My first applique project

So - for my first quilt project - I decided to do a fall applique. I picked up this pattern at the AQS show for a buck, yes, a buck! I found some fabric that appealed to me and thought would make this wall hanging come to life for me. Here is the pattern I picked up:

Now some may think i'm nutts for picking an applique pattern for my first ever pieced project but the pieces are pretty large, the smallest items are the applique leaves, acorns and stems but does that count as quilt pieces - rather applique pieces. What I did find is the the applique process is pretty time consuming... I dug out the small light table I have in my photo studio out back, that came in handy to trace out the applique designs on the heat-n-bond I picked up at Walmart. After I got into a rythm, things were rolling along.

As I got into my rythm, then it became clear that stitching around all these small applique pieces was either going to be fun or frustrating -- well, most of them were fun but some of them were just pure pains - I made some mental notes for future applique projects. The project really came along - I have yet to put the batting and backing together and bind it but i'll do that tomorrow or later this week.