Island Batik Ambassador's Adventurous Applique Blog Hop with Aurifil

This month the Island Batik Ambassadors were challenged to create applique quilts using the edge coloring technique and 40 weight Aurifil thread.  I have always loved the Fantasy Flowers Accuquilt die by Robbi Joy Ecklo.  It's a larger flower at almost 14 inches across which means it's excellent to show off fabrics!

Applique has always been one of my favorite things to do and it was fun to learn a new technique.  

For this project I received the Floral Fun collections.  It's a gorgeous array of blue, green, and purple.  It's designed by Kathy Engle for Terri Vanden Bosch of Lizard Creek Quliting.

I decided to make each flower in a different set of colors.  Here's one such arrangement.  I love this deep dark purple.  So pretty.

Here is another set of fabrics for a flower.

In order to do the edge stitching method you glue down the pieces and don't use any fusible.  I was having trouble with squeezing the glue bottle (it was hurting my hand).  So I went online to see what other kind if bottles I might use.  I found these tiny ones at Michaels and they worked perfectly and it was so much easier!

In order to get the hexagonal symmetry of this block right I ironed my background fabric so I knew where to put down the initial green leaves.  

Then I added the petals.

I picked out threads to use for this project and was glad to be using 40 weight.  It provided a thicker line than my usual 50 weight Aurifil.  I found switching to a slightly larger needle also helped keep the 40 weight thread happy in my machine.  I used a size 90 Microtex Needle by Schmetz Needles.  

I used an open toe applique foot to stitch back and forth along the edge of the petal using my 40 weight Aurifil Thread.  I also found it helpful to use the same weight and color thread in the top and bobbin while doing the edge stitching.

The top is complete!  Time to get layering with my favorite Hobbs Batting 80/20 Cotton/Poly batting.  I decided to offset the flower blocks with some piecing.  This my version of a delectable mountains block.

I did some simple stippling to finish off the quilt and some curvy quilting in the blues.  I love how this quilt turned out!

Island Batik is having a giveaway of two fat quarter bundles!  Click below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Be sure to check out all the other amazing quilts in the blog hop!

WEEK 1

September 3:

• Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts
• Sarah Pitcher, Pitcher’s Boutique LLC

September 4:

• Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs
• Denise Looney, Quiltery

September 5:

• Connie Kresin Campbell, Freemotion by the River
• Brittany Fisher, Bobbin with Brittany
• Lana Russel, LanaQuilts

September 6:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

WEEK 2

September 9:

• Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs
• Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

September 10:

• Megan Best, BestQuilter
• Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail

September 11:

• Kim Jamieson-Hirst, Chatterbox Quilts
• Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting

September 12:

• Carol Stanek, Stitch With Color
• Julia Schweri, Inflorescence Designs
• Victoria Johnson, Forever Quilting For You

September 13:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

WEEK 3

September 16:

• Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
• Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations

September 17:

• Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
• Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood
• Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

September 18:

• Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels
• Susan Deshensky, Lady Blue Quilt Studio

September 19:

• Pamela Boatright, PamelaQuilts
• Renee Atkinson, Pink Tulip Quilting
• Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine