On Being Brave: The Quilt Retro Blog Tour
I’ve met so many incredible women through the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild. One of those women, Jenifer Dick, is an author and designer who happens to have a new book out this month! Jenifer asked if I would like to be a part of her book’s blog tour and I was happy to join in.
If you’ve not visited Jenifer’s blog (Forty-TwoQuilts) before, you should definitely stop by. One of my favorite things about her blog is her Modern Monday/Traditional Tuesday set of blocks. Go ahead. Check it out. I’ll wait right here.
Pretty clever, right?
Jenifer’s book, Quilt Retro: 11 Designs to Make Your Own, has a major component that I quickly zeroed in on as I read along: Applique.
I will be the first to admit my ‘fear’ of applique. Perhaps I thought it wouldn’t (couldn’t?) fit my style. Perhaps I thought it wasn’t “modern.” Perhaps I wasn’t sure about what it really entailed. Here’s the scoop: It was something unfamiliar to me and I was afraid of messing it up. Plain and simple…. I was a chicken!
Luckily, Jenifer’s book makes the entire process a lot more approachable. It’s almost like Jenifer is sitting there, talking right to me. Just look at the featured note at the top of this page:
Her writing style is friendly and the pages are full of tips and tricks to have some great beginner success. The quilt shown below, Fork and Spoon, is one of the applique projects in the book. It was on display at Quilts on the Quad recently and it was fun to see her wonderful craftsmanship up close!
In the last line of the acknowledgements, Jenifer has a note about the KCMQG. It is such a sweet gesture and it is most definitely reciprocal… we can thank her for helping us to be brave as we try something new! Because really… we never grow as sewists if we aren’t brave enough to step out of our comfort zones and risk a learning curve, right?
If you are like me and want to try out a new skill, you’ll find Quilt Retro to be a friendly guide. You can find yourself a copy at Amazon or Pickle Dish… or you can win one here!
Jenifer has kindly offered a copy of Quilt Retro to one of you! Simply leave a comment here by Sunday (10/16) at midnight answering this question: Have you braved the world of applique yet? If not, what’s holding you back?
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If you’ve missed any of the party, you can catch up here: |
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Monday 10/3: Alissa Haight Carlton of Handmade by Alissa Tuesday 10/4: Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville! Wednesday 10/5: Tammie Schaffer of Crafty Tammie. Thursday 10/6: Jenifer Dick at 42 Quilts Friday 10/7: Angela Walters of Quilting is My Therapy. Monday 10/10: Jacquie Gering of Tallgrass Prairie Studios. Tuesday 10/11: Deb Rowden of Deb Rowden’s Thrift Shop Quilts Wednesday 10/12: Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio |
Oh dear. The very first quilt I ever made was hugely appliqued and I didn’t know any better and just zig zag stitched all these circles (flower heads) everywhere and it looked awful. At the time I had no intention of doing more quilts or sewing, even, but here I am, hooked! Guess it’s time to give applique a “real” chance and do it right? Thanks for the giveaway!
im embarrassed to admit reading the directions and all the set up is what is holidng me backing for applique. i even WANT a hand project to take with me in the van for various kids activities, yet still i hesitate…this bok looks great!
This looks like such a fun book!! I have ‘dabbled’ in needle-turn applique, making myself a small sampler/wallhanging. I’ve used the button hole stitch quite a lot, but not on quilts anymore, because I found it just doesn’t hold up to machine washing and drying. I want my quilts to be used! I travel in the winter and am hoping to set myself up with a ‘take-along’ applique project to hone my skills.
Great looking book! I admit I too was fearful of applique, but the more I attempt it (and it is just an attempt–not an accomplishment!) the more excited I get for the potential. Here’s hoping for more practice! Thanks!
I love appliqué! This book looks so great. Yes, if I don’t win, I may have to head to amazon.
Yes, my first applique project was the Roseville pottery Block a Month project. I’m finally on block 13 which has over 400 teeny tiny pieces. I have the borders left and then I’ll get to back and quilt the whole thing. Time invested so far: 10+ years.
I’ve tried appliqué a few times, but I need to learn a better technique. I’m working on a little yellow chick quilt now that my dear friend and I made together (one for each of us), and while hers has been done for ages, mine is languishing on the wip pile because I don’t think the blanket stitch will be secure enough to have it stand up to repeated washing. But I want to learn more – it can be a nice tool. I want to do Celtic knot appliqué at some point with batiks/modern fabrics!
Yes, I have occasionally done some applique on quilts, but I never feel really easy about it…….I could really use some nice tips.
This looks like a wonderful book. thx for the chance to win it.
I’ve done a few raw edge appliques on shirts… but haven’t tried to actually sew around the edge of my appliques. I guess I just thought I couldn’t do it, but someday I plan on trying it! I have some easy quilts I want to try, just adding words or appliques to plain pattern… whenever I have the time!
I too belong to a modern quilt guild but have been apprehensive to try any sort of applique pattern. Why are they so intimidating? I’d love to check out this book to learn how to not be afraid and share the technique with my other guild members. Thanks so much for the wonderful giveaway!!
I have only done machine applique and while I don’t love the process, I certainly appreciate the results.
I want to try the forks and spoons — – they could be fashioned into a great table runner!
I have done a little bit of machine applique. I’ve never been very confident about doing applique, although I think it is beautiful. The book looks awesome!
An excellent review of an awesome book! I’d love to win a copy, but if I don’t hit the blog-tour jackpot, I’ll just buy myself a special treat!
I’ve done a bit of fusible raw-edge applique, but nothing with a finished edge. It’s definitely something that I’d like to work on. Jenifer’s book would be a great source of inspiration – and encouragement!
KC MQG rocks! (See you there tonight!)
This looks like such a fun book. I have done a lot of applique with satin stitching and then a little bit of raw edge applique. I’d love to try some needle-turn, but I don’t know if I have the patience. Thanks for the chance!
Applique just seems so daunting… the one time I tried it out on scraps was a disaster. Maybe it’s because I don’t yet feel comfortable with sewing a decent curve. I guess it is all about practice but it is hard to continue practicing it when the beginning results are so awful (at least for me). Thanks for the opporunity to win the book, it does look lovely!
Thanks for the book review and introducing me to another great blog. No wonder I don’t get any sewing done! I have not tried applique yet. I am kind of new to quilting but I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch and I guess the hand work doesn’t appeal to me right now. Thanks for a chance at your giveaway.
I love applique! I’m excited to see it used in a modern way. Hope I win :)
I am still learning to enjoy applique, the book looks great tho, thanks for the opportunity to win!
I LOVE this fork and spoon quilt! I have done some applique even though I’m quite new to this quilting thing. I’m actually more comfortable doing hand work (applique, yoyo’s, embroidery) than machine sewing. I’ve only just started getting acquainted with a machine.
I’ve made two applique quilts where I hand applique vintage handkerchiefs onto squares that are then made into a quilt. Very pretty if I do say so myself. I haven’t tried machine applique but I’m sure I will love it … and the speed of it … when I get to that point.
I have braved the world of applique. It is very addictive. I am starting a new applique quilt this week. Thank you for being able to win this book. It is sew inspirational!
I’ve never tried applique… I love the look of it. I’m new to the quilting world and would like to get a couple quilts under my belt first! Thanks for a chance to win this book! :)
I have indeed “braved” the world of applique. I had tried needleturn applique but was still intimidated by it until I took a class at a quilt show. It made such a huge difference!
My first foray into applique was a baby quilt for my niece – the pattern called for a big script B (for Baby, I guess) in the middle of the quilt, but somehow I couldn’t put a B there when her name began with S – so I drew an S to fit the space and jumped in. I could have read the directions….anyway, it turned OK! I think for this fork&spoon quilt (so cute) I would follow the directions – and learn lots on the way too!
Perfectionism (an insidious little voice in my mind that tells me what I’m doing isn’t good enough) has always held me back from applique. I know it only requires practice to develop the skill, but have avoided projects that incorporate it. This year I’m trying new things – new colour combinations, new techniques, new styles and loving it all. Applique is next on my hit list.
I haven’t tried applique yet, but I’m willing to give it a try. There are so many beautiful patterns out on the internet and in books. If I win this book, I think I’ll make some placemats with the spoons and forks (start small). I really like that pattern.
I’ve done very little applique but I’m up for more. The fork and spoon quilt might just be my next project.
I enjoy doing applique but have not done alot of it. I really like to do it in the car on trips. It’s a good “take along” project for me. I think the reason I don’t do alot of it is because I need to have an applique project organized at all times so I can just pick it up and take it with me. I would love to learn more about Jenifer’s methods. It would be wonderful to win a copy of her new book! I enjoyed your blog.
I love the look of applique and am working at improving my skills. I enjoy hand applique the best, but rarely give myself the time to sit and do it. Looking forward to the long winter evenings ……
I’ve done a little bit of it so I wouldn’t say I’m afraid but its definitely something that I should practice on! Maybe this would encourage me? Thanks for the giveaway.
I enjoy the applique results but inside turns still give me problems :(