My Applique Project No. 5

Hi everybody

I just took a look at all the photos I have of recent classes, that I haven't posted, and there is a lot to share with you.  So next week I will have a bit of a retro class show.

In this post you can see my latest project in "My Year of Applique" which I can see is going to last a lot longer than a year.  My Applique Project No.5 is a replica of the beautiful 1847 Australian quilt - the Auntie Green Quilt.  Take a peek at our post dated March 29 2012 for more details about the quilt.  You can find all my "Year of Applique" in previous posts.

I was amazed at the number of commercial patterns, for Auntie Green's Quilt, that appeared at the Darling Harbour Quilt Show this year.  I am always intrigued how so many people can produce the same quilt, at the same time, in complete isolation to each other.

I have opted to do the quilt in a social way.  In a one day a month class with Sue Ross.  Yesterday was my second class.  There was nothing to show you much at the first class, just a lot of rummaging through piles of fabric.  Fun.

With this quilt I'm trying to be organised!!! It is big and uses a lot of fabric.  I have decided not to try and exactly replicate the quilt, fabric by fabric; but to get as close as I can with a slight brightening of the colours, ie  bounce the colour up a bit. (I'm sure it has faded in the original quilt.)  So I have used a slightly lighter background, than Sue Ross has used.  Hopefully the colours will be a touch sharper. Although it is hard to know what the background colour is on the actual quilt, as every photograph of it shows a slightly different white  -  cream colour.

This is what I arrived at the class with.  I will admit (much as it pains me) that serious reverse sewing has already occurred.  The oval bias strip tripped me up.  Sure of my skills as an appliquer, and after tacking it down, I happily sewed it on my lap without checking progress.  When I had finished, I had a beautiful oval shape but the centre of it looked about six months pregnant.  My second attempt was much better.

I'm auditioning fabric, trying to get the colour balance and print scale right.  This is a quilt that needs large and small scale prints.

Next try.  Maybe I'll have the centre done for next month so you can see what I ended up using.

This is Karen's quilt so far, so I'm behind at the second class.

Close up on Karen's centre.

This is where Sue Ross is up to on her quilt.  Isn't it looking wonderful. 

Love the brodrie purse.

We still have vacancies in Sue Ross's Auntie Green class.  It runs monthly on the second Friday of the month.  If you would like to join this extremely enjoyable class, please ring the shop on 9550 4947.

Melinda