It's got to be a Habit.

I think blogging is just like exercise....it's a habit or routine you get into.  Once broken it's hard to start back.
You have to really push yourself to get going again.
Lately I have had a lot of distractions in my life so here I am pushing myself.

I am almost finished with all the applique on my Flower Garden quilt.  I know this is a terrible picture but I just can't figure out how to photograph 24 blocks and two borders without having a picture overload.  I am working on the bottom border now and then I only have the top one left to do.
My next step with this quilt is to wash and trim all the blocks.  Then I have to decide if I want to sash it like the pattern with scrappy  2" squares sewn together or use just one fabric for the sashing. If anyone is interested in making this quilt it is a Kim McLean pattern and really fun to do especially with all these wonderful Kaffe fabrics.

One quick question before I move on.  Does anyone recognize this fabric?  It's the tree in the bottom border.  I have something to use but just curious as to what this might be.

Last year I bought this pattern  "Feathered Tulip in Vases" from Dawn at Collector with a Needle.  Dawn and her daughter find antique quilts and reproduce great patterns from them.
Well, I have been forever trying to decide what type fabrics I wanted to use.  Did I want to use solids like in the original quilt or look for prints?
In the end I decide on prints and the original colors of the antique quilt.  The pattern colors are much lighter but thats because they have faded so much over the years.
If you click on the link above and go to Dawn's blog you can see the fabrics she has chosen for her version of the quilt.  The pieces are quite large, something I like and I hope it goes quickly because I have this one in the waiting.

Calico Paradise is also one of Dawn's reproduction patterns and it is really something.  Maybe if I start now I will have the fabrics chosen when I finish Feathered Tulip in Vases.
We can always dream can't we?
Happy stitching,
Nancy

Rose of Sharon

Another  quilt I worked on in 2011 was the Rose of Sharon quilt.  It was a BOM at Intown Quilters here in Atlanta.  I just have to finish the thirteenth block and I can put this one together. 

Corner triangles and setting triangles.





Rose of Sharon is made out of batiks which is not my favorite fabric to applique with. It always feels a little stiff to me but one good thing about batiks they don't ravel.
Happy stitching,
Nancy

How Does Your Garden Grow?

"How DoesYour Garden Grow" is a quilt kit by Pat Wys I started back in 2005.  I had some of the blocks made but none of the applique'.  I wasn't really a fan of applique' back then but over the years I have come to really enjoy doing all types of applique'.

On this quilt I decided to try something I hadn't done before  - Hand applique' by machine.  Instead of using freezer paper to make my shapes I used a wash away fusible material sold by Jenny Haskins called Tearaway Magic.  This material is supposed to dissolve when washed so you don't have to cut your background to remove the paper.

I traced my shapes onto this fusible -cut them out- ironed them to the wrong side of the fabric and used Elmer's glue stick to turn the edges.  I then placed them on the border and used an invisible thread with a very small blind hem stitch to sew them down.
Tearaway Magic makes the pieces quite stiff even more than freezer paper and so it is easy to turn the edges but it is also very nice to sew through.
After making all the pieces and sewing them to the quilt I thought maybe I should have tested this material to see if it really does dissolve.  I always seem to do things in reverse.

Most of it dissolves but it does leave some little fibers which I think add to the applique' as it gives a little body.  I will use this technique again.

I also found a new applique' pattern here to add to my pattern collection.  Take one away- add one - I'll never get to the end this way.

Happy stitching,
Nancy

Flower Garden by Kim McLean

Flower Garden by Kim McLean will be my applique' project for 2012.  Kim has such wonderful patterns they are so colorful and the pieces are usually large and not that difficult to do.

I am going to use the freezer paper and starch method for this quilt because the pieces are so large.
I use Reynolds freezer paper and lots of it.

The first thing I do when getting a new roll of freezer paper is cut it into pieces about the size of my applique' pressing sheet and iron them because it's all curled up when you first cut it off the roll. Wonder where that chocolate came from?

Freezer paper also  shrinks the first time you iron it and I want my applique' pieces to be the correct size so I preshrink it.  I iron it on an applique' pressing sheet so it won't stick to  my ironing board and will peel up easily.
You can see how the pressing sheet is wrinkled - the shrinking freezer paper caused the wrinkles. Once it is ironed it is nice and flat stored in a plastic bag and ready to use.

To make my applique' pieces I use a light box because the pieces need to be reversed.  First trace all the shapes for your block onto one layer of freezer paper then before you cut them out iron the traced shapes onto two more layers of pre-shrunk freezer paper because you want  each applique templet piece to be three thickness.  This makes a nice firm edge to turn your fabric against.

Sometime I just make the shapes for one block at a time but for this quilt I made all the templets for  all the blocks because  each block only has a few pieces.

These are all the tools I use when I prepare my applique pieces.  

As you can see they are well used. 

This is the second little iron for me I keep pushing too hard 

and breaking the handles.

Here are some shapes ironed to the fabric, trimmed and ready to be turned.  Using the little brush  put starch on just the seam allowance you are turning under. Turn the seam with your little iron and keep the iron on the seam until it is completely dry.   Do a little at a time and don't use too much starch because you will soften the  edge of the  paper templet.

After the edges are all turned it's time to attach the piece to the background fabric.   Remove the freezer paper and place  dots of Roxaines glue on the background instead of the applique' piece.   Just use a tiny dot.  You can tell if you are using too much because if you do the glue will bleed through and your background fabric will stick to your pattern.  Once again I use the light box so I can see where to place the pieces.

If the applique' piece is big and floppy I place it on the background first 

and then raise parts to place the glue.  

My first fifteen blocks prepped and ready to stitch.  The pieces don't move around and I can  put a block in a little bag and carry it with me so there is always  something to stitch while  waiting.

I  fiddled with this post all last week  and I hope it is clear enough to understand a little about how I prepare my blocks for stitching.
If you are really interested in this method you need to visit Erin Russek's blog
One Piece at A Time.  She has an excellent blog with pictures and videos.  She is also starting a new applique BOM "Mimi's Bloomers" which looks interesting. 
Happy Stitching,
Nancy

Keeping Up!

Sometime keeping up is not all that easy.

Blocks twenty one and twenty two prepped and ready to stitch on my Beyond the Cherry Trees quilt.  Only three more blocks and then the borders.

I am up to date with my BOM Comfort and Joy Christmas quilt.  But this months block is ready to be picked up so I guess I need to go get it.

 I managed to complete two tops for Healing Hugs a group that makes quilts for chemo patients.  Only the  quilting left to do.

 This is my progress on my GO tumbler leader and ender project.  Long way to go with this one and silly me I bought cheddar fabric to make the Bow Tie leader ender project Bonnie Hunter is hosting.

Better get off the computer and get busy.
Happy Stitching,
Nancy

Accuquilt Rose of Sharon die

I have done a little more work on my new project with the Rose of Sharon die by Accuquilt. I am always amazed at how quickly you can cut out a project using Accuquilt dies.

For this quilt I decide to try my hand at felted wool applique. Never having done this type of applique I didn't have the proper threads and my local quilt shop "Sweet Home Quilt Co" didn't carry them so I had to order on line. This is always a problem for me because it is so hard to choose the right color. Some of the colors I picked were useable but some were not and so I need to order a couple of more. I wonder how you decide on colors when you order on line?

I used the  Rose of Sharon die and the Stems and Leaves die for this project.  First I fused Steam A Seam Light on the back of the wool and then I cut it into small pieces that would just fit the design I wanted .

I didn't want to waste  fabric.  

When I run the die through my GO I only place the mat over the piece I want to cut.  That way your mat lasts longer .Now I have all these pieces ready to place on my background fabric. 

I am using Antique muslin for my background.  This is a new fabric for me and I really like it.  I did a little stitching last night and found it wasn't as easy as I thought.  It's really hard to keep all those little stitches spaced the same especially when you have old eyes.  Five of these little gems to do.  The stitching may take a while but the cutting was a breeze with my Accuquilt GO.
Happy Stitching
Nancy

Design Wall Monday

I decided to put a little post on the Design wall Monday site Patchwork Times hosted by Judy Laquidara.

I have been working on Lollypop Trees by Kim McLean for a few months.

I finished nine of my Lollypop blocks and was really going strong until along came Thanksgiving, A trip out of town and now Christmas.  I hope to get back to it soon because I really love this quilt.  

Merry Christmas everyone.

Lollypop Trees

I have been working away on my Lollypop Trees and have managed to finish six blocks.
I like the way they are turning out although sometime I think I spend too much time stressing over not having the exact fabric.

I am using the freezer paper on top method without marking on the fabric. 
I like this method but I wish I could figure out a way to see the fabrics on the block before I sew them down.
I think it would help make my fabric choices easier.
I am always surprised when I peel off the paper.


I have other things I need to do  before Christmas....so I guess I will have to slow down on this one for a while.
In January I make so many plans for the coming year and when November rolls around I find I haven't followed through on too many of them.
I wonder if anyone else is like that or is it just me or do I really think I can accomplish so much.

Lolly Pop Trees Started

This is my latest project.
 It's designed by Kim McLean and called
Lollypop Trees. 

I think it is just beautiful.  

I have completed two of the blocks so far.  

The pieces are quite large and so it goes rather quickly.  

I think the hardest part of this quilt is picking the right fabrics. 

                                                                                                                                                                            

Almost all the fabrics in this quilt are by Kaffe Fassett.  

I really like his fabrics they are so bright and colorful.

I think this is going to be a fun quilt.

A Little Knitting, A Little Spinning, A Little Quilting

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on my Blog..Life you know gets in the way sometime.

I have been doing a few things  with my time.

First, I knit a little hat  for Lillian.  This is a free pattern from The Knitting Siren.  It's called the Papallona Earflap Hat.

She lives way up in freezing Virginia so I can use some of my washable wool which is too warm for the South.

                                                                                                                                                                            One day  I finished spinning some yarn.
I have soooo much fiber I need to spin.














Then I finally finished my ninth Florabunda Block.  Only three more to go.  Each block has a sawtooth border.  Not looking forward to that.

Hearts and Flowers Progress

I have been steadily working on my Hearts and Flowers quilt and am just about to reach the finish.  I have enjoyed this quilt and have not been able to work on any others since I started it.
My next decision is weather to use the fabric shown in the book for the last border or to choose a darker one.
I need to make up my mind because I am ready to finish this one so I can start the next one Lollypop Trees.

Hearts and Flowers Border One

I finally got the first border on my Hearts and Flowers quilt.  Lots of inside points  on this one.  I worry about them fraying so I think I over stitch them..  There must be an easier way.

Kim McLean's Hearts & Flowers

I finished the center of my Hearts and Flowers quilt. I think the hardest thing about this block was squaring it up after I finished...it's 25.5 inches square.
I am still not sure if it is exactly right but it will have to do.

Florabunda Block Eight!

Finished Block eight this weekend..four more and then we get to see what Erin does with the center and borders.
Erin of One Piece at A Time  is now doing videos on how she does applique' very informative.