If only my real sewing machine looked like this!!!

I have included this pattern ( aquiltingsheep )  into my scrappy color challenge this year. The difference is I am doing it in specific colors. What do you think of this background?? It's spools of thread.

I sorted out enough scraps to fit over the pattern and stitched them together.




Then I put some thin fusible interfacing, right sides together with the scraps, placed the paper pattern over it and sewed around.

I pinned it in two places first, and left a big opening to turn it right sides out.

The pattern calls for using raw edge fusible but I wanted turned edges.
The good news and the bad news. The fusible interfacing I use for this technique is cheap.
It is also tissue thin and tears easily like paper, so be careful when turning appliques.

What about this background??   I decided to use several fabrics for backgrounds, and to cut into the one yard pieces. If not with abandon, at least with intention. I bought them to use. I've been keeping the whole yards for a long time now. So what if I reach for one and a square is cut out?

I am too reluctant to cut into yardage.
This time I decided to just use them. They are each so cute, and I like cute, and my plan is to sew all these big blocks end to end to make a banner to go in my studio. Why ever not cut into my collection so I can enjoy the prints instead of storing them??? If I need a larger amount for some future project, well I will cross that fabric bridge when I come to it!

After all, More is Better right? 

Now we can talk about the actual machines... I am in love with them. If only my real machine looked like any of these!! The purple one has Ballerina pigs. (did you know I studied ballet for 10 years?)

and the black and white one with cows, and doggie foot prints...

and the blue one has a dancing Alligator.

When I lived in Tampa I belonged to a cajun dance group. Oh we had fun, Cher!
laissez le bon temps rouler!  We still love to do cajun jitterbug and zydeco dance. Alligators, flowers, butterflies and sail boats along the very bottom.
I mean, if you you can't have fun quilting then why not?

linking to some parties including:
superscrappy 
quiltingreadersgarden
Whomp there it is

look what Ivani showed me!! An orange sewing machine by Vigorelli from the 1970's