Flower Applique Border (Midnight at the Oasis QAL)

 Apologies that this post is a bit late - I've been really sick the last few days. This week I'll be talking about the second border - the flower applique border. I am way behind in this QAL at the moment - needle turn applique is a really slow process, but I am completely addicted. I'm enjoying the applique part of this quilt way more than I thought I would. This is my progress so far.

There are a few elements involved in the second border (technically the fourth I guess, but I haven't been counting the skinny borders). 

1. Bias Tape

The pattern recommends using a 3/8" bias tape maker, but since I don't have one I thought I'd share how I'm making my bias tape. First of all, make a 45 degree cut across your fabric. I've found a 5" wide strip makes the right length strips (or slightly long strips) to applique on to the background. I've used a couple of charm squares for some of my strips, and will use the left over triangles to make some of the leaf shapes to applique. 

Then cut 3/4" strips of fabric.

The next step involves folding both sides into the centre of the strip to make single fold bias tape. To make this easier, you can run a Hera marker along the wrong side of the fabric to make a crease. I have found by placing my ruler at about 3/8" from the edge, the creases are in the right position.

Once you have creased the fabric, press both sides into the centre of the strip. If you don't have a Hera marker, you can fold the strip in half and press, and then fold each edge in to meet the centre crease. Either way, you will end up with strips like this:

Next you'll want to pin your bias tape onto the background for your flower applique border. I have slightly overlapped the ends of the bias strips, but you could just butt them up against each other.

To sew these down, I worked along one entire edge, using the same stitch technique as in needle turn applique, and then worked my way back up the other edge. The it's just a matter of choosing fabrics to make the flowers, covering the joins in the bias strips in the process of stitching them on.

I haven't made my baskets yet - but looking at the pattern instructions I don't have much to add. The only change I'm making there is to make my half-square triangles using my normal method (with two squares right sides together, marking the diagonal and stitching 1/4" away from the diagonal on both sides). The HSTs in the baskets will be 1" finished.

We would love it if you would like to link up your progress so far!