There are TONS of books available on quilting and applique. You can find them in quilt shops around the country and in some libraries. I've noticed that even Fred Meyer sells some quilting magazines, so there are many places to learn about it. In addition, there are classes on quilting available through PCC, and also available at various quilting shops around Portland area. The American Sewing Guild has a lot of members who quilt and there are various quilting guilds around this area (ask at local shops). If you attend a meeting or two, you'll certainly learn something about quilting, even if it's just observing someone doing it. You planning to quilt by hand or by machine?
There are machine applique techniques, but if you want invisible stitches, the best choice is doing it by hand. I learned hand applique from the master of applique techniques: Helene Knott. I know she teaches classes at Fibers n Stitches in St Helens, OR, but don't know where else she teaches. Maybe A Common Thread in Lk Oswego? Otherwise, I was considering teaching an applique class at Kumoricon, though that would be a bit late for your costume, even if it did happen first thing at the convention.
If you think you can make the june meeting, bring an assortment of scrap fabric and I can show you some of the basics of hand applique. IF you bring your machine, I can also demo some quilting techniques...of course, that'll require that we aren't tossed out of the meeting site before we finish...
-Runa
Cosplay Manager.
