It's All About the Melons

Freezer paper (butcher paper), pencil, melon cutting template and
actual size template, scissors & charm fabrics.

NOT Pictured: Craft iron or standard iron, needles and thread

I'm gathering supplies for some upcoming hand applique tutorials. A few friends saw my FB updates and we started talking about the blog which led to some updates and A LOT of fabric purchases...then a couple more were looking for a hand sewing project so I thought why not try some basic melons to keep us learning and virtually connected over this quarantine? I know a friend in London will be joining us but I have readers from all over the world and as always, the more the merrier.

I'd love for you to join in the fun! If you're interested in purchasing the same template we'll be using, you can find it here: Missouri Star "small orange peel". You are welcome to use a different template, if you'd prefer. This one is designed specifically for 5" charm packs to make cutting simpler for beginners with no sewing or quilting experience. From the purchased template, I cut my own actual size templates, which I highly recommend. While you can buy template plastic that can be ironed, I don't. The least expensive option is perfect and will last a lifetime if stored properly. If you would prefer not to purchase template plastics at all, cardboard and heavy card stock both work quite well. In fact, I use heavy card stock myself when making a bunch of circles for a project.

We'll be looking at the freezer paper (butcher paper) method first. A large roll will last for years if you're careful to nest your shapes together, maximizing the surface area. If you do not have any 5" charms (5" x 5" squares), no worries, you can certainly use one large continuous piece of fabric or even scraps. Just be careful to use the bias regardless of fabric size to allow smooth seam tucking.

There are various methods for each type of applique but I'm planning to show what has worked best for me in the past based on some serious trial and error. Feel free to test out other techniques as we go and please, feel free to share your experience group. I had no idea how to applique when I took on Dear Jane and would have benefitted from a few practice sessions, to say the least. My handwork evolved over the course of the blocks fairly quickly but other quilters take considerably longer. Don't compare your progress to other people, it's pointless; you'll get there with time and practice.

Full disclosure: I only hand sewed for decades and tried machine sewing some curtains and a few machine pieced blocks before taking on that DJ project. I truly enjoy handwork and find it relaxes me---getting back to it is good for my soul. I'm no purist though, if you want to machine applique and join us, please do. If you're feeling anxious these days, give handwork a chance to see if helps you unwind and find some inner peace.

All my best,
Heather