A few years ago I was fortunate enough to attend a class at my local quilt shop taught by Pat Sloane. She is a very skilled quilt maker and pattern writer. I was never very interested in traditional applique and fiddling with the needle turn method. When I heard there was another way to do applique and there was an opportunity to take a class by someone like Pat Sloane, I was all over it! This pattern is called "Basket Of Hope", and is actually just a small part of a larger pattern. This wall hanging top is what I was able to do during our class time. I finished the quilting and binding at home.
As you can see the applique is held down by decorative blanket stitches...by machine. My little fingers were very relieved.
I really enjoy adding my own creative touches with quilting.
The center applique is actually wool which makes for a nice texture. This was fun to put together and satisfying to finish a project quickly.
There are 6 inside pockets which I think is a must for busy Moms. I machine quilted the fabric before putting it all together and even quilted my sister in law's name inside. Yes, I gave this one as a gift for last Christmas. It was hard to part with but I think it's in good hands.
I used some fabric from a charm pack and a jelly roll of "Wee Play" fabric by American Jane for Moda. I added some other fabrics I had on hand and did not follow a pattern. I just tried to make the best use of the fabrics. Don't you just love those primary colors? I used a soft plaid flannel for the quilt backing and quilted it in a meandering pattern.
