The Hmong and Mien women from Laos, many now living in the United States, have become recognized for their incredibly fine appliqu and cross stitch work seen on their traditional and festive garments. This applique design, the Virginia Lily, has been popular for over 150 years. This detail from a quilt made 1840-60. Note the plaid fabric used in the lily portion. There are opportunities to study with and to read the books by famous appliqu artists and teachers at workshops and conferences all over the world.
Every teacher has one or more favorite techniques to share with students.
We will be featuring specific applique and quilt artists in future features here in the future. Newcomers to appliqu and quilting are always puzzled by the talk of freezer paper and how to use it. Here is a lesson on using freezer paper to appliqu . One particularly beautiful type of appliqu becoming popular in classes at quilting conferences are Hawaiian Quilts. These papercut images are unique in the quilting world and historically important in Hawaiian culture.