Family--Penguin Quilt--post 1

Applique in process

I've had this snowflake printed fabric for many years. I bought it thinking it would be a good background for a Santa Tree skirt. Then I got stymied as to how to make Santa's belt and boots show next to the snowflake fabric. It has been in my stash more than five years. Earlier this year, I decided it had "aged" sufficiently and I decided to use it as a ruffle on a Santa Tree skirt. 

In May, when I selected fabrics for this book club quilt project, I pulled this fabric too. I think it is perfect. I did purchase the white fabric with the little silver fleck in it. I drew the pattern on the snowflake fabric with a Bohn chalk pencil.

Finished applique

Then I layered the two fabrics and basted the two layers together. I began cutting on the lines and needle turning the cut edge. I worked on it in the evenings. By the end of the month, I had the majority of the applique finished.

This is a Pacific Rim Quilt Company 2-Fabric Applique pattern that Nancy Chong designed. Nancy has designed many two fabric applique patterns. Check out the link to see the what the company has to offer. The finished size is 24 inches wide by 36 inches tall. Click here to see a demonstration of the technique.

Pieced back

I felt I would be unsuccessful to cut the fabric around the eyes. I was stymied on how to be apply the eyes. In the end, I remembered Connie's advice from who has also made this pattern. She suggested appliquéing the pieces on top of the fabric and using a bead for the littlest penguin's eye. I appliquéd all the eyes. I used Liuxen Newman's technique of applique on the circle. I was successful enough. Can I do better? Sure. For this project, I'm pleased with my results.

One year at Spring retreat, I was gifted a set of fabric samples for a particular fabric line. I'm sure the fabrics are at least 10 years old. I liked them because a couple of the prints featured snowflakes and penguins. My oldest daughter liked penguins. She still likes penguins. From time to time, I would pull them out and look at them; but, I didn't know how to use them. I didn't think there was enough fabric to make a quilt.

Pin basted and ready for quilting

While I was appliquéing this project, I remembered the samples and decided that they would make the perfect back. I determined the arrangement and I thought that I would be close to having enough. Boy, was I WRONG! I had purchased a fabric with white dots on a blue background thinking it would work for some HSTs for Frolic. I pulled that fabric and it worked with the sample fabrics. I barely had enough to create the back. Actually, I could have used another inch in the width of the fabric; but, I "coaxed" the pin basting during the layering process and made what I had work.

I used a wool batting in this project.  I layered and pin basted this project. It is now ready for me to quilt it on my domestic 790 Bernina sewing machine. I'm thinking about quilting snowflakes in the upper corner of the white fabric. I'm thinking about echo quilting on the mama's body and straight lines for the daddy's body. I might do a sort of pattern on the baby's body. I'm thinking about using slightly different shades of white thread for the quilting on each penguin to help distinguish the penguins. I have an idea for the label that is different than what I usually do and it involves a red handbag. For now, as I "decide," I'm quilting the background fabric! 

This is my one monthly goal so I am motivated to have a finish by the end of the month!