Applique Blocks for the Christmas Sampler

I picked out some applique blocks for the Christmas Sampler quilt. Since I had already cut out the pieces (with wonder under applied), it was relatively easy to iron the pieces into place. This first one is called "Love Bird", but to me it is a Christmas bird!


This star block will have some kind of fancy stitching between the points, at least that is what the directions say! I have yet to see just what I will do with that!

Here is an advent wreath. Incidentally, all these blocks are not originally set on point, but since that is how I am setting them into the quilt, I tipped them all so they will not be crooked in the quilt.

I am calling this block "Legend of the Three Trees"...a story about three trees that were cut down and used in service for Jesus. One was made into the manger, another was a boat on the Sea of Galilee, and the third was made into the cross. This block did not come from the magazine (Quiltmakers 100 Blocks) directly; there was one block that had a tree and a snowman with stars and moon. I just made three trees instead. I like how it turned out!

I love this last block. It is called Poinsettia. This is the only block that has absolutely no connection with the magazine at all. I saw a picture of a beautiful quilt using this block; I tracked the pattern down and made one square for this quilt--because I loved it!

Now the real work must begin. I need to stitch around all the applique pieces. I've not done that before and not sure how I will do it. It may take me a while!

Quilt Retreat...Final Update

So here is the block that I worked on yesterday but did not like. Now I love it! It might just be my favorite block so far!
Here is a successful paper-pieced block! I have learned that the bigger the pieces, the easier the block. This one took me under 30 minutes! I don't know that I love to paper piece at this point, but I will say that it makes extremely accurate blocks!

Here is another paper-piecer! I even appliqued that little center circle by hand.

And here are the finished blocks so far...(again, blogger, what is up with the turning of my pictures? Grrr.)

I hope to set them like this, on the diagonal, with sashing. I have five more blocks to make...all applique. I can't say it will be done for this Christmas, as I have many other projects that beg my attention. But who knows? I may surprise myself!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this quilting retreat. A great big THANK YOU to Susan at Blackberry Creek Home Arts (http://www.blackberrycreek.typepad.com/) for hosting this in-home quilt retreat. It has been just the boost I needed to get my mojo back for quilting!

Quilt Retreat, Day 3

I am late in posting today. But that does not mean I have not been busy! Despite many distractions, I pieced another Christmas block.
And I replaced the middle triangles of this block from yesterday. It looks so much better! Notice the fussy cut pattern? The pattern calls for some fancy embroidery stitiching in those triangles, but I don't know how to embroider, and this quilt has enough new challenges for me that I don't need another skill to learn!

Stay tuned! I will post a picture of all the Christmas blocks in a couple of hours!