Checking In

 



I guess it must just be my turn to get the seasonal crud.  It started Thanksgiving Day and is now a full blown, nasty cold. Bob, smart man that he is, has beaten a hasty retreat to the ranch to take care of some chores and gather up our Christmas decorations. Given my symptoms I can't say that I blame him, and his absence has at least allowed me to leave all my applique tools spread out on the breakfast table without disturbing him.  About the only thing I have any energy for doing right now is a little work on some Jane Stickle blocks, and the ones shown above are prepped and ready for the handwork.

Most of the blocks I’ve worked on this month have the little oblong shaped pieces called melon seeds. 

 

I wanted to share this picture of one of the current blocks I'm working on with the template I used for the melon seeds next to a dime.  That’s a pretty small template to work with. 

 

 

 

Here is a picture of the technique I prefer for prepping hand applique.  The melon seed in this picture was much larger than the one in the previous photograph.  I was using a travel size iron and my pressing surface was a ceramic tile wrapped in muslin.  I use lots of spray sizing to moisten the fabric and help it hold its new shape once the template is removed.  The Jane Stickle center blocks finish at 4 1/2 inches.  I had to make about seven attempts before I managed to get four seeds that satisfied me.  If I were to meet Jane, I would have to ask what she was thinking when she designed this block.

 

Doreen continues to post great tutorials and I am pressing on with the project even though I estimate I am about 17 center blocks and a gazillion border triangles behind her pace.