Happy New Year! Here is the 10th block of “To Everything There Is A Season”, a BOM I launched last April.
If you haven’t seen the blocks, here they are! The blocks are available on my website Simple Bird Studio.
I am sooooo close to finishing Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”! Once the border is finished, I just have to do the two corner blocks. Then add the sawtooth border. Then quilt it. Then bind it. Remember, one stitch at a time!!
Til next time….
Kerry
Today Hubby and I spent a bit of time picking out some porcelain tile that is to be installed at our front door and mudroom. No matter where I go, I seem to always see quilts designs….I have always loved clamshell quilts and one day I will make one!
How impressed would your quilting friends be if they came over and saw this floor in your sewing room? (Answer: Very Impressed!)
If this were my backsplash, I would be reminded of how much I love hexies while I am doing the dishes!
And, finally, isn’t this the perfect pattern for an appliqued quilt? Inspiration is everywhere!!
Last week, I started the final (!) border of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”. I would love to have this border finished by the end of the year. We will see….First I picked out the fabric for the vase. I like to start with the vase because it just feels like such an accomplishment once it is completed! This is one of my favorite fabrics. Do you recognize it?
I used it for a vase in my Civil War Bride Quilt. Notice the pattern is running up and down.
I used the same fabric for the vase in my “Bouquets For A New Day”. In this vase the pattern is running sideways.
And here is the fabric for the third time!
Now on to the fun part. All those curved pieces at the bottom of the vase need to line up properly. I did the same thing I did in my last post about lining up the pieces of the pine cones. First, I removed the freezer paper template from the prepped pieces. Next, I placed the template shiny side up on top of the prepped piece. Then I used a sharp white marking pencil and drew the seam allowance on the pieces. Can you see the white line? This just makes it so much easier to place the pieces in the correct spot.
It’s such a nice feeling when things line up properly!
Next, I added the top of the vase and the curvy section on top of it. Then I started to add the stems, leaves and flowers!
Til next time…
Kerry
When I mentioned in my last post about “off-block construction” a few of you asked if I would do a tutorial on that subject. So…here it is!!
I would normally use my Applique Pressing sheet for this tutorial, but, sadly I cannot find it. A few weeks ago, I spent a couple of hours organizing my quilting stuff. I guess I have put my pressing sheet away in a really secure spot. I am sure I will some across it one day! But that’s ok….because maybe you don’t own a pressing sheet. So, let me show you what you can use instead of an Applique Pressing Sheet.
I used a piece of freezer paper (shiny side up). First I traced the pine cone on the shiny side of the freezer paper with a Sharpie marker. I have found that a Sharpie marker is about the only thing that leaves a permanent mark of the shiny surface.
Note: If I was using my Applique Pressing Sheet, I would simply pin it to the pattern, and build the pine cone on it, like I did with these flowers.
First, I made my templates using 2 layers of freezer paper. Yes, they are a little on the small side!
Then I chose my fabrics…light, medium and dark brown.
Whenever I have a unit that has a lot of pieces in it (and those pieces need to line up) I take the time and do this next step. Once the piece is prepped, I take out the template and place it on top of the finished piece. The template has to have the shiny side up. Next, I take a very sharp marking pen (I like to use a Clover water soluble fine marker for light fabrics and a white chalk marker for dark fabrics) and mark the remaining seam allowance. You will be very happy you did this!!
So….next, I start to glue the pieces in place. The glue will not stick permanently to the shiny surface of the freezer paper (or the pressing sheet), but it will hold temporarily.
Once all of the pieces are glued in place (and you have made peace with the fact you will have to make 7 more pine cones) you can lift the entire piece off the the freezer paper (or applique pressing sheet) and simply put it in place on the background. If you are working on a unit that has fewer pieces (or larger pieces) you can actually stitch it before you place it on the background. I thought this piece would be easier to stitch while it is on the background. Lots of options!
Til next time….
Kerry
Last night I put the last quilting stitch in my Grandmother’s Flower Garden. I started this quilt soon after visiting “The City Quilter” in New York, where I innocently purchased a few packages of paper hexies. You can see that post here. I am toying with the idea of doing a binding with an added flange, just for something different!
I spent Friday evening adding the red berries and embroidering the stems to the border of Friends of Baltimore. I used 2 strands of embroidery thread for the stems and one strand for the tendrils around each rose.
Once the yellow centers were added to each rose…
…..I filled the bathtub with hot, soapy water and tossed the border into the tub. You can read this post and see why I do this!
So, this morning, I was ready to trim the border to the proper size (I always cut my blocks and borders larger that required to allow for shrinkage). The border was a little wrinkled after it dried and so I placed it right side down on a thick towel and pressed it.
Then I placed the border on the paper pattern and pinned it in place matching the leaves and flowers.
I marked the finished line on the border with a washable blue marker and then unpinned it from the paper pattern. Next, I took my rotary cutter and a long ruler and trimmed 1/4″ away from the blue mark. Not going to lie, this is always a little nerve-racking. A lot could go wrong at this point!
So…this is what the border will look like once it is stitched to the rest of the quilt, but I can’t add the border until the corner block is finished.
Til next time….
Kerry
To me, applique is about the journey, not about the destination. With the kind of applique I do, there are 2 parts to the journey. First, there is the prep work, which consists of ironing the seam allowance over a freezer paper template. You can see how I prep my pieces in this blog post. If I had my way, I would prep all day long…literally! I think it has something to do with “instant gratification”. When I prep, I can see the design coming alive before my very eyes. Very rewarding!
The second part of the applique journey is the stitching, which is my least favourite part. I must confess, I find it terribly boring, so thank goodness for audio books!
So, my usual way of working is to prep a bit, then stitch a bit, just to keep the momentum going. But, I didn’t do that when I started working on the left side of the third border on Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”. I prepped the entire left side without stopping to stitch anything in place. Remind me never to do that again!
After a weekend marathon of stitching (and listining to “The Deep Blue Good-by, written by John D. MacDonald) I am almost finished stitching the border. I just need to add the red berries, just like I did on the right hand side.
Also, I am almost finished hand-quilting my Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. Sweet!
Of course, I had a bit of time to start a new-ish project! This is the beginning of the centre medallion of my block-of-the -month “To Everything There Is A Season”. So far, so good! (Note to Self….stitch everything in place before you prep one more piece!)
Til next time…
Kerry
Earlier this year, I treated myself to a new quilt hoop. I have always hand quilted using a hoop, and I thought it was time to graduate to the kind of hoop with a base that tucks under my legs, which leaves my hands free to quilt. I love it!! No more aching shoulders and neck, because the quilt is supported with the hoop and not my arms.
Today, we discovered that my hoop also can be used as the perfect hiding spot. “Gee..has anyone seen the cat?”
“Here he is!” Sneaky!
Last year I taught a Beginner Applique Class to a great group of ladies. They wanted to continue to improve their skills, so I am teaching them how to make a Baltimore quilt. Pretty ambitious, I know! But I have faith in them! Yesterday was our first day. We will meet once a month and work on various blocks while learning new techniques. These are the fabrics I will be using for my blocks.
Here is first block. It is a variation of the Rose of Sharon block.
First I started with the buds. The buds actually are made of two layers of fabrics.
Next, I added the leaves…
…and some more leaves and some bias stems.
Next, it was time to stitch the flowers. The flowers are also two layers, so I wanted to reduce the bulk before I stitched them onto the background. First I prepped both layers.
Then I stitched the top layer onto the bottom layer.
Next, I carefully trimmed the bottom layer of fabric away, cutting a 1/4″ away from the stitching.
And finally, I added the flowers to the block.
I am still working away on the third border of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore” quilt. I have finished the right side of the vase and now I am working on the left side.
Til next time…
Kerry
Hubby and I and 2 other couples are leaving on Sunday for a week in the sunny south. We have had this holiday planned for a while now and we are all very, very excited. Who wouldn’t be? We are going to Barbados! The other 2 wives are busy planning where we will be eating, daily excursions to must-see tourist areas and flight schedules. Not me. I am too busy prepping my applique so I can do some serious stitching! My biggest fear is that when I travel, I will have absolutely nothing to do. True story. So I always take my applique with me wherever I go. I have stitched in Nova Scotia….
…at the cottage….
…The Royal York in Toronto. We actually missed our flight to Nova Scotia so I had lots of time to stitch while we waited for the next flight.
…on the Amoeba in Antigua…..
…and in Florida.
Wherever I go with my stitching, I take my bag with me. I pack this bag before I pack my suitcase. Again…true story! My bag has everything in it that I will need….thread, a package of needles, a few pins, scissosrs, close-up glasses, Thread Heaven and ThimblePads.
So…on to the border. I love fabrics that go from light to dark across the width, like this purple one.
I needed some purple berries to finish off the bouquet in the vase and I thought this might be the perfect fabric. I cut a few dark berries, a few medium ones and a couple light ones.
I just kept adding flowers, buds, leaves and stems, until the right side was complete. Voila!
Finally, I have something to hand-quilt! I spent the weekend marking and basting my Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. I decided to quilt a Baptist fan design. So far, so good!
Til next time….
Kerry
I love to have lots of projects on the go. It keeps things interesting. I am in the process of putting the finishing touches on my Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. So…here are all the flowers stitched together. And I have started to fill in the side sections. I must admit it is a little awkward stitching with a cat lying on my lap, but somehow I manage!
Next, I started filling in the top and bottom sections. Just one more row to add on the left side and I will be finally ready to start hand-quilting. I have been without a hand-quilting project for some time and I am can’t wait to start!
It rained all day Monday, so I decided that would be a good day to spend on the third border Friends of Baltimore. First, I added the stems and leaves, and then added the flowers…
I just kept adding more stems and leaves and flowers…
Not bad for a rainy day!
Til next time…
Kerry
I made a deal with myself…I couldn’t start the third border of “Friends of Baltimore” until I completed The Elissa block from Sue Garman’s “Ladies of the Sea”.
Oddly enough, I make deals with myself all the time……clean the bathroom and then you can sit and stitch…start dinner and while the pasta is cooking you can sit and stitch….get up a little earlier and you can sit and stitch. You get the picture!
So, here we go! I decided to start with the vines coming out of the bouquet. I should mention that I have traced the design on the background with a Clover water soluble marker.
I was just itching to start the vase…so that is what I did! I used the same blues as I did for the flowers in The Elissa block.
I am not going to be shy…I love the way this vase turned out!!
Next, I added a few more leaves and tiny stems.
And a few purple flowers….
Next, I added some pretty posies!
When I filled the vase with all of the flowers, something started to niggle at me. The light pink rose gets lost in the boquet.
So then, I started a conversation with myself. I guess by now you have figured out that I talk to myself…a lot!! I started to think that in real life, someone may have put a pale pink rose into a vase with brightly coloured flowers and it might look just fine. Someone else might look at the block and think it looks just fine. Maybe I am just being too critical of my work. But the reality is, I know that if it bugs me now, it is going to bug me even more once it is quilted. So I replaced the flower with one that has just a little more oomph!
Dandy!
I have added a few more rows onto my Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. Only two more rows to go…yippee! I have already decided (after many converastions with myself!) about how I am going to hand-quilt it. I will keep you posted!
Til next time…
Kerry
After I finished the second border of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”, I was ready for a bit of a break! I took a couple of days and started the next block of “Ladies of the Sea”. First I glued the bias in place for the wreath of leaves and flowers. I find it easier to put glue on the background rather than on the bias stem.
It took me a while to find 3 blues in my stash that worked as light, medium and dark flowers in the same tones. Here is the dark….
…and the medium….
….and, finally, light!
Next, I added the leaves.
Next, I started to add the parts of The Elissa. I decided to cut the masts into sections, rather than use one long piece. That way, the brown fabric would not show behinds the white sails. Did you notice that the very bottom piece of the mast does not line up with the other pieces of the mast? Oops…I didn’t notice until the sails were appliqued on top!
It just took a little unstitching before the mast looked straight! So far, so good!
Last September, I showed you a nifty thing I purchased on our local Shop Hop. It is called Triangulations by Brenda Henning. You can see more about it here. It is an easy way to make half square triangles. I have been working away on these when I have a few minutes to spare. I now have a substantial amount of HSt’s and after experimenting with many different settings, this is what I have decided on. I am not sure how I will set the blocks or if I will use a sashing or just stitch all the blocks together in rows. For now, I am just having fun making blocks!
Til next time…
Kerry
Simple Bird Applique 