What WAS I thinking?

Life Takes a Turn Stash Report, Techniques, UFO Progress

I was doing an apple core quilt with the pink/green/brown scraps left over from my RRCB.  I decided that it needed strings too, so I set my heart on a string border.  I decided to applique the quilt top to the border, and then I decided that the corners needed
to be mitred.

 Well that all sounds real simple.  Actually it doesn’t even sound all the simple now that I’ve written it out, but it did in my head
(if you know what I mean).  Finally, yesterday I pieced and pieced strings until I had enough for the border, and today, I put it on.  Now that I have done it, I am wondering if it is one of those things that has a much easier way to do it and I, of course, found the hardest way.  The way I did it was to turn the top under a quarter of an inch (gluing the edge down) and then pin to the border, then construct a mitred block for the corner.  When I had one side and a corner done, I glued down the top to the border.  I also left in some pins just in case.  Repeated for each side, carefully postioning in a mitred block in each corner so the tip of the applique core touched the mitre line.

After I had the border going all the way around the quilt, I machine appliqued the top to the border using a variegated red thread and a buttonhole stitch.  If you know of a simple way to do this, please feel free to leave a comment.  But be gentle.  My “Scrapapples” is now ready to quilt.  Yay!

Also this weekend, I put the finishing touches on a Four Patch Swirl, which I had listed on my UFO list simply as “Cuddle Quilt”.  Marking off another one.  What a great weekend!

18 thoughts on “What WAS I thinking?”

  3. I love your apple core quilt, specially with those colors which remind me of my own RRCB quilt (not yet quilted …). When I make an apple core quilt, and want a straight border, I cut out the rounded shape from the border, using the template for the apple cor, and sew one to the other. Do you understand me ?
    Carolyn from france with poor vocabulary !!

    Reply

    • Carolyn,
      I understand what you are saying–I have done that before and actually thought of that, but was afraid that it would be even harder to mitre the corners. I also liked that I would be able to use a decorative stitch to applique the border (which I did).
      Nancy

      Reply

  6. I love your apple core quilt I just cut a whole bunch of apple cores out on my go last night and was wondering if it is hard to sew. I like your border guess I need to start sewing them together now.

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  7. I would suggest for the next time (there will be a next time right?) to make strings and cut the apple core shape from them and add borders as rows. I have a GO cutter Die for apple core and have not done it yet but have done scrappy tumbler shaps in strips and the turns out great.

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  9. Whatever works for you is the right way! I’m not sure I would have tackled something like that, but I do know what you mean about things sounding easier in your head! I love the quilt. And I love the Four Patch Swirl. So many of those blocks have so much motion!

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  10. wow! that “scrapappples” sure was a diffuiclt quilt! not sure if there was an easier way to do it, though. it looks great. this summer i made a GIANT american flag out of the apple cores (i used the gocutter to cut themall out) i’m really happy with how the quilt turned out, but NEVER AGAIN!

    Reply

    • I used the Accucut Studio to cut the apple cores as well, and I really didn’t mind sewing the blocks,but for some reason sewing those ROWS together about drove me batty……

      Reply

  11. Sounds hard, and I know what you mean–I usually find the hardest way too, although I think I would have done it just like you did (guess that means it IS the hardest way!) I’ve always wanted to make an applecore, but never considered the border treatment… Both your finishes are lovely! Congrats!

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