Wool Applique Trunk Show

Connie Spalding from Fife Lake, Michigan was the speaker at our Quilt Guild meeting last evening. She does wool applique and it is lovely. She began in 2007 when she decided she didn't like using cotton fabrics and needle turn applique. She belongs to a number of Facebook groups that work in wool and she takes classes in different places--one time on a cruise! I took a photos of some of her pieces, which you will see just a little way down the page. 

I have never been drawn to wool applique, but she had some good points to consider. The first was that wool is stitched down with a variety of fun and pretty embroidery stitches. No need for needle turn applique or raw edge stitching with a sewing machine. Wool doesn't ravel like cotton. While some quilting is portable, wool is easy to take with you (again with no turning seams to applique). 

I might try a few of the free patterns she shared with us. 

One is a candle mat with pumpkins around the edge

and the other is a hedgehog pincushion (shown here with her other pincushions).

I do have a few pieces of wool I picked up a few years ago thinking I would make a square pincushion.

I hope you enjoy the photos. 

A block of the month in process

This is a sewing pillow. Scissors are stored in the heart, 

the bird's wing lifts for needles and thread storage.

 

 The different shades in these hand dyed wools made all the flowers and leaves so appealing.

This tablemat was made in the style of a crazy quilt and it is no larger than 24" across!

A quilt in the process of being finished.

A fun and colorful star

A felted donut card sent by a friend.

This was a block of the WEEK quilt!

What a fun nature quilt.

Connie made this wool quilt using a pattern designed for cotton applique.

A spectacular bed-size quilt with 1000s of cotton half square triangles

and wool flower appliques!

Have you used wool in your quilting? Do you have any tips for a beginner?