Kate,

Like anything else, applique is a SKILL, and you will get better with practice, so I anticipate your fingers will be very sore at first, but you will do just fine. Your piecing and color eye are really wonderful, so I have every confidence that your applique (Baltimore album-style or any other applique technique) will be first-rate, too.

I'm much more familiar with the Radtke book, and it seems you've selected two good ones. My suggestion would be st begin with larger pieces, and less-complicated blocks first; those with gentle curves and not too many points. You will gain such confidence by taking it slowly that before you know it, you'll be finished!

Good luck with this project and remember to let us see photos periodically of your progress.

Odessa

Practice?!? Acquired skill?!? But... but... I want to be good at it NOW!

Thanks for the encouragement and the advice. That's very reasonable and I will start with the larger pieces and see how it goes. Of course, the temptation is to start with the block I like the most, but I think I can control myself on this. Patience, patience... maybe that's a acquired skill too. LOL

Kate

Cut the finger off a leather glove for your needle pushing finger and it won't get sore.

Love those books. I think I have the first one somewhere but all those patterns just make my finger itch to go. Keep us up to date on the monthly goal thread as you go along. We'll love to see your work.

I have a neat little leather thimble but I will definitely save my old gloves for when this one wears out! Great idea!

Don't worry. I plan to post so many photo updates that you are all either sick of my applique or totally hooked and posting your own pictures each month. A Baltimore applique support group. ;~))

I shall be quite happy to be in your cheeleading section, Kate. I think they are one of the most beautiful quilts ever and definitely qualify for heirloom status.......but I can't applique and just the thought of tearing into one gives me the heebie jeebies. But, I can appreciate other's and I can drool.

You go girl! I admire your grit. I'm in the "heebie jeebies" camp. In fact, I'm the leader of the "heebie jeebie" pack!

Teresa

If you are the leader then I am one of your loyal servants, but my desire to have one of these quilts is stronger than the fear. We'll see if I'm still saying that in February or if I've shelved the project forever! I've just got to give it a try though.

I think the BA quilts are gorgeous too. It has been a long time since I appliqued an entire quilt, but I would like to start again.
I have been collecting the Baltimore Bliss BOM from FatCat patterns, but it will be after Christmas before I can start.
Look forward to your pics!!
Rosa

Here is a link that might be useful: BaltimoreBliss

Kate,

Okay, since I'm already involved in SO MANY other projects, I will likely be kicked in the a** by DH for saying this, but here goes anyway: if you want, perhaps we could do it together? I mean, use the same patterns and each do a BOM until we have enough to put together a top? I would be more than willing to work on this project with you, side-by-side. Whaddaya say? Are you willing? I'll be your support group team leader and you can be mine.

My desire to own one of these beauties has me determined to make one of my own as I know I will never have the $$ in the budget to buy one and love it like it deserves. I would need to get up to speed on the blocks you're planning on, though. Or perhaps I can make my own patterns? Wow, I guess a little research is in my future.....

If you're game for this kind of shared project, just let me know,

Odessa

Odessa, I love the idea of doing this with you although I don't think we need to be doing the same block each month. How about if we just work on doing one per month as "quilter's choice"? You can see the two books I plan to draw my blocks from although I'm sure I won't stick to their colors, but there are some others out there with beautiful patterns. Once I get my books I'll pour over them and will let you know the ones I think I would like to do. Maybe we can coordinate on at least a few of them.

When I first started this I was looking for a partner or a group who would try to commit to doing a block a month. I'm so glad you are interested!

Kate

Kate~Is there an experienced ring leader, um teacher on board? If we can get some instructional guidance I'd consider giving it a shot.

MRG, We don't really have a leader although we've joked about it. Odessa does beautiful applique but I don't know her method - maybe she would consider giving some pointers. We have other applique-ers who do blocks every couple months, like the monthly piecing lotto and i'm sure they would offer support and advice too.
Mostly I plan to learn from the excellent instructions available in the books and on-line, then practice on a few basic shapes until I'm comfortable with it. My first block will be a fairly simple pattern without complicated or tiny pieces. It's a learning process and I know I'll be better at it next December than I'll be this December!

As we start we can compare techniques and share ideas. This forum has a wealth of information available!

Kate

Kate,

This will be such fun! I will do a little research and select a block to start with and yes, we can compare notes.

I am by no means an "expert" and I just do it however I think it looks best. I know that I am capable of doing much better work than what I do, but like anything this is really a process that you need to practice and keep at it to get better. I am primarily self-taught (my mother doesn't sew, knit, crochet, or do anything crafty, so I did NOT learn from her!), but I just go with what "feels" right and try to do the best I can. But I would be more than happy to provide whatever instruction I can to help "ease your pain" (to borrow a line from that Kevin Costner movie about the baseball field in the middle of an Iowa cornfield that I cannot recall the name of right now).

So, count me in girlfriend! And rivergirl, you can join in, too! The more the merrier! And even if we don't make a bed-size quilt from them, or even if we don't like what we make, we can have a ball laughing about what we HAVE attempted to accomplish!

[as an aside: I make cakes, but I am by no means a rolled fondant artist! I am self-taught in this area, too, and that's how I learned: by reading books, watching anything I could get my hands on, and just practice, practice, practice! Some things turn out well, and others don't; there is no harm in the things that don't turn out. I just figure that if I'm great at buttercream and lousy at rolled fondant, then I can stick with buttercream and be very happy because there are lots of people who do rolled fondant, so plenty of work for each of us to handle!]

Odessa