Who Would've Thunk it!!

Yes indeedy!! Who would've thunk it......Applique with a capital 'A', is actually enjoyable. I have avoided the "A" word for most of my quilting life. Why, I don't really know. I suppose I thought all those itty bitty, pointy leaves and minuscule petals of flowers, especially those that appear frequently in those Baltimore beauties, were just too tricky to coerce into anything that half resembles a  flower, or a leaf, or a butterfly, or a bird......you get the picture. Yes, I don't know if the tips of my leaves  are the sharpest they should be and yes, I don't know if some of the curves of my flower petals are the curviest they could be but do you know what, I am having the best time coaxing teeny tiny smidgens of fabrics into blossoms. I am loving this growing pretty fabric flowers caper.

This week my magical, mixed packet of seeds have germinated into Pansies and Tulips. More flowers for my big girl quilt have begun to show their happy faces.

Pansies for your Thoughts...........

Tulips for true love...............

Mmm......looking at all these pretties showing off in a lovely frame, me thinks a framed bouquet of appliqued floralicious delight could be rather spiffy! Goodness gracious me.....my imagination will just not stop imagining! =)

Thus far, I have chosen to applique using the freezer paper method. I have found this method to be the easiest as it enables me to finger press around each shape. When I peel off the paper template I dab the  turned under fabric with my glue stick here and there and then iron the fabric shape. I find this gives each shape a crisp, defined look, fabulous for those leaves with sharp tips. After manipulating over 100 petals and leaves I am getting the hang of this finger pressing caper. I have developed a soft touch with my fingers gently easing the curves, thus avoiding sharp indents that should not be there. I find this painstakingly slow, but oddly enough I don't seem to mind at all.

I have yet to stitch the flowers to the background though there has been a little hand stitching. I have stitched individual petals to form each flower and then join these to the stem with the leaves. When I do begin to stitch the flowers to the background it will be easier to arrange and then stitch the completed flower. This is probably not the way 'those people in the know' applique, but it suits me. It would be torture to stitch each little petal, each little leaf to the fabric background separately. Also the finer embroidery details are yet to be stitched. I will do this when I 'plant' the flowers on the quilt.

Whilst my applique flowers have been slowly growing this week, as I look out my windows I see signs that Spring is about to explode onto the scene. The Daffodils, those pretties that provide a spectacle towards the end of Winter are beginning to fade. I always feel Spring has arrived when I see the buds on the pendulous branches of the weeping cherry trees explode and cascade waterfall-like down to the ground. They truly are a spectacular sight.

Though mornings are still chilly it won't be long till I can be found relaxing on the swing seat by the pond, reading a book or two, or perhaps  stitching flowers to my big girl quilt.

Appliqued Daffodils, Pansies and Tulips. Next week I think I might attempt some Water Lilies, after all, the star of  the garden is the pond my husband has created. I can see the Water Lilies spilling out of the magical packet of mixed seeds as I type. How exciting!! Who knows, perhaps when next you visit my little Spring world the real stitching will have begun. Perhaps, just perhaps my applique flowers will have begun to blossom on the quilt. But for now, I will just keep having the best fun Appliqueing with a capital "A". As always, thank you for visiting my blossomy, little Spring place.

Until the next time.........

Linking this week at Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts......well because....it is Sunday and my stitching this week has been slower than a snail's pace. =)
AND....also at Soma's Wandering Camera at Whims and Fancies