Hesperides – An Adventure in Applique

Well, hasn’t this year has been the year of learning some new skills… English paper piecing, crochet, and now I can add needle-turn applique to my basket of handiwork. And it’s all thanks to the incredible Carolyn Friedlander (pardon the poor lighting, downlights are not camera friendly!).

Yes, yes, this technique has been around for years. But to be honest, none of the designs I had ever really seen really sparked any motivation to actually learn it myself. Until now, when one my all-time favourite fabric designers comes to town and the Guild had a special class just for us, and I really really want to make her Wildabon quilt, which is applique, so I’d better learn! That and there’s something beautifully asbtract and unique about her Hesperides pattern.

I was highly tempted to use my large stash of Carolyn Friedlander, and especially so once I won a fat quarter bundle of Friedlander at her trunk show last week! But alas, all I could see was an adorable fairyland pillow cover for my daughter, using Heather Ross et al to create little fussy cut vignettes and stories with the appliqued shapes. And so, it began.

You can choose from a pointed shape, or the arch shape I went with, or even combine them! I stuck with the arch shape as they looked like castle windows to me. Perfect for fairyland, no?! I’m using Heather Ross (Free Spirit, Kokka, and Windham!), Tula Pink, Lizzy House, Essex Linen, and the sweet low volume flower background is from Meadows by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.

The arch templates as-is were the perfect size for all these little fussy cut pieces! I managed to get 6 shapes basted and appliqued during class, and have booked myself in for a hand-quilting class next week. This will get done in time for Christmas! I’m loving how it’s coming along, and while I have to keep it a secret from my daughter, I will still be able to share about it on Instagram and here because #5yearsoldnoInsta, ha!

I have really enjoyed dabbling in a few different skills this year, and I think this is my favourite one I’ve learned so far. Why? Hmm, well, I think it’s because it’s playing with fabric and colour and placement, but unlike EPP, once the shape has been stitched, that’s it. You don’t need too many to make a whole quilt nor needing to then stitch it down to something (like EPP), and it really doesn’t take all that much longer than rotary cutting pieces and machine stitching a block together. And this one is portable!

Also, there’s a lot more freedom in applique. I can stitch whatever shapes I want, wherever I want them! It doesn’t need to be flowers and berries and birds (all the more power to you if that’s your jam, it just doesn’t inspire me to stitch it myself). I’m already thinking about what I can do next over the holidays while taking kids to parks and the library and on holidays… And, uh, may have also preordered a Wildabon kit…