Welcome to the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop!!

Welcome Hoppers!!!

Today is the first day of the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop!  Did you Dare?

Let's give a big shout out to Madame Samm of Sew We Quilt! for all she does...and to our blog hop cheerleader, Christine of Quilt Monster in My Closet for all the hard work of coordinating the hop.

There are over 100 ladies participating...there will be no shortage of inspiration!  So, be sure to visit them all.  Here is a list of today's Daring Dresden Creators. 

January 24^th, 2013

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Apple Avenue Quilts

The TreeHouse

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much!  <--- You are here!

Quilts My Way

Buzzing and Bumbling

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Selina Quilts

Quiltscapes

Hill Valley Quilter

Sew Incredibly Crazy

The Raspberry Rabbits

I Like to Quilt Blog

Cherry's Prairie Primitives

Spoilt Dog Quilts

What could I do that was daring?  Something that I hadn't done before...after all this is a Daring Hop, right?  I dare you to try something new.  I did and I loved it!

Last year before Thanksgiving, I purchased from Embroidery Library an applique turkey.  It is an adorable little design...and a little intimidating.  Their project used ribbons for the turkey's feathers but when I first saw it, I thought it would be awesome with a Dresden.  

I haven't attempted applique with my embroidery machine before now...is it an appropriate dare?!  

Well, I dared to do it.  It turned out awesome and on my first try! Literally...my first ever attempt at applique using my embroidery machine!! 

Enough chat...here it is...my Darling Daring Turkey Applique Dresden!

My very first attempt at a Dresden was only last fall with the Craftsy BOM.

From my first attempt, I recalled that I wasn't terribly pleased with how my points turned out...they weren't uniform.  So I dared to determine a way to make the points more consistent.  Here is what I discovered worked for me.  

After you fold and sew the end as instructed using the trusty Easy Dresden Tool...and turned tip using the wooden tool provided (first blade)...fold the blade in half and give it a little press (second blade).  Then, line up the stitched line with the iron one (third blade) and press to create a wonderful point (fourth blade).  This little method worked really well for me.

To make my Applique Turkey...

Stitched out the outline of the turkey's body twice...once on stablizer and then again on sheet of paper.  I used a fabric marker to outline on the stablizer (while it was still in the hoop) the inside of the hoop...trimmed to the line to use later as a template for determining the placement of the turkey.  I used the one stitched on paper as a pattern to cut the fabric for the body and the head.

Once I had my blades made into a fan and appliqued to my back ground fabric, I placed it into the hoop...

Then I used the stablizer template to be sure that I had the Dresden in the proper location to add the body and head of the turkey.  Look closely...you can see the outline of the turkey's body and head stitched on the stablizer.

The turkey's feet stitched out first...then the machine stitched the outline for the body.  Placed the fabric inside the outline--attached with some applique glue.  The machine did a zigzag around the fabric...then the satin stitch.  Repeated the process for the head and finished his eyes, beak, etc.  Ta'dah...a Darling Daring Applique Turkey Dresden!

I can't believe that I made this on the first try!!!  How Daring is that!!!

Here is another Dresden I wanted to share.  The daring part of this one is the Dresden corners.

Here is a closeup of the center.

I hope to finish this Daring Dresden into a full size quilt some day soon.  I have the plan sketched out...just need the time.

I think my applique turkey will become a mug rug for Thanksgiving!

Thank you for stopping in for the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop!  Don't forget to check out all of the hopper's Daring Dresdens.

I would love it if you left a comment and would welcome you as a follower.  Hope you stop by again soon!!

Till then...

~~Quilt Much!