Author Archives: Simple Bird Applique

Miles and miles of bias…….

Posted in Civil War Bride Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Sunday Afternoon Applique Group, Uncategorized by

I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind: bias strips! I have been avoiding starting the next block of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore” because the basket is made up of what seems like miles and miles of skinny bias strips.  Well!  Today seems like a good day to get started!!

I usually make bias  stems with my Clover 1/4″ bias maker.  But the  strips in the basket are skinnier than 1/4″ so I will use my bias bars.  I have 3 different sets of  bars.  I love (and use) them all!  For this particular project, I will use Perfect Stems by Karen Kay Buckley.

This is how I make my bias strips.  (It is not an exact science!)

First I figure out what size bar to use.  These bars are a little on the thick side so I always choose a bar that is skinnier than what the pattern shows.

I cut my strips on the bias.  (I know that seems obvious, but I had to say it!)  How wide I cut them depends on the size of the bias bar.  You should to be able to wrap the fabric around the  bar and have enough extra fabric to hold onto.  I usually leave an extra 1/2 inch.

I place the bias bar underneath the presser foot.  Then I carefully lower the needle and then stitch along the side of the bar.   Did you know that you can actually sew through these  bars and it does not harm the machine…or the bias bars?  The needle is a different story!   The tube of fabric  should fit snugly around the  bar.  I always use a contrasting thread in my machine.

Trim the extra seam allowance as close to the stitching as you dare!

But not too close!

The contrasting thread is helpful in determining how far away your scissors are from the stitch line!  It works most of the time!

I twist the fabric tube around so that the seam is next to the flat side of the bias bar.  Next I spray it with starch and iron it flat.

I remove the bias bar and press the strip again to make sure it is flat.

If you are not ready to use the bias strip yet, you can wrap it around an empty paper towel roll or you can glue it in place!

It’s time  to dress the Civil War Bride!  I took the liberty of auditioning different hairstyles for her and decided on this one…

…instead of this one!

Til next time……

Kerry

Starting…..as opposed to finishing!!

Posted in Bouquet For a New Day, Grandmothers Choice, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

Just when I thought I could not squeeze another project into my already crammed quilting schedule, something exciting came along and grabbed my attention!

While I was checking out Barbara Brackman’s Material Culture, a little button caught my eye.  The button reads as follows: September 1st I’ll start a new blog with a free pattern Block of the Week. The topic: The Fight for Women’s Rights. Click on the button to see it.

How could I not click on the button??

So naturally, my life came to a complete halt!  Out came the cutting mat and the rotary cutter and the ruler and the sewing machine…oh…and some fabric and away I went!  I cut out one block….then said to myself…”If you are going to make one block, you might as well make three!”.

So…here are my blocks for Week 1.   (Technically, this is  Week 2 and I am already behind!)  Wish me luck!

I am making steady progress on Sue Garman’s “Bouquets for a New Day”.

Once the stems were stitched in place, I added the flowers.

I have had the brown fabric I used for the vase for about 10 years.  I always knew I would get around to using it!

And here is the finished block!

Til next time…….

Kerry

It was a rainy day…..

Posted in Bouquet For a New Day, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

There is something about a a rainy day that makes me want to put on a pot of coffee and stay indoors and stitch!  And that it exactly what I did!

I wanted to finish the 9th block from Sue Garman’s “Bouquets for a New Day”.  So I chose fabrics for the vase and stitched them in place.

I love the touch of embroidery on this block!  The sprigs of Baby’s Breath consists of many, many Colonial knots.

Here is the finished block!

Since I was on a bit of a roll (and it was still raining), I decided to start the next block!

First I stitched the star in place.

The leaves and vine pieces are one unit and a little tricky to prep.  I ironed the freezer paper to the wrong side of  the leaf fabric.

Then I cut around each unit leaving a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

Using starch and a mini iron, I pressed the seam allowance in place.  The deep curves are a little challenging…but still doable!   (See below.)

I removed the freezer paper then glued all the pieces in place on the background.  They are now ready to stitch in place!

Even though I am not finished all 12 blocks, I started sewing the quilt top together.  As usual, Bruin had other plans for the blocks!

doable/ˈdo͞oəbəl/

Within one’s powers; feasible: “none of the jobs were fun, but they were doable”.

Til next time……

Kerry

Officially Finished…with a few days to spare!

Posted in Amy's Quilt, Bouquet For a New Day, Hand-Applique Techniques, Quilt Labels, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

I am “Officially Finished” Amy and Bruce’s wedding quilt!  The quilt has a binding, a hanging sleeve…..

…and a label!!

The thing that surprised me the most was how much I loved having a hand-quilting project to work on.  I knew I would miss having something to stitch on in the evenings.  I kept thinking about my unfinished  blocks of “Bouquets for a New Day”.  I only have 4 blocks left to finish…. and a sawtooth border that is not going to make itself!!  Hopefully, I can get it finished in the near future so I do not suffer too long from “Hand-Quilting Withdrawal”!

I worked on this block today.    I am auditioning my fabrics for something that says “vase” to me.

I love this bit of detail.  It is ” reverse appliqued” so the background shows from underneath the leaf!

Til next time…..

Kerry

No surprises!

Posted in Amy's Quilt, Bouquet For a New Day, Civil War Bride Quilt, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

Four years ago, I fell in love with this pattern!  It is Sue Garman’s “Bouquets for a New Day”.

I finished eight of the 12 blocks and set them aside.  Other projects called my name!

Do you recognize this blue fabric?  It is one of the fabrics I used in Amy’s quilt.

I also have it in brown…and red…and green!

Anyway, I started thinking about these blocks and how much I would love to finish this quilt…soon!

But, I had a tiny problem.  I was not in the habit of pre-washing my fabric four years ago.   If I was going to have any surprises with colors running, I wanted it to be now and not later when the blocks were stitched into a quilt.  So I decided to wash the finished blocks in Synthrapol.  I am so glad I did!  The excess dyes came out of the fabric…and down the drain!

While Jenny and I  waited for the blocks to dry …

…I finished the 2nd block of Civil War Bride!!

Til next time…

Kerry

When bad things happen to good quilt blocks…

Posted in Civil War Bride Quilt, Hand-Applique Techniques, Uncategorized by

Normally, I am very careful when I stitch and drink coffee at the same time.  But not today!

I am not exactly sure what happened….except that the coffee cup missed my mouth and coffee dribbled down my chin and onto Block #2 of Civil War Bride. Yikes!

When I start an applique block, the first thing I do is trace the pattern on to the background with a water soluble marker.  I trace all of the shapes and I even number them so I know which order to stitch.  Sort of like painting by numbers…only with fabric!

So when I ran to the sink and rinsed the block under the tap to remove the coffee, I also removed the majority of my markings.  Really, just a minor detail. I waited for the block to dry and then I re-traced the pattern and continued on my merry way!

First I stitched a few leaves in place….

…and then the bias stem.

Next a  flower and some buds.  My first thought was to make all the flowers purple, but now I think I will make them all different colours!

Til next time…

Kerry

Stitching at the cottage

Posted in Amy's Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

You know the feeling when you are just about to finish a really good book?  Part of you wants desperately to finish the book …another part of you wishes it would never end…because you will never enjoy a book as much as you did this one?

Well!  That is exactly how I feel about Amy’s quilt.  I am soooooo close to finishing, but I know I am taking my time because I have loved working on this quilt every step of the way.  I am sad to see this journey come to an end!

I found the perfect place to stitch at the cottage!  Tons of natural light and amazing scenery to keep me inspired!

I stitched and I stitched and then I stitched some more.   Finally I finished all of the hand-quilting!

Once the label and binding are in place, then I will be Officially Finished!

I also had a chance to finish the latest block of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”….last night at midnight!

I gave the block a bath…..

……and then pressed it this morning!

Til next time…..

Kerry

Measure twice…..stitch once!!

Posted in Amy's Quilt, Hand-Quilting Tools, Uncategorized by

I was making some pretty impressive progress on Amy’s quilt.  It was easy to sit and stitch while being inspired by the athletes competing in the Olympics.  The trouble was, I was a little distracted.  Every time I completed another few lines of the background quilting in the outer border, I said to myself….”Something looks a little off.”  But, then I would look up at the TV and see that someone had just won a race, or a medal!  And then I just kept on stitching!

Well!  More than just a few hours (and  lines) later, I noticed that I had marked some of the lines 1 1/4″  apart and some 1 3/4″ apart.  Always one to look for the silver lining, I used this as an opportunity to test the Frixion marker I had used to mark the lines.

After I un-stitched all the background lines in the border (yikes!), I put some water in my steam iron and gave the lines a blast of steam.  (Important note:  The iron NEVER touched the quilt top.  I held the iron a couple of inches from the quilt top.)

I must say I was bedazzled!!  (See below.)  The lines instantly disappeared…not a trace of any of the marking were left!

bedazzled:

be·daz·zle (b -d z l). tr.v. be·daz·zled, be·daz·zling, be·daz·zles. 1. To dazzle so completely as to make blind. 2. To please irresistibly; enchant.

Til next time….

Kerry

Friends of Baltimore…next block

Posted in Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by

What is wrong with this picture?  Well…let’s see!!

First of all it is 31 degrees!  The quilt that I am working on has a wool batting in it!  Oh….and the cat has decided it’s time to snuggle!  It’s just way too hot to hand-quilt today.

So I decided to switch gears until it cools down a bit.  I am making steady progress on the next block of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”.  First the leaves….and then the nuts…….and a couple of flowers!

……and then the twisted vines!  They were fun!

And now the bird!

My favourite method of applique is the freezer paper and starch method,  especially on a section like the tail feathers.  Every piece has to fit exactly.

The seam allowance is pressed over the freezer paper pattern. The freezer paper is then removed and the seam allowance is turned under, ready to stitch!   A  few dabs of glue will hold the piece in place on the background.

The tail feathers are now ready to stitch in place!

Til next time…….

Kerry

Civil War Bride Quilt Block 1

Posted in Amy's Quilt, Civil War Bride Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Uncategorized by

I am so excited to have finished the first block of The Civil War Bride Quilt!

I thought the pieces in the top right and left corners were leaves, so I made them green.  After going on the Civil War Bride Quilt blog, I see that maybe they are supposed to be birds!  (How did I not see that!?!)  Anyway…leaves they will stay!

Every time I put Amy’s quilt down and leave the room, the cat decides it is nap time.  I keep a lint brush handy at all times!

I am making pretty steady progress on Amy’s quilt.  I have one side border completely done.  I have turned a corner and now on to the second side.

The next block of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore” looks pretty challenging!  (See below.)  The fabric is pre-washed and I am ready to get started!

chal·leng·ing  (chln-jng)

adj.

Calling for full use of one’s abilities or resources in a difficult but stimulating effort: a challenging course of study; a challenging role for an inexperienced performer.
Til next time…..
Kerry