October 1, 2014

This month, courtesy of AQS Publishing, we have Rebecca L. Campbell’s charming book Plant Your Own Garden.


This little book features a dozen original flower blocks that you can use to plant an appliqué garden. Each design can stand alone in a project of your own creation, or join the others in a sampler quilt.

Rebecca shares with us what inspired her to become an appliqué enthusiast and to develop her own system for pleasing results. Take it away, Rebecca!

I belong to a quilt guild, Quintessential Quilters in Columbus, Ohio. I thank that organization for the opportunity to take classes from an amazing list of famous quilters. Those teachers inspired me in a so many ways. I wanted be a part of the quilting business. but what was I going to offer? A seed was planted and I was searching for my way to inspire.

I fell in love with an appliqué pattern and became determined to learn turned-edge appliqué, but my results left a lot to be desired. I wanted perfect shapes right off the bat and didn’t want to spend time tracing or ripping freezer paper out. I matched up products that accomplished those tasks. I eliminated tracing by using a copier to create a placement guide (June Tailor’s Perfect Piecing) and templates (C. Jenkins Freezer Paper Sheets). If I ironed the freezer paper to the right side of the fabric it could be pulled off once the piece is in place. Print n Fuse ironed to batting enabled me to create trapunto without stuffing.

Now I had a method that worked well for me. Teaching classes was a test to see if it worked for others. Beginners were excited with their results and experienced appliquérs found it increased their accuracy and productivity.

I had a proven method that I titled Innovative Appliqué. Someone suggested I should create an original pattern to teach from. Sixty-one patterns and more in the works are available. All individual patterns are full size.

Designing, teaching, vending and trade shows lead to connecting with America Quilter’s Society to publish a booklet, Plant Your Own Garden. Twelve flower patterns, quilt construction, and Innovative Appliqué instructions are all included. I like to provide lots of pictures to show what I am explaining. The booklet patterns do need to be enlarged 111%. That is something I hope to avoid the next go round.

I hang a sign at shows that says Appliqué is not a four letter word. I think that is so funny.

At a recent Checker Distributors open house, Rebecca filmed a video presentation showing her appliqué techniques.

Rebecca’s video.

If you’d like to win this booket, please leave a comment before 7:00 p.m. California time on Monday, October 6. Open to U.S. mailing addresses only.

Good luck everyone!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Comments

26 Responses to “Plant Your Own Garden”

  1. DebrafromMD on October 1st, 2014 6:08 am

    I would love to try this method of applique.

  2. Mrs. Plum on October 1st, 2014 7:34 am

    Sounds like a great book! I find hand applique very relaxing. Thank you for giving away the book.

  3. Lea Anne on October 1st, 2014 10:19 am

    That looks like some interesting unique flower applique, almost whimsical.

  4. s on October 1st, 2014 10:24 am

    I love the author’s description of her journey. I would love to learn more about the techniques she has put together…especially the one using the batting for trapunto! Thank you for the sweet giveaway! And I hope to see you soon, Kay, at PIQF :-)

  5. Loris Mills on October 1st, 2014 10:26 am

    ooops! my name got goofed up on the previous post :-/ See you soon!

  6. Char Loudermilk on October 1st, 2014 10:54 am

    i would love to win this new book. applique is one of my favorite quilting activities and i would love to try Rebeccas new methods.

  7. Teresa on October 1st, 2014 1:31 pm

    I would love to win the book – thanks for the give away!

  8. Donna W on October 1st, 2014 2:44 pm

    Looks like a fantastic book. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.

  9. Betty Woodlee on October 1st, 2014 2:58 pm

    I am interested in hand applique and would love to own this book.

  10. Debbierhodes on October 1st, 2014 3:36 pm

    Wow I would absoulutely want this. Thanks for the chance to win

  11. Polly Hada on October 1st, 2014 4:00 pm

    Wow! I’m a longtime appliquer and was astounded at the great, time-saving ideas in the video. To think I no longer have to trace……FABULOUS! Thank you Kay for yet another great referral. Love your posts!

  12. Margaret Schindler on October 1st, 2014 4:41 pm

    Wow I love it. I am trying to learn applique and this just is terrific. I would love this

  13. Judy Williams on October 1st, 2014 4:42 pm

    Love flowers and Applique’, sounds like just the thing for me. Thanks for the opportunity to win this booklet.

  14. Lorie B. on October 1st, 2014 9:41 pm

    i love to applique this looks like a easy way to appliue, would love to win this great book! Thanks for a chance to win!

  15. Sally from Ca on October 1st, 2014 10:07 pm

    I’d love to learn your techniques. Need all the help I can get with my appliqué technique.

  16. Bonnie Favorite on October 1st, 2014 11:55 pm

    I love all of the pictures in your books. They truly do make understanding your techniques so much easier. And I’d love to win a copy of your newest book!

  17. Stephanie Doda on October 2nd, 2014 6:39 am

    Rebecca has answered my prayers as someone new to turned edge applique. I would love to win this book. Thanks the opportunity Kay.

  18. Sharon on October 2nd, 2014 11:22 am

    These designs would make marvelous Monthly Mini’s at Guild Meetings. A delightful books.

  19. Sandra Visser on October 2nd, 2014 4:28 pm

    Would love to have this book. Thanks for the chance.

  20. Donna on October 3rd, 2014 2:58 am

    I’m more of a machine appliquer, but this book sounds interesting. Thanks for a chance to win it.

  21. Donna A on October 4th, 2014 5:38 am

    I think I would like to try her method of trapunto without stuffing. Sometimes I lose my patience when doing that so this book would help me remain calm.

  22. Annie on October 4th, 2014 7:06 pm

    What a nice summary of Rebecca and her book – they both sound so neat!

  23. Sue on October 4th, 2014 7:46 pm

    Such a wonderful video! I’m a long time quilter and have always run, run, run from hand applique. This method inspires me to give it a try.. And the Plant Your Own Garden book would be a great guide for a new adventure!

    Thanks so much for sharing.

  24. Peggie G on October 5th, 2014 7:47 am

    I recently started to seriously applique. I badly broke my ankle in May and to keep my sanity throughout my recovery/healing, I started a 25 block “Broken Ankle Therapy” applique quilt! Excellent therapy!

  25. Michelle Steinfeldt on October 5th, 2014 8:32 am

    Being new to applique and quilting, I can use all the help I can get! Flowers are the genre I have chosen to work with.

  26. Rita Fuentes on October 5th, 2014 5:13 pm

    I love applique BUT I need lot of practice. The book would be a treasure.