Friday 10 January 2014

An apple a day...

...or sometimes a bit more means it doesn't take long to hand piece an Apple Core quilt.



I used this template...


...which I bought from here when I found myself in the neighbourhood a few months back. I buy a lot of my threads and notions from the Cotton Patch but always by mail order. In my head, I'd decided it was going to be an enormous Aladdins Cave of quilty goodness but in reality the premises are actually quite small and I think they offer more online than is actually in the shop.

Anyway, the template comes in two sizes but I liked the idea of using the larger size to show off prints. You can machine or hand piece but I was going the slow, portable road so went for the hand piecing option.

The backing is a very tactile piece of Anna Marie Horner velveteen spliced in between a Denyse Schmidt (I think) piece that wasn't quite long enough.



I just used my walking foot to quilt about half an inch outside and along each seam line and I love the echo of waves it creates.


If you decide to hand piece curves I think the secret is to pin well. I pinned at either end, in the middle and either side of the middle and then off I went. It really isn't difficult.

It's now all pressed, folded and ready to gift for the arrival of a new baby next month.

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday

30 comments:

  1. This quilt makes me smile. :-) Perfect for a happy little baby!

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  2. Love the fabric you pulled for this. Such a cheerful quilt.

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  3. such bright colours x will be perfect for a baby x

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  4. I love the cheeriness of this quilt - bright colours are always perfect for a baby :-)

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  5. it's so lovely and bright! Perfect for a baby :-D

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  6. That is such a fun quilt, I love the colours together. I have never tried an apple core, I am glad to hear it is easier than it looks to piece.

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  7. Fabulous colour scheme. You are the queen of hand piecing!

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  8. Gorgeous! I am a little intimidated by curves though.

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  9. So pretty! Gorgeous use of your fabric. Definitely a good use of the larger template!

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  10. I have the Sizzix apple-core die, but haven'y fancied using it until I saw this!! I may have been converted! Lovely xxx

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  11. Oh I love your optimism - It does not take a long time to hand patch - sure sure sure - for you maybe!!!

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  12. Love this quilt - you make apple cores sound so easy. Like Drunkards path I think I'd need a sizzix before I could be tempted to do them!

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  13. Perfect baby quilt, bright and cheery!

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  14. What a beautiful quilt!! I have that same template but am not sure how to use it. If I am going to use my machine to put it together, do I need to pin it because of the curves? Seeing your lovely quilt really makes me want to try the template again!!

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  15. What a pretty quilt and the backing is wonderfully done!

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  16. Lovely. Thanks for the tips too.

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  17. very nice, I have not tried this shape as the curve put me off but maybe I should have a go now

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  18. Beautiful! Love the bright colours and the simple quilting really sets it off.

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  19. beautiful, love the fabrics. makes me want to finish mine

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  20. Very nice! I'd love to try curves some day but don't think I have the time to hand piece. It can be done by machine?

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  21. This is so pretty, I love the pops of pink. How did you like using velveteen for the back? I have a couple pieces of velveteen from making scarves and I'm not quite sure what to do with them.

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  22. This is so beautiful! And I love the quilting, it really helps to highlight the curves of the apple cores x

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  23. Just beautiful x I don't know where you get the patience from!

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  24. I love your quilting! It is so simple yet so perfect for this! I may have to make another apple core quilt so I can try that out.

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  25. I have not visited in a while and was so happy to see your apple core quilt. I like it . I have been making quilts that bore me and I just plain dont want to make but feel forced to and I noticed it is not me, it's that feeling that I need to make the next" commercial trend along" , and I really hate that I can get caught up in it . . Thats why I hate them because it is someone elses pattern or just too strict for my liking , so I began stitching together random non sensical pieces of fabric and Im liking it again. I just needed to do something quirky cause its me. I love your quilts because they are always fresh and you, I presume. They certainly look honest and thats what makes them so pretty . Also I like how you machine stitched it . I have a good machine but am still trying to figure out how to machine stitch it. It is a Janome which only comes with a walking foot for quilting..

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  26. this is one pattern I have not made yet but intend to one day. such great use of scraps

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  27. What a beautiful quilt! I've never taken on piecing that many curves for a quilt.

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  28. So lovely! :)
    Greetings from Finland!
    Hugs, Ulla

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  29. Wow! That's an amazing quilt! I don't know that I'd be brave enough to take on all those curves!

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  30. I have a template - it is on my list! Even more so after seeing this! Wow the things you find while looking for first aid ....? I'm coming straight to you Alison!

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