Moving right along…..

Posted in Civil War Bride Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

Since I have finished the basket block from Sue Garman’s “Friends of Baltimore”, I thought I would work on the next block of Civil War Bride. Compared to the basket block, I should have this block completed in no time! I started with the bias stems.

I have been hoarding this piece of fabric for a long time now. I just thought on the off chance if I needed a fabric that looked like real strawberries, I would be ready!!

So I added the strawberries!

Then I added all the leaves. I must say, after reading Teresa’s post (see my last post for details!), I have been chopping my fabric into smaller pieces, and I am coming across a few green fabrics that I had forgotten all about. I love using a variety of greens in my blocks!!

I am getting the tops of the strawberries prepped. As you can see, they are tiny with some pretty nifty peaks and valleys! Lots of fun!!

Til next time….

Kerry

19Oct2012

Block 5 of Civil War Bride Finished!

Posted in Bouquet For a New Day, Civil War Bride Quilt, Grandmothers Choice, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

The sun was shining and it was a very productive day! I stitched the last leaf on the 5th block of Civil War Bride Quilt.

And the top row is now complete!

Since my sewing machine was on the dining room table anyway, I stitched Aunt Eliza’s Star from Barbara Brackman’s Grandmother’s Choice. Even if you are not making the blocks, the stories that go with these blocks are very inspiring and moving and worth reading.

I went to go visit my quilt today!

Colleen, from Elite Quilting, is basting “Bouquets For a New Day” together for me on her long arm machine. That will save me from spending a couple of hours on my hands and knees basting it by hand. Life is good!! Lucky for me, Colleen was just finishing up as I arrived, so now the hand-quilting can begin!

Til next time…..

Kerry

17Oct2012

Amused by a Butterfly!

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

Today was a “journey” kind of day, rather than a “destination” kind of day!

I had big plans for today and nothing was going to slow me down! I would prep (and maybe stitch!) the next block of The Civil War Bride quilt. First I stitched all of the stems in place.

Then I chose the fabric for the vase and the Granny Smith apples. So far, so good.

After I prepped the flowers and glued them in place, I realized that I chose fabrics that were just not speaking to me. I made a deal with myself. I would go have lunch and then look at the block again. (Maybe it was a low blood-sugar kind of thing!) If I still didn’t love it, I would choose new fabrics for the flowers.

So I went from this…

to this….

to this.

Needless to say I was a little disappointed that I did not accomplish more of the block, but the butterfly more than made up for it! I wanted to find a fabric that shouted BUTTERFLY! So I searched through my stash and I found this!

I fussy-cut the wings and here is my butterfly! I was so amused!!

Til next time….

Kerry

2Oct2012

Civil War Bride Block 4!

Posted in Bouquet For a New Day, Civil War Bride Quilt, Grandmothers Choice, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

The 4th block of The Civil War Bride Quilt is finished! I love the shadows on the bird created by the dark fabric.

I am stitching the blocks together as I complete them to keep me inspired and to keep the momentum going. If you look at the original quilt, you will see that I have actually flipped this block upside down so that the bird is flying upwards, and not toward the ground. Now, on to the 5th block!

Jenny is impressed with the progress I am making on Barbara Brackman’s Grandmother’s Choice. These blocks are an amazing way to use up some of that stash! In my infinite wisdom, I decided to make 3 blocks a week instead of one block. Here are the “Union Square Blocks” from Week 3.

I hand-pieced one Kansas Sunflower Block from Week 4. I think I will try English Paper Piecing the remaining 2 blocks. The points are just a little daunting to attempt on the sewing machine! It is hard to believe that this…

can look like this!

The second last block of Sue Garman’s Bouquets For a New Day is finished!

Just one more block to go! Then I can start to stitch it all together, and then on to the sawtooth inner border. Yikes!

Til next time…..

Kerry

26Sep2012

What Motivates You?

Posted in Bouquet For a New Day, Civil War Bride Quilt, Hand-Applique Techniques, Roseville, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

Working on a large quilt can sometimes be overwhelming. The key to success in quilting (and in life!) is to stay motivated by setting long-term and short-term goals for ourselves. And, of course, when we reach those goals, we need to reward ourselves…with chocolate!

When I have more that just a few circles to make, I need to stay motivated. I reach for my Perfect Circles by Karen Kay Buckley, I make a cup of coffee, I crank up the music and I have some chocolate handy! How much chocolate I have depends on how many circles I need to make…..lots of circles means lots of chocolate!

Before I know it, the circles are finished and I am ready to move on to the next step of the block.

Wonderful….more circles!

I am prepping the 4th block of The Civil War Bride Quilt. It also has more than a few circles on it! It has some interesting loopy tendrils made from bias strips. Here is a little tip I use for making really curvy bias pieces. I used the same technique for making the handles on this basket. So easy!

First, I make the bias strip using bias bars. Here are a few tips for using bias bars.

Next, I put the paper pattern on a padded surface, like an ironing board. Then I place the bias strip on the pattern and put a few pins where I want to start.

I dampen the bias strip with starch and then use the mini-iron to “mold” the bias strip into place.

Once it is dry, the bias strip will actually hold its shape. You can pick it up and toss it around!

Glue in place and you are ready to stitch!

Til next time……

Kerry

16Sep2012

Finally! The Perfect Project!

Posted in Civil War Bride Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

I certainly don’t seem to have a problem collecting batiks, which is not that big of a deal, except that I rarely use batiks! But all that is going to change! These yummy bundles of batiks caught my eye at Quilt Market in Houston about 3 or 4 years ago. How could I leave them behind? I have been waiting very patiently for the “perfect project” to come along.

Well! Not only did the perfect pattern come along, it also had a co-ordinating fat-eights bundle to go along with it! When opportunity like this knocks, you better open the door! The “perfect project” for my batik collection is “Spring Bouquet” by Laundry Basket Quilts. The fabrics are “Over the Rainbow” batiks by Laundry Basket Quilts for Moda.

Don’t they play nicely together! I promised myself I will not start this project until I finish….something!

In the meantime, I have been stitching away on Block #3 of The Civil War Bride Quilt. I could not help myself! I wanted to see what the blocks might look like once they are stitched together. Spiffy!

Oh…and this was fun! The handle on the basket I started last week is made up of 3 long bias strips that are braided together….

…and then glued in place! Spiffy!

Til next time…..

Kerry

22Aug2012

When bad things happen to good quilt blocks…

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

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

1Aug2012

Civil War Bride Quilt Block 1

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

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

1Jul2012

Not that I need another project!!

Posted in Civil War Bride Quilt, Friends of Baltimore, Hand-Applique Techniques, Sue Garman Pattern, Uncategorized by Simple Bird Applique

Oh!!! It finally arrived!! Talk about speedy delivery!!

A couple of years ago when I was at The Ellie Sienkiewicz Applique Academy, a student showed her stunning version of The Civil War Bride Quilt at Show and Tell. You can imagine the ooohhs and aahhhs from the audience! It has been on my radar ever since I saw it. Thank goodness for the internet! I happened upon the pattern on Threadbare’s website. Needless to say, the check was in the mail and I have been (im)patiently waiting by the mailbox.

Now the fun begins!! I am now auditioning fabrics and backgrounds!! This is such a good way to spend an afternoon!