New Year - new possibilities

2013

What a difference a thread makes!
While on a trip to Colorado during 2012, I had my usual take on a trip sewing project with me, which happened to be an applique kit.  I had taken some cream YLI silk thread with me (my usual choice of thread for applique) but found that the cream was just too light for the multi colour applique pieces on the cream background.  I found some other silk thread though in one of the quilt shops on this trip, made in Japan, called Kinkame, in a taupe colour, which worked well colour wise, but it was just not the same as the YLI thread. I have since put it aside for working with Japanese woven style fabrics, where I think it will come into it's own.
For the blocks in Dutch treat, I wanted to use the same colour thread throughout and wanted a thread colour to match the foreground fabric which is a mottled caramel/honey colour, but my existing supply of YLI silk threads were either too light or too dark, so I thought I would give the Kinkame thread another go.

Now I know that reverse applique is a totally new venture for me, but when my son asked if I had done it left handed with my eyes blind folded I knew I would need to rethink.
As far as I was concerned I had 3 options:

1. Forget about reverse applique and do them in my usual needle turn style
2. Try again with another thread
3. Forget about this quilt and use the blocks for another quilt

Not wanting to be defeatist or just plain being stubborn, I opted for number 2 and got my YLI silk thread out, in colour cream which is too light, but as I needed to 'try' it out first, I was happy to see what it would look like before I buy more thread.  I redid the same block in the same colour way to see whether it would make a difference.
This is the difference:

                           Kinkame thread     vs    YLI thread


Moral of the story .....
I can think of several, but I know I won't be doing hand applique unless I have my favourite thread to hand ;-)