May
4
Welcome to All About Appliqué on this third day of the 100 Blocks Blog Tour!
I’m Kay Mackenzie, a designer and author in Santa Cruz, California. My website is By Kay Mackenzie, which has all of my books and patterns on it, plus select notions for the appliqué enthusiast. If this is your first time visiting my blog, I’m so glad you’re here! You’ll find a wealth of information about all kinds of appliqué here, so take your time clicking around the categories, and use the keyword search as well.
My block was inspired by the famous and beloved quilt by Susan McCord, Trailing Vines, which is in the Henry Ford Museum. Here’s a closeup of her fantastical leaves (photo courtesy of the museum). I have passionately loved and admired the inclusion of red and blue.
I design my appliqué blocks in Adobe Illustrator, a vector graphics program. Usually I do not use color to fill in the shapes, because what happens is that I become attached to those colors and drive myself crazy trying to match them in fabric.
Well guess what, that’s exactly what happened this time LOL. I started playing around with color, and it was all over. Here’s my digital mockup, seeing what the leaves would look like cut out of strip sets.
Predictably, I couldn’t rest until I replicated what I saw on my computer screen. Most of the colors I found with ease, but I tore my stash apart looking for that just-right light tan. Finally found it! Yay!
The background is a light misty gray hand-dyed fabric from Always Unique. It’s gonna give it somewhat of a moderny look.
Here’s my pile o’ strips.
Laid out into two different strip sets.
And here’s my finished block, Make Beleaf. I used raw-edge fusible machine appliqué.
I love combining patchwork with appliqué, so these stripped leaves are right up my alley. Of course you can use all sorts of different colors, and the leaves can be used in a million different ways. Templates and complete instructions are found in the magazine. Have fun making yours!
The editors of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks are sponsoring a giveaway of a copy of the magazine! If you’d like to enter to win, please leave a comment here on this post before 12:00 noon California time on Tuesday, May 10.
Good luck in the drawing, and remember that if you are subscribed to the blog by email, clicking “Reply” will not enter you in the drawing. Come to the blog on the internet (click on the title of the article) and leave your comment at the bottom of the post. :)
Thanks so much for stopping by on the blog hop!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Comments
128 Responses to “Make Beleaf”
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Very nice block. So versatile and a great way to use up strings.
Kay ,definitely a wonderful block. Good way to make a modern version of Susan’s quilt
I like the multi-leaves!
Love your strip pieced leaves!
Fun way for applique! I love the stripes in the leaves!
I love the idea of using your scraps.
Love the scrappy leaves in your block. Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful project. Can’t wait to try it.
I have used strips to make fusible appliques for children’s charity quilts for my guild. It’s a great way to use up scraps and by enlarging charm tack patterns you get a lot of interesting applique patterns that can easily be used with this method but doing leaves with a lot of seams and hand appliquing them looks very challenging.
How fun…. scraps and applique :)
I like it…
I love Susan McCord’s quilt and your modern version!
What a pretty block! I really like applique but have never used a piece with seams.
I love this and I really love the scrappy way you made it, thanks.
I’ve always loved the quilt you used for inspiration. It’s on my bucket list, but I think I will give your block a try now.
congratulations. what a fun way to make leaves. thanks for sharing.
I never would have thought to make multi color leaves. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love applique and this block rocks. crystalbluern at tds dot net
Fun block, a beautiful way to use up scraps.
Now that’s an idea i never thought of for strings tytyty loved it…… happyness04431@yahoo.com
Nice scrappy block. You inspire me.
I love applique and your ideas are great. Can’t wait to get started on this.
I can see why you were inspired. The Trailing Vines is lovely. However…you brought it right into the 21st century :-) with your cool pieced leaves and perfect colors. This is cool!
Your striped leaves are really striking — they “jump” off the background fabric.
Love this… opens many ideas… thanks can’t wait to see the magazine.
Your block would look great in a border. Using scraps would be my way to go. It’s a really useful design.
What a neat idea! I love the results and can’t wait to use it in my next project. Thanks for the chance to win!
That is one cool block. Loving the multi colored leaves. Congrats!
These unique leaves would make a great quilt border.
Love blocks that help reduce the scrap stash.
Love this! Thank you. I miss Santa Cruz. I live in Montana now and love the mountain views but miss the ocean!
I love being able to use up my scraps or at least keep the pile manageable. LOL
I quickly thought of my bucket of strings, thanks for the inspiration! Santa Cruz must be quite a complement to quilting, I am in Southern California and reading where you’re from made me say Ahhhhhhhh! Beautiful place.
What a stunning way to make the leaves! Thanks for sharing.
What a fun way to make leaves. Love it!
Love this leafy vine. Raw edge fusible applique is the only method I have attempted in applique so far. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Cute block with the strip pieced leaves and applique!
Love your block. I like the strip colored leaves.
This is so cute, and great idea for using up small pieces of fabric scraps. I’ve been cutting my leftovers for days. There’s some tiny pieces that would work perfectly for this block. Thanks for the fun and the chance to win my favorite magazine!
I love hearing the stories behind blocks. I, too, fall in love with a particular color, or an idea, and get fixated on it, driven to distraction until I’ve satisfied my vision of it. But when I do: heaven. I’m always happy when I see that block, or quilt. Or leaf. Whatever it is. Quilting is so quirky, or perhaps quilters are. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful block. Must have been hard to hand applique those leaves with all the seams.
I love your pieced appliqué petals- really good idea!
Pretty block! I’ve never appliqued with strip sets.
I love how you combined piecing with applique. Lovely!
I love the interesting piecing with applique, just gives you that much more to enjoy looking at, eye candy!
I love how you really got scrappy and appliqué together! Appliqué tends to be a great way to use up some scraps, but this lets me use a lot of those small leftover strips. Hope I Win!
What a neat technique! Piecing then cutting out applique pieces. I’ll definitely put this in my bag of tricks!
What a great idea! Love the leaves
I love the colorful leaves!
My favorite part is the graceful line of the stem! (Of course I love the leaves, too.) Is it kitten season yet? I’m looking forward to photos.
Looks beautiful! I love the cheerful scrappy look.
I have a bag of strings waiting for a quick project!
Interesting approach!! Nice leaves!!!
Very pretty.
Love that idea. Might have to rethink the border I am working on!
Love those Leaves
That is a great idea. Love the look.
I like your strip leaves, give them move interest then a single piece of fabric.
I love your leaves. I think I will make a make beleaf border on my next quilt
I love this idea and making the strip sets makes it so easy. Striped fabric would be great too. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for a chance to win. I love the combining of strip piecing and appliqué to make your leaves.
Love the leaves. So many possibilities. Also love the title!
I would have never thought to make leaves like that but they are beautiful! Thanks for a chance to win a copy of the magazine.
Great use of small pieces of fabric.
Kay, what a beautiful block! I can already see in my mind some various layouts, and am imagining what to put into an oval formed by 4 blocks in mirroring.
Thank you for a chance to win the magazine!
Jan
I enjoyed your explanation of making this block. I like your color combinations and it looks like a fun block to make. Thanks so much for sharing your talent.
I, too, have always liked Susan McCord’s quilt — you have done a wonderful interpretation of it.
Kay, you have come up with another winner. Thanks for offering the drawing.
Great job of using strips of left over fabric. From now on I will be saving those narrow strips of fabric I usually toss out. The leaves with red tips are my favorite.
Thanks for sharing
love your block!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Super cute! I love the scrappy look and I’m a big fan of leaves on quilts. I’m excited to get my hands on this magazine.
I love the striped leaves! Thanks for the block and giveaway.
I love to combine patchwork and applique as well.
LOOOOOVE your Leaves!! So creative..great idea…and I definitely want to try! :) Thank you for sharing..& chance to win your Give-a-way!
love your block! my kind of thing to make! and thanx for the link to the trailing vines quilt.
String leaves – love them!
What a cool derivation/variation! I’d try them with gradations.
I love leaves and your striped ones are so much fun!
Absolutely love your leaf block!
Love your block, especially the string piecing aspect.
These leaves would make a really cool border. Great idea!
Hi! I found your blog two years ago, when I started searching to teach myself Hawaiian-style appliqué. Now my other appliqué skills are growing!
Cute leaves!
reillyr2(at)hotmail(dot)com
What a fun block! congrats!
Wonderful block and nice choice of colors, that is always the fun part to me.
Debbie
What a great block! I love the idea of using strip sets for the leaves.
I love the pieced leaves – definitely gives them a modern look.
Lovely block – thanks.
Very interesting technique. I could see doing leaves in different shades of green, instead of a rainbow.
I love the strip pieced leaves. Congratulations for being selected.
What a great way to make interesting leaves!
there is never an appliqued leaf I don’t like and yours is no exception. what a great table runner…or border this could be. thanks
Such fun leaves. Congratulations on being in the issue.
joyecox@yahoo.com
I enjoy appliqué and I love your block. I love the touch of blue as well.
Thanks for a chance to win.
usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com
I like the idea – and look – of pairing piecing with applique!
I really like the way the leaves look so I will remember this for sure.
I love the leaves!!! Congrats on your block! One of a kind!
Interesting block. Would not have thought of making leaves that way.
Very nice leaves. Unique!
“Strip piecing” is something I just haven’t done, but your design makes it tempting. Kathy in colo
Love how you were inspired to create this. Very nice.
I love your striped leaves. They look very fun to make.
What a wonderful idea. I’m going to use it for the alphabet and lots of other things.
This is a really great idea. You could do just a few colors – or make each one different. Thanks for sharing.
Very clever way to use up scraps.
I love applique, what a great design!
Your leaves are so neat! Love the colors!
very pretty …it’s a great way to use up scraps …thank you…marta
I like your combo of applique and piecing – great block!
Your leaves are terrific! I’ll have to try this technique.
Fun block, Kay!
Great block. I have really gotten to like the pieced applique pieces lately so your block was just perfect.
Interesting look, will have to give it a try.
Nice leaves!! It will definitely look great in a project or to enhance a border!
What a great idea! I love the idea of appliqueing with the piece cut from strip sets.
I’ve always loved the Susan McCord quilt–this is a fun take off!
Love the leaves. Great idea to strip piece and then cut the applique pieces. Now I have even more to make with my scraps.
I love your Raw-Edge Applique. Especially the leaves. I need to make that block!!
The strips of colour give a great look to the leaves
Love Applique, can’t wait to try the leaves…so unique!
Love this!
What brightly colored leaves!
What a great block. Love the idea and the colors and the ability to use up scraps.
I love the look of those stip pieced leaves!
A great way to use my scraps. I love the leaves.
This is just so cute. My son is getting married in October and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law has asked me to make some table runners. This is just right thing for an autumn wedding.
I love the strip piecing in the leaves. Great idea.
What a great leaf block!!! I love that the strips can totally change it!! Hugs, H
Strip piecing and applique. What could be better!
Dmac5958ataoldotcom
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