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