Miss Kringle is done...yeah!

These past few days, I've been stitching solely on the center block to Erin Russek's Block of the Month for 2013, "Jingle". The center is a 30"x30" medallion pattern, titled "Miss Kringle" which she sales to accompany the free blocks every month that she posts on her blog, One Piece At A Time.  I love her designs...and have download them the past two years...but have not sewn them. This year, I had all of the fabric colors in my stash...and ran out of excuses not to stitch! Hugs! So, I'm doing it!

  Here's the applique pieces...before I started putting down all of the leaves.

  And, instead of the suggested bias stems...I'm doing embroidery work (stemstitch). The single applique blocks of the month have embroidery stems...so, I'm thinking this will coordinate better than bias would (plus it's faster!). Hugs! I do love Erin's patterns...they have large applique pieces that are easy to work with. No "slender points" (which are only good for fusible work), these shapes are "designed" for hand applique. Thank you Erin! If you have been looking for a hand applique challenge...that is truly manageable...I strongly recommend her patterns. Of course, working on this full-size applique project...(the first large scale applique that I've tackled in fifteen years!!)... has not stopped me from also signing up for another huge applique quilt endeavor over at HGTV Message Board group either this year...geez! But, at least for Erin's quilt...she is doing one applique block and then one pieced block for every other month. So, I should get a bit of a breather at least every other month! (Plus...my muze agreeded yesterday to crochet a baby blanket for my sister-in-law's nephew's new baby, to be delivered some time next month. She is getting the yarn...I'm doing the handwork. My muze is always getting me in deeper! Does yours?)