Magic Garden Gnome Wool Applique - Show your progress here!

[Kristin G.]

This class begins May 6, 2024.

[Helen W.]

Made my background out of flannel scraps so it is not the measurements of the pattern, but I just wanted to play along without
spending any money on this project. HelenW

[Susanne M.]

I love Alex’s pattern and I’m using it as a starting point for a wall hanging for my little, gnome-loving granddaughter. I’m using shot cottons, hand dyes and a bit of silk. I’m pretty sure I’ll need to use use lightweight fusible interfacing with the background. Appliqué will be turned edge by hand.

[Helen W.]

Love that first picture of your beautiful fabrics and threads. Your grand daughter will love it.
HelenW

[Helen W.]

Making a layout. Right now my Gnome is hiding behind the flower pot. Not sure if he will come out to get stitched.
Plan to put some flowers in the pot to add a splash of color. HelenW
Did another morning of layout and cutting out images. No Gnome home yet.
Picture 2 and I think it is close to be ready for some hand embroidery. Edge stitched
the pieces with 1.0 - 1.5 zig zag using invisfil thread (100 wt.)

[Susanne M.]

I can’t wait to see if your gnome comes out of hiding.

[Susanne M.]

I’m ready to embroider! Hand appliqué is my thing so I went ahead and prepared and stitched my pieces to my background.
1. Background is mostly Oakshott cotton with a couple pieces of Free Spirit shot cottons.
2. Appliqués are Oakshott but mostly Cherrywood hand dyes. The polka dots are silk (yep, made with Perfect Circles)
3. I do starched prepared-edge hand appliqué with mostly 100wt. Silk but also 80wt. QS thread.
4. I used micro-pinpoints of glue to hold the pieces to the background.
5. After all my stitching, I ironed a piece of sheer fusible interfacing to the back, trimmed and then basted leftover bias binding to protect the outside edges.

[Helen W.]

The Gnome is peeking out of the flower pot. When he saw the chipmunk headed for the pot he
said, Oops, I just wet my plants. So I named him Piddly Von Tinkle. Could not decide if he
should wear a camouflage hat or his Tula Pink Garden Party hat. Tula won out. Ready to do
some hand embroidery. Did Ricky's Twisted Chain Stitch on the big mushroom followed by a row
of regular chain stitch. Having fun. HelenW

Started my stitching.

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

[Frances]

I used wool blend felt and my own design. I’m not the best artist but still had fun.

[Helen W.]

I used wool blend felt and my own design. I’m not the best artist but still had fun.

Hi Frances, Every time I look at your photo, I try to turn my head sideways, so I thought I would see if I could
take a screen shot of your picture and rotate it so everyone can see your very creative Magic Garden Gnome wall hanging. The details are darling. The Gnome Family Mushroom Farm.
Love it. HelenW

[Helen W.]

All done except the square up, binding, sleeve and label. It has been fun.
I added some beads to the small mushrooms. Did grid 1 inch square quilting
with avocado green Invisifil thread. HelenW

[Helen W.]

THANK YOU ALEX ANDERSON for a fun project. Got mine Done! The really
big thank you is for getting me hooked on hand embroidery. I never even liked
the look of most hand embroidery until I started dabbling with stitches using the
thicker threads and the stitches you have shown on you Lives videos. Now I am adding them to everything. Look at the butterfly border
that I designed for my version of Pick a Petal. The actual butterfly shapes came
from Catherine Redfords book, Butterfly Stitches. It is alway fun to play along
when you have a project. HelenW

[Carole B.]

Well done, Helen! You go girl!!!

[Carole B.]

Sharing the photos I provided to Alex that she shared on today’s show (6/10). These were from my Home quilt which was the 2021 TQS BOM by Wendy Williams that I did in wool where I used the whipped woven circle she demonstrated. More details provided with each picture. Take your time when stitching and enjoy the process!

[Helen W.]

Thanks for your kind words and posting your woven circle pictures. I went back to your quilt HOME in
the featured quilts section and zoomed in as much as possible. Do you draw your ideas out on paper
first for the embroidery or just play add on and make it up as you go. Absolutely love your work.
HelenW

[Carole B.]

Do you draw your ideas out on paper first for the embroidery or just play add on and make it up as you go. Absolutely love your work.
HelenW

Thanks! No preplanning of embellishing. Just wing it!

[JANET E.]

I have only made small changes to the original pattern. I was surprised how great the accents in the circles looks.

[Susanne M.]

Gnomette is happy in her Magic Garden. Though I used mostly shot cottons, I have the yellow wool for the back. For now, I used temporary binding to protect the outside edge. Thank you Alex!

[Helen W.]

Great Job Susanne. Love your selection of hand embroidery stitch placement. What did you do to
make the pigtails on the Ghome girl? Very cute. HelenW

[Susanne M.]

Thank you Helen. For each braid, I cut 15 long strands of perle cotton and stitched them through a chain stitch on each side of Gnomette’s face. It took up about 1/4”, 3 chains. After I made the braid, I took a few stitches on the underside to hold the braid down.

[Helen W.]

Happy 4th of July all you American quilters. Have a great weekend Alex. HelenW