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Machine Applique in San Manuel, Arizona
At long, LONG last, I am able to share the fun time I had teaching for the Arizona Quilt Guild in mid-April. As a matter of fact, the day I took these photos was the day my old laptop gave its last blink and died! I have to tell you it was SO MUCH FUN!
To back up a couple days, I flew in to Phoenix, and taught in the greater Phoenix area the first day, my Fine Finishes class. Alas, I was SO busy, that I utterly forgot to take photos. My host was also the program Chair, Tari H., who signed up for all three of my classes, which were scattered about the state. So, she ended up also being my driver! We loaded up the back of her car with her machine, suitcase, and stuff (for all the classes) and then all of MY suitcases and stuff! The second day of teaching was sponsored by the guild(s) (both with Copper in their names) in San Manuel, a former small copper-mining-town which is roughly in a line between Phoenix and Tucson to the southeast.
I have to tell you walking into the church hall felt like going home….. 
the folding tables, the happy ladies, the hum of sewing machines, potluck (YUM) for lunch…. it was such a wonderful day! One of the best things about quilters is that they are friendly and welcoming, and it really did feel like going home.
The class in San Manuel was my Applique three (and a half) ways class: Turned edge (over freezer paper or water soluble paper), Turned edge over interfacing (left in), fusible, and (the half part) reverse applique for those three techniques. I use a Gingko leaf because it has every shape you will encounter: inside and outside curves, inside and outside points, and a straight line. I’ll admit that skinny stem is challenging as are the skinny inside points, but I figure if students to something hard in class, they’ll be more likely to tackle it at home. If we only do easy stuff, they might not! Anyway, we had a GREAT assortment of fabrics and looks.
As you browse through the photos (sorry about the odd placement…there is only so much I can manage in the format!), notice the thread choices, how the stitch and thread selection change the appearance of the threads. In the black Indonesian batik, the gold thread just sings! In the last photo, notice how different the leaf looks on the stitched side compared to the not-yet-sewn side! In the photo at the top of this blogpost, compare the look of the different appliques. Trying out different techniques an threads and stitches will help you decide which combination gives you the look YOU want! And also notice in a few shots how the students have tested out stitches on scraps. Don’t imagine what the thread and stitch would look like–try it out!
That evening we had a looooonnnnggggg drive (poor Tari! drive 90 minutes to San Manuel in the morning, all day class, then about 5 hours back past Phoenix and up to Flagstaff for Friday’s class and Saturday’s lecture at the semi-annual guild meeting). However, we did drive through quintessential southern Arizona territory and what was effectively a sajuaro cactus forest. Because it was late, we were both tired, and had a long trip, I didn’t ask Tari to stop so I could snap pics, so this will have to do:
MANY thanks to the ladies of San Manuel for such a great day, and especially to Tari for being such a trooper and shuttling me across the state from south to north! Coming soon: Fussy threads and Flagstaff!
June 19th, 2010 at 7:12 am
We spent 2 weeks in Tuscon this past October. We rented a house in a seniors subdivision, and I immediately found a quilt guild who took me in like I was a long lost relative! Quilters rock!