When I posted way back in June, I told you about the success (and fun!)I was having with Applipops, a really brilliant (and simple) way to make beautiful circles. I am thrilled to announce I now carry Applipops on my website. This next part is important: I am only shipping within Canada.
Pictured below is a Pro Pack, which makes 8 different circles sizes.
Pictured below is a Pro Pack Plus, which is 2 Pro Packs.
So, let me show you what I am working on, using Applipops. A while ago, I was looking for a new applique project. I decided that Sue Garman’s stunning “Lily Rosenberry” is the quilt I wanted to start working on. It was a big decision because I am used to making applique quilts with every block being different. Like my Bed of Roses, or my Baltimore Squared Quilt, or any other applique quilt I have ever made!
I love the novelty of working on a new and different block each time. The 16 blocks in Lily Rosenberry are all the same. I am hoping my very short attention span will not let me down and I will actually finish all 16 blocks. I have chosen a Mary Koval cream background for the 16 blocks. I only have enough fabric for the blocks and not the borders. I am not worried. When it comes time to do the borders, I will have a few options…try to find more of the same fabric, find something similar, or maybe not even add a border. So many options. For now I will just concentrate on the blocks.
So I am going with a red, green and gold combination. I am going to use the same green for all of the stems in all the blocks. But I will use a different green in each block for the leaves. I am also going to use a different red and a different gold for each block, so no two blocks will be the same. At least, that is my plan. We will see!
Here’s how I started the first block. I traced the pattern onto the fabric with a Clover water soluble marker. As I started working on the block, I realized that this quilt is quite suitable for confident beginners The pieces have nice, gentle curves, too. So no points:)
Next, I started to prep my stems and leaves. I glued them on the background using Roxanne’s Glue. So far, so good!
Then I started to add some of the berries, which I made using Applipops. 
Looking good. Really, really good!
Next, I wanted to work on the flower in the middle. I prepped the yellow pieces, then I drew the seam allowance on the unprepped edge.
Do you see how nicely everything is lining up, simply because I drew the seam allowance on the unprepped edge.
Next, I prepped the large red flower. I did reverse applique to create the hole in the middle. 
Once I removed the freezer paper template, I glued the flower in place. Voila!
Then, of course, I continued on my merry way, making more Applipop circles to complete the block. Are you ready? Each block has 39 circles. There are 624 circles in the blocks alone, not including the border. Thanks goodness for Applipops. I have not decided on a fabric for the vase yet. I am not worried. I’ll find something! Just a side note…the larger yellow circles on top of the smaller red flowers were also made using Applipops:)
What else have I been working on? Like many quilters, I am trying to work through my stash. I just completed Bonnie Hunter’s Jamestown Landing. It barely made a dent in my blue and neutral scraps. Oh well! The neutral blocks are all string pieced. I love string piecing!
I finished hand appliqueing and hand quilting Briar’s quilt. This is an adorable quilt to make for that special little girl, in this case, our granddaughter. The pattern is called Dolly Days by Brandywine Designs. Trust me when I say I had a really hard time giving this quilt up lol.
In my spare time, I am hand stitching random hexies together, just for the fun of it!
Last weekend, we could finally get a picture of all 4 grandkiddies together. What a special time:)
Til next time…
Kerry
Simple Bird Applique 
Kerry,
So great to read your newsletter. I LOVE your Sue Garman quilt. I purchased the Applipops a few months ago and they are fantastic!! Why didn’t we invent these??
I was very sad to not see you in the Academy of Appliqué catalog for 2021!!!
Hopefully, we will meet again somewhere.
Linda Macklin
>
Love all your applique work Kerry. I have the pattern and fabrics to make Sue’s Bed of Roses in Reds, Greens & Golds, but haven’t made a start yet. I am making ‘Beyond the Cherry Tree’ at the moment, and am doing back basting which is working really well for me.
All your grand babies are gorgeous!
A wonderful blog, your work inspires me! I just don’t know if I’ll ever be as prolific a quilter as you. I love the Aplipops, just finished 104 little berries for a border. I cut my circles ahead of time with a Go die. Good television work!
Will you hand stitch your appliqué pieces in place once they are prepped? It’s going to be beautiful!
Yes, I’ll start stitching once everything is glued in place:)
I have wanted to make Lily Rosenberry for such a long time. Maybe one day…meanwhile I will enjoy watching you make your version.
Such wonderful projects!!! I have been thinking about trying Applipops….wish you shipped to the US!!!!
They really are wonderful. You can order directly from Applipops:)
I am thrilled to see you working on Sue Garman’s Lily Rosenberry pattern. I bought the pattern after seeing two quilts made by Barbara Blanton at the Academy for Applique school held in Williamsburg, Virginia. (The next school is March 1-6, 2020.). I bought the Applipops after your recommendation but have not tried them yet. Thank you for showing us how easy this quilt can be and your tutorials!! I really appreciate your inspiration and instructions. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us!!!
Hi Janet: Thanks for the lovely comment. I’ll be showing my Applipop progress on my blog:)
I know you now love the applipops, but 624 + circles 1 at a time? Really? Dang, I give you a lot of credit.
I’ve wanted to make Jamestown Landing for a long time, but I never knew what book to find it in. How long did it take you to do?
I can tell Briar loves her quilt already!
Hi Eileen: The book is called String Fling. It took me about a month, but that’s all I did lol
Hi Kerry
I am so excited to get your newsletters! I would love to do The Lily Rosenberry Quilt by Sue Garman. I’ll surf the net to find it today! Your Baltimore Squared and Dolly Days quilts are lovely! You do such beautiful work! Also took note of your tip to mark the seam allowance on the unprepped side of the applique pieces! Makes life easier!
I have started working on your Chickadee Block that my sister Cathy Doll gave me for my Birthday (so fun), and inbetween other projects and making masks I’m nearing completion of the Spring Bouquet quilt. I sent you a pic of the first block. All 9 blocks and 1st border are sewn together and i have 2 more border sides to stitch and sew on. Then it’s “Ta Da”. LOL I’ll send you a pic.
The minute I read your last newsletter I ordered a set of the Applipops on line. It took a couple of months to get them but the wait was well worth it! What a brilliant invention! I love Applipops! I am so excited that you are now selling them. I want to order a Pro Pack from you but I want to pick the order up at your location in Cedar Pointe as opposed to having them shipped. However if I fill out the shipping details on your site and go through Pay Pal it would charge me shipping costs right? Can I just call you with my credit card details?
Thanks Kerry. Stay safe and hopefully talk soon!
Cora 💖
On Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 4:33 PM Simple Bird Applique, wrote:
> Simple Bird Applique posted: ” When I posted way back in June, I told you > about the success (and fun!)I was having with Applipops, a really brilliant > (and simple) way to make beautiful circles. I am thrilled to announce I now > carry Applipops on my website. This next part is impor” >
Your new applique project looks fantastic! I know what you mean about the tedium of an applique project with multiple identical blocks. I am learning that the hard way, I’m afraid, several years into a project with 9 identical needle turn applique blocks. I finished one block completely and now I’ve been mired down with the other 8, assembly line style — I think I’ve been stitching leaves for at least a year, but not stitching them all the time because I stitch a couple leaves and then I set it aside to do something else, to prevent my brain exploding from the monotony! I bought those AppliPops recently and am looking forward to trying them out on a future project, too (if I ever finish this one). I love the Perfect Circles templates that I bought from Karen Kay Buckley, but eliminating the hand stitched gathering thread step would really speed up the prep time. Of course, it doesn’t look like you could use the AppliPops for making stuffed berries, could you? Oh, one more question — if a person like myself who can drag out an appliqué project for, oh, say 6-7 years, used the blue washout marker to transfer the designs, do you think the marker would still come out, or do you think that runs a risk of the ink getting accidentally heat set along the way from sunlight or just too much time with the ink in the fibers of the fabric?
You do such beautiful work, Keri! You make it look so easy, too!
Kerry, I just bought the applipops and I must say I’m not as delighted with them as I thought I would be. Sure it’s fast and easy, but the edge of the circle is quite thick and there’s some wiggle room on where it gets sewn down, so the circles don’t always end up perfectly round. They may be faster and easier, but I get better results with my KKB perfect circles. Am I doing something wrong?
Beth
Hi Beth: I noticed the same thing, however, I found that if I diluted my starch with a bit of water, it did not make the edge quite so stiff. That made quite a difference.:) Also, I press the circle flat once it has completely cooled. Hopefully this helps:)