Do You Smell Smoke?

Because I'm pretty sure that I'm burning some brain cells! I'm still working on designs, and have so many ideas that I can't even get them down fast enough. I'm going to have to just stop and rest my eyes from this laptop...pick up my trusty little journal...and write down some thoughts before they flee my head! Seriously, do you smell smoke? Last night, I started working on an applique design. I have always wanted to do an applique medallion quilt and design my own flowers. So, yesterday I spend hours creating roses, irises, daisies, tulips, ...well you get the idea...and today I started playing around with layouts. The top photo is of my first sketch with just roses. It's okay...but could be better.   

This second photo is my next attempt. The background oval is now a circle...which fits the design much better I think because I had the paper size set to 32 x 32 (duh, a SQUARE). I also like the addition of more leaves and rosebuds. The four quadrants are the same...just flipped and rotated differently than the first photo. Can you see the difference? These will take a few more days to "perfect". Then the hard work of actually creating independent little patterns for each separate piece of applique. THEN, creating an actual pattern than can be loaded as a complete pdf file to PatternSpot. Sharing is sometimes hard work..but, it is also a great reward! I just wish I was faster so that I could get more done! Okay, I'm off to go find the fire extinguisher...cause I am definitely on fire here! My muse is working overtime...and I love it. When I crash, I'll have to sleep for a week! (No, I'm not on any meds...and no, I have not been drinking or anything! But, I'd consider it if it kept my brain working this good and gave me energy! Okay, just kidding again...geez, you can take a joke...right?)  

Jingle BOM - Blocks 1 & 2 Completed

I thought that the redbirds would be difficult...but they were not at all. Still struggling to make really round berries...and am thinking about changing to cardboard as the "shape foundation"...and starching a lot before going final. But, there will be more berries for sure...so I'll get some practice! Ha! This is a pretty block and I'm enjoying this quilt. I've said it before...and I'm saying it again... Erin Russek's patterns are really easy to work up! I so appreciate the gentle curves and the not-so-slender points for hand applique.

  Here is the second block for the quilt. It is the first pieced block. The poinsettia fabric in the center will also be the last large border for the quilt. It is too large of a scale print to work well in any of the applique blocks, but I'm hoping to get to use it in all of the pieced blocks.

Merry Merry Snowmen Continues...

Thought I'd share my "design" trick for creating quilts with fabric stash...instead of purchasing what the pattern calls for. This is my thought process for scrappy style quilts like the Merry Merry Snowmen one. First task is to photocopy the color photo of the quilt provided in the pattern. Then, I use different colored markers to start "coding" the different areas while considering fabrics I pull from my stash. It is often necessary to use 2-3 fabrics where the pattern calls for just one...because there might not be enough yardage. The basic color family...brown, red, etc...must stay the same...and the value of the color (medium, dark, etc) should also stay the same. Balance the fabrics by placing them in a triangle (see blue markings) or equally balanced throughout the quilt (see yellow markings). Just as in crazy quilt embellishing...your goal is to get the eye of the viewer to travel around the quilt...and not stay in just one place.

Progress has been made...and the backgrounds for all of the remaining pattern blocks are complete.  Now, to prepare all of those applique pieces for sewing on to these blocks! First, the snowmen! I have traced all of the snowmen shapes on to a fusible interfacing (not fusible web). The interfacing is thin enough so that I can trace on the reverse side...with a soft lead pencil (a colored pencil). 

  Here, you see that they have then been ironed down to the reverse side of my white fabric. Next, they will be trimmed around, leaving about 1/4 inch of fabric for turning under. Because these pieces are white, and will allow the darker background colors to "bleed through"...I'm going to use a piece of white fleece in the center of each one as I applique. That will also give each snowman a little "fluff", and you now that snowmen are fluffy!  

Merry Merry Snowmen - Block One

Last month I signed up, along with 20+ other ladies, to stitch the pattern "Merry Merry Snowmen" as a group stitch-a-long over at the HGTV Message Board Group. Each person is doing their own quilt...but, we have deadlines to get each block completed.

  This is block one...and was not too difficult to create. This quilt is not as easy breezy as Erin Russek's "Jingle" quilt is...that I blogged about last week. Mostly because this quilt has more pieces and pieces that are smaller than the ones commonly designed by Erin. Still, this is not a hard quilt...and the pattern includes pages and pages of instruction and full size templates...no re-sizing! Got to love that!  

  The pattern is available at Bunny Hill Designs.  You can get the idea for the entire quilt. I'm using my own fabric stash...and did not order a kit. One lady in the group is pulling blues instead of reds...and so far, her quilt is very nice...very "winter" looking.   Some of the ladies are doing machine applique...but mine is all by hand. I don't enjoy stitching fusible, and hand applique just looks worlds better to me....so, it is worth my time. So, if you are looking to start a full-size project for Christmas...this is a good pattern to work up. 

Miss Kringle is done...yeah!

These past few days, I've been stitching solely on the center block to Erin Russek's Block of the Month for 2013, "Jingle". The center is a 30"x30" medallion pattern, titled "Miss Kringle" which she sales to accompany the free blocks every month that she posts on her blog, One Piece At A Time.  I love her designs...and have download them the past two years...but have not sewn them. This year, I had all of the fabric colors in my stash...and ran out of excuses not to stitch! Hugs! So, I'm doing it!

  Here's the applique pieces...before I started putting down all of the leaves.

  And, instead of the suggested bias stems...I'm doing embroidery work (stemstitch). The single applique blocks of the month have embroidery stems...so, I'm thinking this will coordinate better than bias would (plus it's faster!). Hugs! I do love Erin's patterns...they have large applique pieces that are easy to work with. No "slender points" (which are only good for fusible work), these shapes are "designed" for hand applique. Thank you Erin! If you have been looking for a hand applique challenge...that is truly manageable...I strongly recommend her patterns. Of course, working on this full-size applique project...(the first large scale applique that I've tackled in fifteen years!!)... has not stopped me from also signing up for another huge applique quilt endeavor over at HGTV Message Board group either this year...geez! But, at least for Erin's quilt...she is doing one applique block and then one pieced block for every other month. So, I should get a bit of a breather at least every other month! (Plus...my muze agreeded yesterday to crochet a baby blanket for my sister-in-law's nephew's new baby, to be delivered some time next month. She is getting the yarn...I'm doing the handwork. My muze is always getting me in deeper! Does yours?)  

Applique begins...

I'm working on the center medallion of the Jingle Block of the Month applique and pieced quilt. The medallion is a seperate pattern, called Mrs. Kringle. 

  The surrounding blocks are free downloads each month, and as you can see from the printout above...the first pieced and first applique patterns are already out. So, I have to get this center completed...before I get started on the individual blocks.

  I'm having a good time and really enjoying the relaxation of applique work. It is almost as much fun as embroidery.

Jingle BOM

Do you download Block of the Month patterns? I do...sometimes. And there are a couple of Erin Russek's that I've been wanting to do....and keep finding excuses to begin. THEN, this year, she announced "Jingle" and I just had to really, really just HAD to do this quilt. There is a huge and glorious center medallion (see photo above), and it will be surrounded by eight pieced blocks and eight applique blocks.

  The center is a purchased pattern for the 30" medallion...called Mrs. Kringle. Very reasonably priced, and a pdf download so you can start NOW! The surrounding blocks are free each month. Here are some of the pieces being prepared.  

And here are the pieces that I've finished getting ready to stitch down. Let me know if you are also working on this quilt, as I'd like to follow your progress too! Hugs! 

A Pillow - almost done...

Well, if you paid attention yesterday...you'll note that I have (again) changed my mind. Got to thinking about that upholstry fabric that I used for the outside strips...and that I should have made a little pillow for my niece, since it would match her nursery. But, my little niece would need an "E" and not an "A" for her pillow. So, I un-sewed the pieces....and found another floral cotton print for Aidan. It goes just as well...maybe even a little better...with the gold of the applique monogram.

Yes, my cutting table IS piled high with stuff...so stop looking at the top of this photo. Hugs!

 Next, it's time to get the monogram stitched down...with a basic applique stitch. Here is the gold silk thread I mentioned. It is distributed by Clover...and I've had it for years. I love working with it.  Applique can be done in or out of a hoop. I like out of hoop when there aren't several layers to sew through. But, for this project; I'm just going to do a two-motion stitch and work in the hoop.   My first stitch is to come up from underneath...making sure that my needle goes up into the applique and comes out at the edge of the letter...not on top...at the edge where the fabric bends to turn under.

 Then, I go back down through the layers...with the point of my needle slightly under the applique letter. Not next to it, I don't want a vertical needle...I want it under the edge. Then, when I tug on the thread...it will cause the fabric to slightly roll under, hiding my stitch. You can click on these photos to enlarge, and see better.

See here?...I started at the center bottom of the post of the "A"...and have done a few stitches up the right side...but, they can scarcely be seen. Of course, the matching thread color does help...but it is not the key to the stitch...it's the position of the needle coming out of the applique and going back into the background.  Note: A good way to practice is to take a circular shaped applique piece and a high contrasting background (like a black applique piece and a white background). Use another contrasting color in thread to do your stitching. You will really learn to perfect your stitch by seeing what you are doing. And, when you can applique a black circle to a white background with red thread...and not see the stitches...you'll have a near perfect (there really isn't a PERFECT anything) applique technique. Don't believe it can be done...well, it can...and when I get the time...I'll prove it. Hugs!)

 Okay, here is the letter all appliqued down. Next is to embroidery the stem and leaves.

 The stemstitch is used to create the stem...and I'm using #5 perle cotton this time because I want the stem to have some volume since the design is a large scale. I thought about couching some green cording down; but I like to do the stemstitch.

 Next the leaves...yes, these are yet "another" set done in fly stitch. I can't help it...I just love this stitch for leaves. These beautiful real stone beads are such a rich red...they are really pretty. I added them to the center of the woven roses because I liked them so much.

 And, after weaving the 13mm dark red ribbon this is the finished embroidery monogram. 

 Next, will be adding some lace...

 and I think two layers will be good...

 Won't this be pretty when completed. I'm sure that Aidan will enjoy it. So, I'm off to the sewing machine to stitch down the lace.

Alphabet Soup Blocks...

Working today on a set of Alphabet Soup blocks. These are fusible applique letters in golden brown batik, with spicy mustard colored stem stitch embroidered around the edge. I'm almost finished with this first stage...next comes the embroidery of the vines and flowers. Then, assembly of the quilt top...
BTW, thanks to everyone for such a warm welcome to this new pattern; I hope you enjoy stitching the blocks....and that you'll share a photo when your version is completed. Hugs!

It's the Simple Things

Today, I figured out how to do a very simple thing on a crazy quilt project I'm working on. And, it just made my entire day go so much better! Now, I'm sure there are millions of women who would have concluded this long before I finally got around to it...but, that doesn't make it any less sweet that I have finally accomplished it!

I've really be stumbling along trying to figure out how in the world to transfer a design...easily...to a CQ block if I couldn't iron on it. I can't claim to have even thought this up myself...as one of my wonderful cyber buddies beat me to it...but, that doesn't bother me one bit.

Here it is...tissue paper! Yep, plain ole...get a pack for a buck at the Dollar Tree store...ordinary tissue paper! I traced a tree from a book (Crazy Quilting by Christine Dabbs) and then pinned it to my CQ block. I did a simple straight stitch (cause that's what I know)...to complete the outline of the trunk and limbs. Now, I could go back and fill in this space; but, I'm happy with it now. Then I did simple lazy daisys for the leaves (did I mention 'beginner') :)

For the flowers, I used tiny spacer beads with a tinsy little #15 seed bead (rocailles) in the center to hold the spacer down. Viola!! A masterpiece....well, at least Me and my Mom love it!