Strippy -Scrappy - Pink Floral and Happy

I attended a quilt guild meeting where they had a scrap swap.  I came empty handed, but at the urging of swappers, was offered a few scraps to take home.  Feeling guilty about taking without giving, I challenged myself to use these scraps and make something great.  The scraps were actually a few strips and a couple of pieces of coordinating fabric - less than 1/4 yard each.  I liked the 3 dudes quilt from Missouri Star and tried to make it.  U fortunately, I laid the pieces out wrong and had a "very special and unique" set of blocks.  I chose to forge ahead with the special blocks - now named 3 dudes and one nutty gal block.   I added pieces of white to make a bit of an off-set pattern.  Once I put it all together, it was a very white quilt with some colorful patches.  This is why people buy patterns and follow them.

I set this hot-mess quilt aside, and worked on a few other projects.  I thought that I could quilt flowers in the large blank white spaces after attending the quilting class at the Quilt Festival.  After ruining another quilt top while attempting simple flowers, I decided to forego that idea and keep that quilt top un-done.  Then I attended a quilt guild meeting where the speaker spoke on applique.  She made it look so good, and made it sound easy.  I have appliqued placemats before but think of applique as either something for craft projects, or difficult needle turning on quilts - really, how do people have the patience and skill for that - I so admire it, but have no desire to do needle turn applique.

Anyhoo, I cut out flowers similar to the flowers on the print fabric and fused them to the quilt.  I set to work adding the applique stitch from my machine to finish the flowers.  I though this would be tedius and look sloppy, but actually it went really fast, and looked quite lovely!  I am pleased!