Finally, let me introduce you to Franny Flamingo!

Apologies for having my blog dormant for so long. I had a bit of trouble with WordPress not wanting to save any drafts. Who knows what I clicked or what has been updated to allow me to post today. Just know, this was originally planned for August. Yes. AUGUST and here we are at the end of October.

More on Franny Flamingo:

The Greater San Antonio Quilt Guild hosted a speaker who shared curved log cabin techniques. Man, this definitely fell in the “I didn’t even know I needed that. BUT I DO!” category. So I made a large blue and white log cabin.

I think this curved log cabin presentation was in March or April 2019. Around that time, I purchased a used, second longarm with a computer. This blue and white block was the first thing I pieced to quilt on the computerized frame.

The computerized design looked cool, but the fabrics were so busy that you really cannot see too much going on with the quilting. I decided to remedy that with applique.

Wool Applique

Every applique starts with a drawing, in my mind. Metaphorically and literally. I thought it’d be funny to have the rich winter-y wool juxtaposed with a nice beach-Florida Franny Flamingo.

Thanks to a different GSAQG lecture by Dawn Heese, I’m full-on the wool applique movement. She recommends using freezer paper and glue stick to prep your wool applique work. Say no more!

My wool is mostly all sourced from thrift shops. I buy women’s 100% wool blazers and skirts to take apart, felt in the washer/dryer, and press.

Ok. Franny Flamingo is all prepped. She just needs a few stitches to hold everything in place. I had a great plan to hand-stitch all the wool, but it turns out, I was more successful by using the machine through the quilting layers. I’ll save hand-stitching for a different time.

Finishing Franny

Franny ultimately needed something to ground her into the space. I’m not sure I achieved that effect, but I was able to add some grass and sunshine to the design, before binding. Those elements are quilter’s cotton, not wool.

Prairie points, facing inward, and faced semi-circles also facing inward, trim out two corners of the wall-hanging design.

You may notice rhinestones adorning her glasses. She also ended up with sunglare/reflection on her shades, too.

Franny is looking at you!

Franny Flamingo is bound in black and white cotton and ended up taking flight to the Greater San Antonio Quilt Guild Show Auction in September.