I know, I posted about Row Four last week. I should be on five, right? But I skipped row two. Because I REALLY didn’t want to do it. And I kept procrastinating…

First off, it’s six very detailed snowflake applique blocks. It takes time and patience. Neither of which I have had a lot of lately. Next, doing the applique. I typically use either the blanket stitch or the satin stitch. Once again, that takes time and patience to neatly go around all those little edges. Plus, I have done those little pointy bits in the past and it’s not always pretty.

So I continued to procrastinate but finally said, just gotta do it, and went to pull four different blue backgrounds and realized that I didn’t have FOUR different blue backgrounds. I didn’t even have two! (I use a lot of blue and had used it all up!) So I had to go to a quilt shop to get some blue!!!! (Gosh, you know I hate that!) This time I went to Nana’s Quilt Shop in Brooksville. It’s a small store but has a very nice selection of fabrics and nice people work there. I easily found three lovely coordinating pieces that matched up with one I had at home.

I do not do my raw edge applique as most quilters suggest. I iron the heat n’ bond lite on the back of a piece of fabric that is just large enough for the applique. Then I use a glue stick and glue the pattern onto the paper side. And then I cut it out.

As I knew would happen, cutting those snowflakes out was painful. I have a very sharp small pair of sewing scissors which I use for this type of detailed precision. But even though the finger holes are bigger than most small scissors, they still aren’t big enough! But, enough whining. I did it.

And then I pressed the snowflakes onto the background blocks.

Now to the actual sewing of the applique. I decided to just do a “doodle” style of stitching. Not quite free motion quilting cause I’m not good at that. (yet) For the first block there was a lot of putting the needle down, picking up the presser foot, turning the fabric. Sometimes the needle pushes the little points right through the fabric. Sometimes the fusible glue doesn’t hold. It can be ugly. And frustrating.

With the first block that’s absolutely what happened. I tried several different types of sewing machine needles with very poor results.

Then for the next block I followed the designer (Jacquelynn Steves) suggestion to put interfacing on the back of the blocks. I used some of my embroidery stabilizer. PInned it on and went for it.

OMG! What a difference. Those little points did not get sucked into the fabric nor did the glue release!

Then I got really brave on the last two blocks and actually did FREE MOTION QUILTING! As I expected, I wasn’t very good at it. But I used white thread on the white snowflakes so you really can’t see how uneven the stitches are and it turned out pretty darn good!

But then I had to pull out all of the embroidery stabilizer. More time and patience! Both of which I have in short supply!

I finished. It looks really good. And I’m really happy I finished it!

I’m loving putting this quilt together because it’s pushing me to learn and try new methods. I would never have put backing on behind the appliques. But it works! Yippee!!

Working on the last two rows right now! Should have the quilt top done next week! (or that might be a bit optimistic!)