Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sue Spargo Block

I've not been doing a huge amount of stitching the past few days, I've tried but I keep getting interrupted.  I've made a couple more star blocks and stitched a couple more stems on the French Bouquet quilt, so not much to show you.  So I thought I'd show you a block I began at a Sue Spargo workshop I went to last year at Anni Downs' shop, The Home Patch.

Ooh yuk!  I wish I'd cropped that horrible batting from the top of this picture,lol.  Definitely not a professional publisher!!


I really must finish this, I only have 1 wing and 7 circles to applique and as little or as must embellishing as I feel like adding.  I love the colours and the unique style of Sue's work.  She is a generous teacher and the quilts she brought to show us were to die for.  I used cotton instead of wool for the background fabric.  I really haven't decided what to do with it, maybe a pillow.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and for those in the US a lovely Thanksgiving.

Bye for now,
Rowena

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Quilt Top Finish, Orange Peels

While waiting at the hospital with my Mum today I finished the last of the orange peel applique at last!  I couldn't wait to get home and put them up on the piece of batting that is my temporary design wall. I was so pleased with the combination of fabrics.


I fell in love with this small quilt on the cover of Kathleen Tracy's book,  Remembering Adelia.  This is the result of my evening sewing.



I've really enjoyed making this small quilt.  I've always liked to have a hand sewing project and over the past few years I've learnt to love applique.  Now I have to decide how to quilt it.  

I've been using an applique preparation method that the Blackbird Designs girls use for machine applique, the only difference is I use it for hand applique.  I iron freezer paper templates onto the wrong side of the fabric, cut out the pieces with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  I use an acid free glue stick to hold the seam allowance in place when I finger press it over the edge of the freezer paper templates.  

I usually prep a good number of pieces at a time.  I love the crisp edge this method gives and I find it much quicker to hand applique this way rather than the needle turn method.  Once I'm finished I clip away the background fabric behind the applique leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance then damp down the freezer paper taking care to dampen the seam allowance where the glue is.  I leave this for a few minutes and then the freezer paper comes away easily. I have tried machine applique with this method but I still prefer the look of hand applique.

I can now get on with the centre applique block for the French Bouquet quilt.  I've begun the star blocks and have been trying to stitch a couple each day.

Happy stitching,

Rowena

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Pickle Dish and Santa Applique

I've been working on this Pickle Dish quilt from a class on paper piecing with Chris Jurd.  It's one of her patterns, Pickled Lilies.  I finished the centre yesterday.  I haven't pressed it properly yet.



 I have been working on the orange peels and have 2 to go! Yay!  I also thought I'd show you a little machine and fusible applique Christmas pattern by Nancy Halvorsen that I made.  It was in an American Patchwork and Quilting quite some time ago.  This was fun and simple to make. The project in the magazine was a tea towel.  I intend to back and quilt this as is and add it to my collection of small Christmas quilts in my entrance hall over the holidays.


Lastly here are a couple of blocks for the French Bouquet quilt I have begun.  I am doing needle turn applique on the centre block but haven't touched it for at least a week.  I really want to finish the small orange peel quilt from Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy.


Well I'm going to finish those last 2 orange peels tonight, I'm determined!
Happy stitching,

Rowena

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Accuquilt Giveaway!

There is an Accuquilt Go! giveaway over at Simply Solids that ends on 20th November 2010. Do go have a look.

Bye for now,

Rowena

Missing In Action

My Mum has finally come home from hospital but is needing very hands on care day and night so not a lot of stitching has been going on.  Her recovery from heart surgery is going to be slow, it has really knocked her around.

I have received 2 lovely packages in the mail from generous bloggers who held giveaways. I won the Kona Cottons Jelly Roll from Violette and have great plans to make an Amish inspired quilt. The Amish style quilt pictured is made by an Australian designer, Joy White. She has a web site where you can purchase her gorgeous patterns here...From My Hands To Yours.  I love the way the black background makes the solid colours pop.


The Kona Cottons are the Dusty range so they will be perfect.  I don't know if I'll make the Lancaster Stars or a Churn Dash block but I like the blocks on point.



Even though I've been really busy with Mum I did (a little guiltily) manage a quick visit to my LQS and made a small fabric purchase. Some browns and pinks for the Jo Morton basket wall quilt. I also picked up the latest American Patchwork and Quilting.  It has a great article on Jo Morton at home and how she decorates with quilts. Yum.


I have posted this picture of Jo Morton's basket quilt before but this is what the brown and pink Fat quarters are intended for.




The fat quarters below I won in a giveaway from Jera.  I won the Fabric Sicko award.  I confessed to being a total fabric- tradgic- addict!!!



Well I hope this posts because Blogger won't show me a preview!!!

Bye for now,

Rowena





Sunday, November 7, 2010

Go Giveaway

Linda over at Lavender Ridge is having an Accuquilt Go! giveaway.  Go on over and take a look.


On the stitching front I was so excited thinking I was on the last two or three orange peels when I thought I'd count them.  Well...poop!  I had miss calculated and had one more row, sixteen more orange peels before I was done!!  So I have prepped them all and now I have to get stitching!



I've also started to cut out the blocks and the applique for the centre block for this lovely quilt.  I'm making this one for my bedroom.  I started the applique tonight.  I know...I should finish the orange peel quilt first but who can resist a new project?!?  I've really been loving the hand sewing, it's so portable and I love sitting up in bed at night watching/listening to a movie or show on TV while I stitch away.   I'm using French General's Rural Jardin and a few of the Rouenneries range as well. Oops!  Sorry the picture is sideways.
Enjoy your weekend.

Bye for now,
Rowena

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Not much sewing

The past week and a half has been a week I hope never to repeat.

My eldest brother passed away on the 24th October after being very ill for the last year.  Even though we knew his illness was terminal it was still a shock to lose him.  He has left behind a wonderful wife who nursed him at home until the last and six children, the youngest only 6 yrs old.  So sad.

My Mum, who lives with my children and I in her own self contained part of our house, went in for heart valve replacement surgery on the 27th of October. Thankfully she has come through the op with flying colours and though she is sore and sorry she is on the road to recovery.

Needless to say I'm not sorry this week is over.

from Jo Morton's book Small Quilts with Vintage Charm

So I haven't done much in the way of sewing this week.  I was hoping to get the last few orange peels done but have only managed one or two.  So since I don't have anything new to show I'm posting a picture of a Jo Morton quilt (wall hanging size) that is on my to do list.

Because I like posts with eye candy here's some fabric I bought a couple of weeks ago.  The Jelly Roll, some yardage and a few fat 1/4's from Moda's Luna Notte range...delicious!  The yardage at the bottom of the picture is from Garden Party by Blackbird Designs.  The fat 1/4 with the light background(in the middle) is from the Vanity Fair range.



Luna Notte is such a beautiful range and although I've not really ever been drawn to fabrics with black I really love the contrast the blacks give this range. If you haven't seen it yet do go check it out.

Be well and bye for now,
Rowena