Round 2 and stash busting and preparing for Ecuador ...

Round 2 of the Medallion Sew-along allows me to stash bust all this patriotic type fabrics that I have accumulated. Will have to also dig around for other less focused to go with it.

Finished with the first step of Round 2:

The second step:

Then on to the final step: decided to add a bit of color, albeit muted, but is definitely a bit different from what is being used to date. 

On Sept. 24 we are leaving for Ecuador for 3-1/2 months. I will be volunteering in a women's clinic, I hope, but nothing is definite until I arrive and interview. There is a Women's & Children's home associated with the group as well and I might end up here. Hopefully it will be as an educator/clinician. So what does this have to do with my love for quilting and needlework? Well ...

Along with this is the decision as to what projects to take with me as I won't have a sewing machine. That means I will be doing hand sewing and appliqué: I have a quilt that is a lot of appliqué that I would like to get started with.

Merry Merry Snowmen

 With this in mind, I pulled out the first 2 blocks.

Block 1: 

The instructions are a bit weird, but I start off cutting a bunch of small squares and even smaller ones to make into squares:
Oh what fun -

Then on to appliqué the first of what appears to be many of the same. I am using the freezer paper method of pattern making. The first is a snowman that will eventually use doll clothes buttons for eyes and an embroidered carrot nose. Sew appliquéd square to the previously made square.

 oh oh, I can see that my tiny stitches aren't tiny or uniform enough for this project. Take care Shirley!

Now to put together the background for the rest of the appliqué: I will leave the actual appliqué for when we are in Ecuador. The only instructions for this part is a picture and then a diagram with the dimensions....

Man these blocks are so much bigger than I had anticipated ...My pink cutting board is 12"x18". As you can see, the single block (1/8) is much bigger. 

All the fabric pieces end up leaving me with at least an inch of leftover - am thinking they might end up being enough to make a child's strip quilt. Anyways, will sew them all together and then see how much yardage I end up with.

Block 2:

This one has an amazing amount of appliqué:

Simple strip and block piecing for the background:  Again, look at the size difference. The good thing about this is that the appliquéd pieces are also big.

Block 3;

Do I or don't I go on and piece the third background to take with me? If it is a straight strip and square piecing then I will but if there is an appliqué block to do before, then probably not. Am not sure if I have enough time.

Oops ... another corner snowman to appliqué before piecing. So I guess not ....