.

Macybaby

I'd still like to try doing this with hand applique, and I found in my testing, that the batiks work better for getting a nice turned edge. They are a finer thread (higher thread count) and it turns and presses much easier than some of my lower thread count fabric. I have one that is noticably thicker thread, and it is the most difficult to work with (plus it wants to fray more).

I was already leaning towards using only batiks with the gold Fairy Frost, and I' think I'll go back to that and try had sewing. The fairy frost has quite a bit of "interest" in is so I don't really like having that with the small pieces from bolder patterns.

Though I also love the bold patterns with the more plain gold fabric I was using for testing, so maybe I'll try that too. I think I'm just in love with fussy cutting the pieces out of bold fabric patterns.

Raggiemom

I'm loving the test samples shown on here! Even though I have set aside some fabric to use for this project, it's not set in stone. I'm going to look at some batiks when I'm at the LQS next week and see if something speaks to me. Also, I don't think I'm going to do the blocks in numerical order but the order that appeals to me (easy first!)

I do have a technical question I hope someone can help me with. I read some of the posts on the other thread that was done a few years ago and saw that enlarging to 142% will make the blocks a nice size. HOW are you enlarging? I tried to enlarge on my printer and it simply printed a section of the block. Do I need to print off each section (which would be 4 sheets of paper) or is there an easier way to enlarge and still have it on one sheet of paper? It's probably something simple I'm just not thinking of.

Keep sharing your ideas and color patterns, it's giving me ideas

Macybaby

the blocks are symmetrical, so for most of them, you only do need one section and just trace it four times. I'm thinking of doing that for the hand one so I have larger pieces to work with.

I just made copies and could get the full height and about 3/4 of the width, so that worked to get enough of each pattern to work with. I used a default on my copier (141%) and I think I'm going to end up with closer to 9.5" blocks. But that is fine as I can cut WOF into four and have enough wiggle room for squaring up. My pattern is going to end up closer to the edge of the block than as designed to make this work. Should have stopped and checked before I copied all the pages at that % LOL!!

That's one thing to keep in mind when enlarging - if you go large enough to only get 3 blocks WOF, you are going to need more fabric for the background.

Raggiemom

Cathy, thanks so much for the information! Would you believe it--it didn't dawn on me that they're symmetrical! I have lots of background fabric. I'm hoping for about 10" blocks.

Macybaby

I've traced them all out already - I didn't realize that either at first, but after a while I figured it out LOL!! With all the different fabrics used, it's not as obvious looking at the finished blocks.