Appliqué Appliqué Appliqué

Quietly cutting fabric and appliquéing them to a background is a favourite pastime of mine. And there are lots of ways of going about it... in many of my quilts I’ll use several methods. So many factors come in to play when I am choosing a method to use... The appliqué shape, the quantity needed, how accurate the placement needs to be ... and then there is just my mood on the day! In this class, students will try different appliqué techniques to add to their repertoire while working on their choice of medallion quilts. Back-Basting is another method that’s becoming better known, and it’s a method I use often. You can learn the technique in this class. There’s a whole host of quilts to choose from. Here’s just a selection for different skill levels. A new possibility is Merrow Croft, which will be featured in Quiltmania, when finished!

   Hand Applique Class ~ Requirement List

I adore applique and use several techniques, including Back–Basting, and ap- plique papers, and just plain old needle-turn. Depending on shape and time available, lots of techniques come in to play. In this class you can begin any of my quilts which feature applique... there’s plenty to choose from in my book Quilts from the Colonies & my various patterns. Please refer to the quilt requirements on my patterns for specific quantities as the fabric quantities listed below are a guide only... I like you to bring plenty of your favourite fabrics to class. Fabric selection should ’evolve’ as you stitch, and learn about colour and print. Let’s be free to change our minds and add more as the day goes along and we learn to look at fabrics with new eyes. 

• Background approx. 1 metre plain-ish or print 
• An assortment of darks, mediums and lights, all prints and colours. Bring a selection of different sized pieces. 
• A fat 1/4 is usually sufficient for stems
• Please bring particularly, a fabric/or fabrics you love and perhaps have not known how to use yet. 
• Please also bring to class for all projects
• Mylar ~ Heat resistant templastic
• Scissors x 3, one for fabric, one with a fine point & one pair for plastic
• A light box
• Thread for hand applique in colours to blend with your applique shapes (I use 80 wt Aurifil or Fil a Gant)
• 1/4” bias maker for stems
• Needles, pins
• Your sewing kit
• 2B or 3B pencil & sharpener or your preferred marking pencils (eg Bohin etc)

  Merrow Croft Class Description 

Merrow Croft continues Margaret’s passion for Medallion Quilts. Here she combines her joy of hand piecing and hand applique once again, in a charming new quilt in a fresh and pretty palette... but always with those splashes of her favourite teals and browns. 

Requirement List 

Centre Block 

• Fat 1/4 each of two fabrics ~ Colours Brown and Teal NOTE, You could double that quantity for use later in  the quilt, or substitute
• 30cm Raspberry red. Again, double or substitute for later in the quilt
• 15cm of Light Tan Print NOTE, 3.5 metres of this fabric will be required for the rest of the quilt
• 30cm of a pretty floral for background
• 25cm of a glorious print NOTE, 2.5 metres of this fabric will be required for the rest of the quilt 
• 25cm of a pretty brown print 
• Template Plastic, Plastic scissors, Pencils for marking fabric, Fabric scissors, General sewing supplies Sandpaper board or design mat to hold fabric steady while marking around templates 
• There will be templates available for purchase the centre block (optional) 

Requirement List Back Basting Applique 

• 1 metre each of two fabrics required. This is where Merrow Croft began for me and the fabrics set the palette for my quilt. Make the main fabric one which you adore, and you will love your quilt. 
• Fabric scissors, Pencils for marking fabric, Quilting thread for back basting, needle for back basting (large) , 1 x sheet templastic 
• Applique thread and preferred applique needles, General sewing supplies