A Very Busy Summer!

Posted in Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

It’s been a very busy summer for us this year. We arrived home from Ottawa late last night where we proudly watched my step-daughter, Alanna, perform on Parliament Hill as part of the Ceremonial Guard. (She is the one in the red jacket and black furry hat!!)

Everyday the band congregates at Drill Hall and marches on to Parliament Hill to perform during the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at 10 am sharp!

Alanna plays alto sax and is living proof that music programs in high school really are extremely important! Here she is with her very proud dad.

As we waited for the band to start marching, I noticed that the Drill Hall has some pretty cute quilty details!

Today, we are off to an all day barbecue and pool party for my niece, Olivia, who is going to school in Italy for 6 months. Oh! To be young again. So, I woke up early this morning so I get get some serious prepping time in.

I am thoroughly enjoying working on the first border of Sue Garman’s “Ladies of the Sea”, a quilt I am making for my son Chad. The pattern for this quilt (and a few others!) are available in my website, Simple Bird Studio.

The pieces are a little larger than Friends of Baltimore, so it doesn’t take that long to feel a real sense of accomplishment. As soon as we get back from the barbecue, I will stitch what I have spent the morning prepping!

First, I started with a few bias strips.

Next, I added some leaves and what I believe to be plums…

Next, I added various leaves, flowers, stars and berries.

Not to mention some delightful Lily of the Valley. Dainty!

So far, so good!

Til next time…

Kerry

11Jul2015

Steady Progress!

Posted in Ladies of the Sea, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

I have been making pretty steady progress on the first border of my “Ladies of the Sea”. This quilt is intended for my son, so I am trying to keep the colours “manly”.

I love making bunches of grapes! I used 3 shades of purple. First I started with the dark grapes….

…then the medium grapes (although in the picture they look pretty dark!)…

…and next, the light grapes. Aren’t those little red stars adorable! I haven’t stitched them yet, so those pesky points are still sticking out. I think they look like little sea creatures. You can read about how I handle those pesky points here.

Next, I added a few more leaves and vines. I am not sure if you can tell from the picture, but some of my shapes are stitched in place, and some are not. That is how I work. I like to prep for a while (maybe an hour or so) and then I stitch for a while, usually in the evening in front of the TV.

So when it came time to stitch the maple leaves in the border, I decided to do needleturn. Yes, needleturn! When I made the first block of this quilt, I prepped all the pieces in the usual way, but decided to needleturn the maple leaves. You can see that post here.

Like most quilters, I have a scrap collection that just keeps growing. I decided to go through all my scraps and make as many diamonds as I can. I am using the 45 degree diamond from the Free Shape Collection from Inklingo.

Because I am using all different shapes and sizes of scraps, I am ending up with different amount of diamonds, so in order to stay super-organized, I drew some lines at 45 degree angles to give me a “map” of what my diamonds would look like once stitched together. So now, I can count up exactly how many diamonds of each fabric I need for a complete star. Oh! I almost forgot…I drew the lines to include the seam allowance. And, I used double sided tape to hold the diamonds on the paper, so they don’t fall off.

It is Saturday morning and I am still in my jammies, sipping my coffee and hand stitching my diamonds together. Can life get any better?? I think not!

Love it!

Til next time….

Kerry

20Jun2015

First border of Ladies of the Sea

Posted in Hand-Piecing, Hexagons, Inklingo, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

I don’t think I am that different than anyone else when it comes to finding time to quilt. Lately, we have had our fair share of family barbecues, a couple of baptisms, weekends away and on and on and on!! I am trying my very best to squeeze in a few stolen moments here and there to work on my quilts. Here is what I have been working on….

Ladies of the Sea, a pattern by Sue Garman, caught my eye a while ago and I started working on the blocks last year. I decided to start one of the borders before I continued on with any more blocks, just to switch things up a bit!

I use the starch, stiletto and mini-iron method. This involves flipping the pattern over on to my light box and tracing the shapes. I don’t have the attention span to do all of my tracing at once, so I am constantly flipping my pattern over which is kind of annoying (and not an efficient way to work!). So I thought…Why can’t I just flip my freezer paper over instead of the pattern? So I traced the shapes onto the shiny side of the freezer paper using a Sharpie marker. (A Sharpie is the only thing I found that would leave a permanent mark and not smudge.)

Since I use 2 layers of freezer paper ironed together, I experimented and found if you place the shiny side with the markings on it on top of another sheet of freezer paper (paper side up, not shiny side up) the liquid starch will not make the Sharpie marks bleed all over your fabric! The traced lines are actually “captured” between 2 layers of freezer paper. Sweet!

Anyway, here is what I have accomplished so far. This pattern is available on my website Simple Bird Studio.

Last year, I discovered the joys of hand piecing using Inklingo. This is a hexie quilt I made earlier this year using Inklingo…

…and these are the leftover scraps, which I stitched into some log cabins blocks that will become part of the backing. I cut just cut and stitched, not worrying at all about matching colours or even the width of the strips. Very therapeutic!

I love entire Inklingo process and spent a couple of hours yesterday printing the 45 degree diamonds from the free collection. Lots and lots of them.

I have a quilt in mind and will show more when I have a bit more to show!

Til next time….

Kerry

18Aug2014

Talking to myself and other fun stuff!

Posted in Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Hexagons, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

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

7Aug2014

Anchors Aweigh!

Posted in Hexagons, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

Now that the leaves, flowers and most of the ship is stitched, it is time to start the anchor. It is just a teensy bit challenging, so I thought I would show you how I tackled it. You can see it is a little on the small side. Just take a deep breath!

First, I placed it on the fabric so that most of the straight pieces are on the bias rather than the straight grain.

Next, I reverse appliqued the inner circle. When I do fiddley pieces like this, I don’t cut out the whole piece at once, just the section I am working on. It is easier to handle if it a big piece of fabric. No doubt about it, this is a tiny seam allowance, so I used just a dab of Fray Check on the seam allowance.

I trimmed a small part of the seam allowance and prepped it before trimming more seam allowance…

These right angles can be tricky, so I fold the section to be prepped towards myself so I can really get my mini-iron in the corner.

That wasn’t so hard, now was it??

This is the part I really enjoy…taking the freezer paper out!

So once that was done, I placed it on the block, along with the rope, which I will be honest, was a piece of cake compared to the anchor!

Since I don’t have any handquilting on the go right now, I am managing to get my hexies stitched together. Sweet!

Til next time…

Kerry

30Jul2014

Setting Sail

Posted in Friends of Baltimore, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

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

23Apr2014

Hexies Everywhere!

Posted in Circle of Tulips, Hand-Applique Techniques, Hand-Quilting Techniques, Hexagons, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized, washing my block by Simple Bird Applique

Recently, my hubby and I took a very last minute road trip to New York City, just for the fun of it. Of course, we did all must-do things when you visit NYC. See the Statue of Liberty…check. Figure out the subway system…check. Walk in Central Park..check. Visit The City Quilter…check!

When we visited Central Park, I couldn’t help but notice the sidewalk stones. Hexagons…everywhere. I was inspired!

So, when we visited The City Quilter, I picked up some paper foundations to make some hexies. Ok, maybe I went a little overboard!

I couldn’t resist a few charm packs, just so I could get started!

So this is how I spent the Easter weekend…making hexies! Very addictive! I am making them the old fashioned way…stitching the fabric to the paper template and whip stitching them together. Very relaxing! I am trying hard not to over think things and just keep them scrappy.

In between my new found hexie obsession and cooking Easter dinner, I managed to finish the Xebec block of Sue Garman’s Ladies of the Sea. Once the ship was complete and the flowers were stitched on, I started the skull and crossbones bones. I must admit, I love this little touch!

Next, I embroidered the ropes.

When I was finally finished, it was time for a bath.

I have just turned the third(!) corner of Circle of Tulips. Good times!

Til next time…

Kerry

17Apr2014

Which Piece Goes Where??

Posted in Hand-Applique Techniques, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

One of the most challenging things about applique is determining which order to glue (and stitch) pieces to the background. Some blocks are easier than others to figure out. This block was not one of them! Here is how I tackled the “Xebec” block from Sue Garman’s “Ladies of the Sea”…

Since the seam allowances on the black part of the hull were going to be completely covered by other pieces, there was no need to prep the edges. But I did draw the seam allowance on the front of the piece, just to make sure everything was going to line up.

I also took the time to baste it to the background just inside the seam allowance.

Next, I added the brown top piece. Notice that the left hand edge is not prepped, but all of the other edges are.

This next skinny piece is going to go on top those raw edges, but it is going to go under the top brown piece…..

…but at the same time, this little gold piece gets tucked under the top piece. The edge that is not prepped will go under the top piece and the rest will stick out.

Needless to say, I had my thinking cap on!

So, this is what it looks like so far.

As you can see, this skinny brown piece is actually smaller than the seam allowance, so I had to trim just a tiny bit of the black piece before I could stitch it in place. Dicey business!

Next, it was time to add the main sail. I stitched the bottom and side edge, and then I basted the raw edge that is going to be covered up….

…by this.

Voila!

Til next time…

Kerry

6Apr2014

First Border On!

Posted in Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized, washing my block by Simple Bird Applique

Last Wednesday evening I finished stitching all I could on the first border of Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”. I filled the sink with hot soapy water and let the border soak for a while. I use hot water because I think the glue and starch soften quicker in hot water…maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t, but that is just what I do! Next, I like to use Soak in the water, but if I don’t have any Soak on hand, I use dish soap.

I normally let it soak for an hour or two. When I went to take the border out of the water, I was mildly shocked to see that most of the red fabrics had run into the white background. After doing a quick bit of research online, I jumped in the car and went shopping for some Oxy-Clean and some color magnet sheets. Luckily, I found them, came home and threw the border into the washing machine with both products. I am happy (and sooooo relieved) to tell you the border came out of the washing machine without a speck of red dye on it. Thank you, Quilting Gods!

The following day, I laid the border out on a towel and let it dry. Once it was dry, I placed the border onto the pattern and marked the cutting lines with a water soluble marker. I always cut my background pieces larger than the pattern calls for, so they need to trimmed to the correct size.

Next, I stitched the border on.

When I went to press the seam flat, I noticed that some of the navy blue fabric had frayed, and it was sticking out past the seam allowance. I very carefully trimmed off the navy blue bits. I mean….very, very carefully!

So here we are!

I promised myself once I had the first border stitched on, I would start the next block of Ladies of the Sea, another Sue Garman pattern. The ship on this block is called The Xebec Pirate Ship. It looks very interesting with that skull and crossbones! I used a gradient fabric for the bias stems.

If you look closely, you will see the color goes from light to dark green. Fun!

One day (when I have time!) I am going to do some research on cats and quilts. I had not seen Bruin all morning. I placed my quilt on the floor so I could take a picture of it. I went to find my camera and this is what I returned to find. Sheesh!

Til next time…

Kerry

7Jan2014

Washing my finished block

Posted in Bruin, Hand-Applique Techniques, Ladies of the Sea, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized, washing my block by Simple Bird Applique

Once I finished embroidering all the ropes with 2 strands of floss, I was ready to wash my block. I must mention at this point that I prewash all of my fabric in Synthrapol before I even think of putting it in a quilt. That way, the fabrics do not run in this washing process. Why do I wash my blocks? When I trace my pattern onto the background, I use a Clover water soluble marker and a Frixion marker. To prep my applique pieces, I use starch and Roxeann’s Glue. All of that stuff needs to be removed from the block before it can be stitched into a quilt. Oh….and did I mention the cat hair?

It was in a class with Pearl Pereira at the Applique Academy that I learned about washing blocks. By the way, have you seen Pearl’s new Block of the Month on her website? It’s called Forever Blooming and it is free! I have downloaded my patterns and I am raring to get started! I am also super excited to be attending this years TESAA! I will be taking classes with Rita Verroca and Sandra Leichner. Only 42 more sleeps!

So, this is how I wash my block. First, I check to make sure all the pieces are stitched down. You really don’t want this to happen!

Oops! Can you see that I did not stitch all of the bias pieces down? There are bias strips in between the leaves and they are not stitched yet.

They should look like this.

You only need a clean sink, some mild soap and a block.

First, fill the sink with hot water and add a bit of soap.

Now, place the block in the water. If this is the first time you are doing this, you are allowed to hold your breath and close your eyes! I usually let it soak for a couple of hours. No need to check on it, it’s not going anywhere!

Next, drain the water and rinse the block with clear water. Gently press some of the water out. I like to leave the block fairly wet.

I place the block out on a thick towel and smooth it out. From experience, I have found that leaving the block wet means less wrinkles when the block has finished drying. I like to pin the corners of the block to the towel, just to keep it as flat as possible.