Reverse applique class

A couple of weeks ago, we had Celeste of Meerkat Shweshwe Fabrics speak at the London Friendship Guild.  It was a very interesting presentation all about the history of authentic Shweshwe African fabrics and how they are made.  I was lucky enough to win the draw for a fat quarter bundle of four fabrics that Celeste had donated.  I checked out her website and found she was having a class on reverse applique and also has a club for Dutch Treat blocks from the book by Judy Garden.  I signed up for the class and went this past Friday.  It was a lovely drive and a very good class.  I finished off my first block last night and prepared three more.  These are sample blocks that are Celeste's design.  But, I do have the Dutch Treat book (received as a gift 14 years ago!) so hope to make some of those blocks eventually.  

The Dear Jane quilt, which I'm also hoping to work on again soon, has some reverse applique blocks in it so it was good to learn this skill so I can finish those blocks and make progress on DJ.  It does not take much to prepare these blocks for hand stitching and they make great take along projects when waiting for appointments or while visiting with friends :-).

My first block

second block finished...a tad crooked on the top, but practise will make perfect :-)

Samantha's Elephant baby quilt

This elephant baby quilt was somehow forgotten in the lineup of "quilts to blog"!  It was made in 2016 for Samantha's first baby.  The pattern is called Elephant Love by Greenwood Quiltery.  Since the town I live in has a statue of Jumbo, the elephant who was hit by a train here, elephants are kind of an icon here :-). 

The blank white space gave plenty of opportunity to add lots of quilting

love this cute little baby elephant

Momma elephant

Completed quilt