January 2022

 All I can say is...it's a good thing I don't make new year resolutions because if I did...I would have broken one by now!  It's in my head to blog more this year as I really enjoy writing and posting, but the time just seems to zoom by and much of what keep me busy just isn't good blogging material (like inventory, answering emails, shovelling snow!).    There are some fun things too, and the highlight of January has been starting the new 2022 Colour Builders program with Aurifil.

My list of subscribers has grown this year, and I am delighted to have last year's enthusiastic group returning.  That speaks volumes about the program.  This year the focus is on variegated 50 weight threads and the patterns supplied are all flowers to be appliquéd. The pattern was designed by Kate Brennan with help from graphic designer Christina Weisband. The block for January features a "Frangipani" also known as "Plumeria". It's a very dainty flower, and so pretty with the star centre.

The hardest part was choosing a fabric for the background; I ended up with a neutral tan.

My flower is done using fusible applique, with shapes traced onto the paper side of the fusible web.  I tried a new-to-me kind of fusible called “Flexie Fuse Light” and it worked great.  I printed out the sketch full sized, and placed it on a light table underneath my background fabric.  You can see the black outline showing through the fabric in the picture below. Mind you, I don’t have an actual light table: it’s a glass-topped coffee table with a lamp underneath with the light bulb pointing up.

It worked great! I found my Bohin tweezers with the pointy ends were a tremendous help putting those tiny petals in place without disturbing the others.  Serger tweezers with long points would also work really well.

   When I was happy with my flowers, I lifted the background fabric straight up to my ironing board and fused everything in place.

These are the colours in our thread box this month which I used for the free motion stitching around the pieces.

I also added a darker green to outline the leaves and a bright yellow from my stash for the centre stars.  I hope to add a few more details when I join the blocks for the quilting.

It was a fun block to do and I am enjoying seeing all the pictures around the internet showing off these pretty blocks.  

There is still time to join the program, just email me for details.