When I mentioned I don't do applique, I should have mentioned that I meant I have used fusibles, but I don't tend to do anything to the edges like a machine button hole stitch. I fuse batiks or hand-dyed fabric and take the paper off before I cut the pieces as recommended by Melody at Fibermania.

I did a lot of fusing as part of a challenge hosted by (who else?) VIcki W, where we had a year-long challenge to experiment with a new technique each week.

I probably need to revisit these because they were a nice combination of computer drawing with Adobe Illustrator followed by playing with fabric selection.

Are you at the right blog? Where is the cat or mouse or ? I recently joined a local quilt guild where you actually go out into the real world and interact with real people. And wouldn't you know, the first thing I'm asked to do is make two very traditional machine applique blocks. I haven't quite finished although they are due tomorrow.

I'm making three so that one can be practice. These are fused (no problem) with each piece surrounded by a machine embroidery button hole stitch. And how many times have I done this...how about never. So it took me quite a while to find the stitch on my machine. Then I broke a needle because I forgot to change the throat plate. I struggled with trying to see what I was doing on the leaves until it occurred to me that maybe if I used an open foot I could see what I was doing. In any case, by tomorrow I will be an expert at a technique I will never use again. Kind of like trigonometry.

Meanwhile, with no help from me, a tomato plant is doing an imitation of Jack and the Beanstalk out in the front yard. Most of the other tomato plants are in the vegetable garden and are about half this size. It must be getting its inspiration from the surrounding pine trees.

Today is the last day for green at the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge. I thought I would forgo another day of green, and have a large mouse roundup instead. I enjoy seeing others pull together their rainbow of progress, so I might as well have fun here at home.

Not everyone approves.

As part of the HSTeria Quilt Along, here's my progress on the Ocean Waves quilt. I have my 4X4 sets and triangle sets completed and ready to lay out.

And speaking of laying out, now that it's sun bathing season, Tommy wanted to demonstrate how careful tail placement can be both stylish and modest.

You were going to be shown some of the blooming mountain laurel that is painting the woods. Yawn.

And some peonies. Zzzzzz.

Thank goodness I'm here to show you some thoughtful intensity. You're welcome!

Oops.

I've been feeling like I have been swimming upstream lately, and well, I have been thinking a lot about water. So today we're having fish. Green fish. Because green is the color of the month at the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge. I was tempted to change to the color brown, because that is the color of my water after my well pump died and was replaced.

I also used to make fish quilts as a standard baby gift. This one was made some time in the 80s. And yes, the two fish at the top are smoking...but I don't remember why. And given this is an old quilt, this is an old picture taken with a polaroid...and not in a cool, retro way.

I thought the green fish might also qualify for the HSTeria Quilt Along, except really those are all faux half square triangles. So instead I'll show some of the new HSTs I've made using the Easy Angle. These will be part of the Ocean Waves quilt.