13 April, 2012

Christmas Cactus

In preparation for block # 2 of Bless this House, Christmas Cactus,  I traced the shapes onto fusible web and cut them out, roughly. I used flat, smooth stones to hold down my paper-backed fusible, they're souvenirs from a visit to the rocky coast of Maine last fall, they work perfectly for this! After that, I spread out the pattern placement sheet on my ironing board; where I attached one shape after another... working from the back of the design to the foreground. I pressed the fusible to the reverse side of each chosen fabric,  after removing the center portion of the paper and the fusible web, leaving only a quarter inch of the product inside each shape, then I carefully cut them out exactly on the pencil line. I crisply pressed the background fabric in preparation for machine appliqué, using several applications of heavy starch to give it stiff body.
Using the placement lines from the pattern sheet (underneath the background fabric) I pressed the pieces in place. Notice the leaf on the left;  it has just a small outline of fusible web around the edge, the paper is still attached. It will be peeled, flipped over and pressed into position.

Here is the block with all of the pieces in place, ready to be stitched down. I used a very small blanket stitch and stitched around each and every  appliqué  shape with a matching thread color.

Voilà! The completed Christmas Cactus block; my homework's done, what a good feeling.

Life is Good!

11 comments:

Janet O. said...

Wow, I love it! The blue fabric for the vase has wonderful movement. Such meticulous work--and the results are stunning!

Anne Heidi said...

Your block is beautiful- I really like the fabrics you used :-)

Anonymous said...

It looks so perfect, and, it is so beautiful.

Paula, the quilter said...

You are so good! I am still in the prepping stage of the Baltimore Christmas BOM block #3. This one has a lot of little pieces.

Karen said...

Love the look of this one. My machine doesn't do smaller sized blanket stitching so I haven't quite figured out the machine applique thing yet. Yours is great!

*karendianne. said...

That's stunning. What an interesting process. Thank you for sharing the detail.

*karendianne. said...

That's stunning. What an interesting process. Thank you for sharing the detail.

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

Oh, it is beautiferous.

Quiltdivajulie said...

It is finished and it is FABULOUS -- lovely, lovely work!

Carrie P. said...

great job! love the fabric for the vase.

KaHolly said...

Beautiful!!!