I actually did the stitchery on this block last year, and finished the applique this morning! Well my satin stitch was CERTAINLY improving by the time I'd moved onto Block 2 of "Down in the Garden" BOM (designed by Leanne Beasley) - well, it really couldn't get much worse after the fiasco of the bird's beaks! I used Leanne's tip of stitching around the outline with back stitch first of all, then sewing the satin stitch, and I must say it certainly looks much neater. This project uses DMC threads, and I've been using a size 9 John James embroidery needle for the hand stitchery...
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....these cute blue birds are stitched with tiny chain stitch, (I am SO glad I removed the original mini-block and replaced it - these birds really do look SO much better) and the watering can is stitched the same way. Loving this bouquet of flowers!!.....
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.....pretty red appliqued butterflies adorn this block, and look so cute fluttering among the flowers. Needle turn applique isn't a technique that I'm particularly good at, so I decided to use raw-edge applique with fusible interfacing to secure them into place...
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...time for a final press, and I'm ready to make a start on the applique for Block 3!!
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