faux trapunto, Light and Shade and Toad in the Hole.

 I've decided to do faux trapunto behind each of the appliqués. I'm taking an approach used by longarmers, and that is to quilt just outside the appliqué to make it more prominent. Because of this I don't have to use water soluble thread. I'm using Quilter's Dream de luxe (the heaviest weight) polyester for the trapunto. This batting sticks like cotton and is a joy to machine quilt. This weight is almost like white synthetic felt, the two lighter weights, Request and Select have a really good drape, but this one is quite stiff. I'm stitching this batting with Invisifil just up against the applique before cutting away the excess.

I bought the Invisifil at the National Quilt Show this summer. I love this thread, it behaves like the silk but so very much cheaper. Very kindly Wonderfil gave me some of their other threads to try out. I haven't had occasion to play with them yet, but I'm excited with the prospect. I just know if I start playing before I've finished the Heart's Desire quilt, I won't finish it.

For the Light and Shade piece for the International Quilt Challenge this month, I quilted a wide attic window style  border . On the lighter putty shade of the border I used a filler I haven't used since I made my husband a quilt for the millennium. I had forgotten how quickly this background filler quilting goes, it's possibly one of the fastest out there (something to remember).

We had Toad in the Hole with a rich onion gravy for dinner tonight. We haven't had this for years and it was yummy!

My post to the International Challenge 'Light and Shade'.

I'd had an idea about balls bouncing about with their shadows giving them their position within a 3d piece. After tearing up a few pieces of paper, I'm ashamed to say I gave up. What has happened to my tech drawing skills, I thought they were with me forever....

First I applied the shadows on, and then I added the foreground

 It's still not stitched down but I am pleased with the effect of this very simple piece. So tomorrow I might get round to quilting.....