
To me the easiest part of making this block was saying I was going to make it! I learned a lot - first off - I have never appliqued before and I did find it challenging. I cut out my little melon shapes from the fabric and then my next thought was oh! now what do I do??
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I ended up not using these at all! |
I decided that it would be easier to use the back-basting method. So, I put those little shapes aside and I proceeded to tracing the melon shapes on the wrong side of the background fabric and then realized that I had them oriented incorrectly.
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Look closely-you can see the incorrect markings. |

I needed to place them in the correct position so I folded the freezer-paper pattern into quarters and cut along the marked line to make my 1/4 circle template. I aligned that onto my fabric that I had folded into quarters and traced along the edge of the paper. I did this to all four inner corners of the folded fabric square. That gave me the circular alignment markings to place the melon shapes for tracing.
I placed a rectangle of fabric on the front of the main fabric, back-basted and trimmed it a bit and then proceeded to stitching it. I got a little over-confident and trimmed the points too close and my first melon ended up not being long enough and I didn't realize it until I added the second melon. I definitely had to do the first one again because the tip was shredded!
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I had to remove one of these melons! |
It was very slow going for me to make this block and it definitely did not finish perfectly but I did my best and I will leave it as it is. To me, my Dear Jane journey is about having a beautiful completed quilt and it is also about learning new skills and techniques. I hope that my applique skills improve and that one day I will be able to say confidently that, yes, I can applique. I have seen so many gorgeous applique pieces that I would love to make one day but....I do have to start at the beginning.
6 comments:
You're doing so good on the Dear Janes!! Love this one. I'm Dear Jane-ing vicariously through you--I just love seeing everyone's interpretation of that quilt. So fascinating. xo
I think you did a great job and it does not look at all like your first applique attempt! Looks really good to me.
I think you are right to leave the block as is - it is your journey and this is one of the learning curves (or should i say 'melon'?!) along the way and I think it is a nice block.
I love appliqued blocks!! I find patterns that I think are just beautiful and buy them, but, I don't applique!! I need to get comfortable with it and just do it - but then I do and leave it half done..... Good for you finishing and not giving up!!!
My UFO project for this month is - finishing 2 project, they are both small, that I started a few years ago. Halloween ones that I know will work up fast, and all I have to do is sew around the pieces.... funny what can stop you isn't it.
No, it's not funny. It's awful!! But I have to just get in there and do these - they have been weighing me down for to long. And look at what you did!!! Great job!!
Hi Ellen
I love your Hunter's Moon Block! Your applique looks great! Really love the little pattern fabrics that you are choosing! Love sis
Snap!! I've made this block twice already too ;o) It's a tricky little so and so isn't it. I agree about Dear Jane being a journey that will leave us more skillful and much wiser at the end. Either that or bald! :o))
You are such a good girl for persevering. I think you did great! Better than I would have done!
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