My mom wants to make her own Welcome to the North Pole quilt. How fun is that! Luckily I have a fair amount of fabric for her to work from. I have kept a variety of small scraps of fabric that I always mean to use but then forget I have. Those are now Mom's. She has started the Ice Cream Cone cottage…

This is interesting because mom has not appliqued much at all and I teach applique. But neither of us wants this to turn into a 'teaching experience.' Mom has her own ideas about what she wants to do and I answer technique questions as she has them. Like how to do doors with cutaway applique. (FYI – click here for a video showing you how.) My mom has a naturally nice stitch which makes me happy!

Watching mom is reminding me again of how much work it can be for a true beginner to absorb all of the details that can go with hand applique. I love having beginners in a class and I do my best to make sure that they have a good experience. I will try even harder from now on!