Lovely Botanicals: The Academy of Appliqué 2019

How can a week possibly fly by so quickly?! When you are having an outstanding time, that's how! That was our experience last week in Williamsburg, Virginia, at the Academy of Appliqué. One minute, we were unpacking and setting up to teach, and in two stitches with our needles, we were packing to come home. Well, my home; Kara came here with me (Teri) for a few more days before heading back to Germany.

As always, we want to thank Barbara Blanton, left, for all her work in creating this spectacular venue where lovers of appliqué can gather to stitch, learn new skills, and catch up with stitching sisters from around the globe. It always amazes me that I can feel an instant kindred spirit when meeting another who shares a similar needle passion. That sense is almost indescribable to one who hasn't shared the experience. If you love to appliqué, we encourage you to put this week—or half-week—on your bucket list. You, too, will be amazed! We have made some dear friends over our years of attending the Academy.

Here are a few photo highlights of our week. I'm afraid we didn't get many general event photos, as we were pretty busy in our classroom, but hopefully, you will get a feel for the fun we had.

Kara demos the drizzle stitch in our first class.

 

The sweet pea bloom is easier to create with wired ribbon than it looks!

A lovely ombré ribbon leaf

Mastering stems, leaves, and petals

We have zinnias!

And tulips!

The beginnings of a stumpwork ladybug

Announcements at lunch

Our "chat" during one of our lunch sessions, sharing this year's project:
Lovely Botanicals

Hanging in our classroom

Marking our patterns on the background fabric in our second class

Using tools to mark the edges of the transfer paper—
what a great idea!

Rose-making demo

Working on those roses

     

Mastering the "gimping" for the center of the sunflower

Marking the wings on organza for the stumpwork bee

We have another bee!

     

    

On the last day, we laid out some of our off-block units to see how much progress we made on our Lovely Vases. Don't they look awesome?

We stitched, created, shared, laughed (and punned), shopped, and inspired each other. It was an all-around fabulous week. And we are already planning for next year! Those creative ideas just keep coming. 

We'd love to hear from you. What skills would entice you to join us in a class? Please tell us in the comments below. It would be such fun to stitch together!

Back in Maryland, doing inventory on our Painters Threads—
and maybe doing a bit of shopping. Such yummy threads!