SEWING IN COLD FLORIDA

I'm a Canadian, spending the winter in Florida, and I'm not really complaining about the cold weather here - it will soon pass.  During our time as an Air Force family, we lived as far north as the lower edge of Hudsons Bay, and spent time in various locations in Ontario, as well as 2 years on Vancouver Island.

My sewing room is in a bonus room under the carport.  It is unheated and has a ceiling fan to help with the heat and humidity.  DH knew I planned to spend time there today, so he went out early, and opened the blinds so the sun would warm the space!  By 11am it was toasty, and I spent time cutting fabric, and working to lay out my latest applique project.  I had prepared all the pieces, and was using drops of school glue (washable), along with an iron, to attach the stems and pieces to the background square.  Now I'll have plenty of hand sewing work to do while we watch TV in the evenings.  I also washed all my new fabric, so it will be ready to begin a new project tomorrow.

STILL STITCHING ALONG

Just to keep my hand in, I basted this cute baby quilt panel, and managed to find an afternoon to quilt during the past week.  A little evening TV watching, and the hand stitching was complete on the binding.  This will be donated to the Hugs program at our local hospital, after being logged into my guild's comunity quilts program.

I've been slowly working on Diamond Hill by Esther Aliu.  


So far I have hand appliqued 3 of the 4 main blocks.



The flower colours were chosen to coordinate with some fabric that has been in my stash over 20 years.



When I have all 4 blocks complete, I'll add the strips to the corner of each of them, then give them a good press and cut them to the correct size.

I'll still have the pieced sashing to complete, and the appliqued borders, so I hope to complete this before the end of 2018!

I have pulled the fabric for the flowers and leaves from my selection, and now have to get all the small pieces prepared for stitching.  It is always a time consuming part of applique, but the rewards when your vision appears is worth it.

I plan to keep busy with various other projects at the same time.  I'll be working on some items for my guild's boutique - our quilt show is in early June 2018!  I had already selected quilts that I wanted to enter into the show, but as a few more projects are being completed, I'm changing my mind.  I have until late February or early March to decide, so I'm sure my list will change a lot by the deadline!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I spent a few days last week prepping some of the applique parts for my next project.  It doesn't look like much yet, but with so many little pieces, I'm working from the bottom layer to the top.  This is part of a pattern by Esther Aliu, that she has been sharing on her Yahoo Group.
I'm trying to decide how large I'll make this quilt.  My original plan was just to work on the centre and make a small wall hanging that I can enjoy.  My guild has begun another BOM quilt project, and I'm thinking I might like to use my collection of blues and whites for that. 
What to do, what to do????

I'm also trying to complete the quilting on 3 community quilts, and a quilt for a friend's church to celebrate the church's anniversary. 

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

A LITTLE PROGRESS

DH and I spent the morning in our front garden, making it more tidy, trimming back some of the irises and removing dead leaves.  I finally spent some time in my sewing room.
After hunting through all my striped fabrics, and auditioning a few, I finally chose this border for my appliqued flower heart.

 

This floral stripe won the honours.  It has the right colour tones to coordinate with the flowers.  I even managed to make 4 mitered corners - all lined up perfectly!  Now I need to think about quilting designs.  I plan to enter this wall  hanging in my guild's quilt show next June.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 0 yards

Used year to date  157 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date 36 yards

Net used 2014    121 yards

 

I feel like my quilting is at a standstill!  I have been spending more time knitting, but I am still working on some quilting.....

 

 I've been doing some work on my appliqued flowered heart WH.

These are the fabrics that I've pulled from my stash to make all the flowers, leaves, etc.

I have had this neutral print in my stash for quite a while, waiting for the right project.  I have two flowers, along with some buds and leaves ready to stitch.  

I've already stitched each motif together, so I'll only have to sew around the perimeter of each motif.  There will be some individual leaves to add here and there....

Check out the stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

 

This is the first motif for the floral heart wreath project.  I haven't done an applique project for a while, and this one has been waiting much to long!

I have pulled all the fabrics from my stash, so I can work on it at a leisurely pace, and even take the fabric south to complete the quilt.

I have been preparing the pieces using a "Floriani Stitch N Wash Fusible" stabilizer.  I cut the exact shape from the stabilizer, and iron it onto the back of the fabric.  Then I turn the trimmed edges of the fabric piece, using washable glue stick, and then glue the motif together, where it waits for hand stitching.  I still have a couple of leaves to add to this motif.   You may notice a couple of fabric pokies at the ends of the leaves, but this will get tucked under when the motif is stitched to the background fabric.

 Now that I have begun the project, I'm anxious to start stitching! 

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times. 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 6.875 yards

Used year to date  157 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date 36 yards

Net used 2014    121 yards

I finished the second disappearing hourglass quilt, and finally started a new project - applique this time.

I found a lovely heart shaped flower wreath in a book many years ago.  I made a line drawing of the design, and even made one in reverse, but then I placed the whole thing in a binder.  The last few times that I looked at the design I was in the south, while my stash was in the north.  I finally decided it was time to pull fabrics from my stash to begin work on the project.  I have prepared one flower for stitching, but still have to work on the leaves.....

We had a busy week with eye exams, and DH had a procedure on his eye on Thursday.  He had a cataract removed a couple of years ago, but his vision has worsened again.  He finally saw the specialist on Thursday, who used a laser to remove some cells that had grown on the back of the tissue that holds the lens in place.  Happily, he is back to 20/20 vision in that eye!

We also visited both sets of "kids" over the weekend - lots of driving, but well worth it!

Check out the stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

MORE HEXAGONS

I thought I was finished making hexagons, but after I appliqued the quilt to the plain border, I decided it needed to be a bit larger to fit our bed comfortably.  I thought about adding a pieced border, but didn't think it would add to the overall design.
My final decision was to make a second plain border, using fabric similar to the final background hexagons used in the quilt top, and then add two alternating hexagon motifs , appliqued to the final border, to finish the quilt.
So now I am back making 42 flower motifs, and 42 lozenge motifs.  I had been complaining to DH that I didn't have any hand stitching to do while watching the Olympics, so now that problem has been solved.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I finished my September BOM project from my guild - I chose to make the applique version, stitching the turned-edge appliques by machine.  I added some thread painting as accents to the flame and pointsettias, then did some simple quilting and added the binding.

It will be donated to the "Every Child Counts" group, to be sold to raise funds for the school the Bahamas.

 This is the start of a project that has been percolating in my brain for 3-4 years.
My son's new wife loves dragonflies.  He found some wonderful photos of them on the internet, and one spoke to me.  We expanded the picture, and printed it poster size to use as a pattern.  I got out my Golden Threads tracing paper, and made a line drawing of the dragonfly.  Then the problem was - how to transfer the image to the fabric.  Since I knew I wanted a dark background, and I also knew that I didn't want to spend time picking our all the tiny bits of tracing paper - I went back to the drawing board.  A while later, I discovered a package of wash-away "plastic" stabilizer.  I put it with the pattern and went on to other projects.  I had found the background fabric and some to make grass, and I also picked up some of the "Frixion" pens in pink, light blue and purple.  The pink was the perfect colour to trace my original drawing!  I used a close-up picture of grass as an inpiration for shapes and colours of the few foreground grasses.  I just have them temporarily glued into place, and still have to applique them to the background.  Of course, DH saw it and made a few suggestions for additional design, but I think I'll stitch it and let it percolate for a while before I decide on the next steps!

Check out all the wonderful design walls at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

We had more company again on Sunday, during my quilting time!
I have all the parts for the next segment of "Christmas Wish" from Red Brolly, but I didn't manage to get it sewn together, nor did I get the stars appliqued.  I decided to to a feather stitch for the vine instead of tons of lazy daisy stitches. 

I've been plugging away at the "stitch in the ditch" part of the machine quilting on my triangle twist quilt, but only managed to get a bit finished in the 2-3 minute snatches of time I've been able to grab!

Check out all the design walls on Judy's blog this week!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've been working away at the Red Brolly Christmas Wish quilt.  I've enjoyed doing the hand embroidery and the hand applique.  I still have to add some gold beads to the Christmas tree!

The third section looks strange, because I decided to use red sequins with bead centres instead of stitching the satin stitch berries.  I'll add all the embellishments once the top is completed and has a good press!  
I don't like this picture - it was taken with our old digital camera, while the one above was taken with the new one.  I'm always surprised at what a difference it makes.  I tried to adjust the colours, but only made it look worse!  The dark fabric in the checkerboard area is actually blue, and the stripes above and below the angel are more gold than green.....

I can't wait for the next step in the pattern.
I've also chosen a pieced border for the triangle twist quilt, but it will be a while in the making - lots of curved piecing!

Check out all the creativity this week at Judy's blog.

FIRST SECTION COMPLETE

As a break from paper piecing, I've been working on the Red Brolly "Christmas Wish" quilt.

Since I make redwork quilts all the time, I decided to go "non-traditional" with this project, and dip into my vast collection of Christmas fabrics.  
I hand appliqued the hearts, but used the fusible method with machine buttonhole stitch edges for the reindeer. 

I'll be adding the buttons on Santa's coat after the top is completed.  I like to give the whole top a good press before I layer it for quilting, so I don't want the embellishments to get in the way or get damaged.

I've been enjoying the time spent pulling fabrics, and knowing that more of my Christmas fabric is being used......

The next section is waiting for assembly, and the third section still awaits its two appliqued heart sections.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I'm starting to get back in the quilting groove again.  Yesterday I pieced a backing for my Dolly X-block quilt.  Hopefully I'll get it pin-basted today.
I also put my applique southwest tree of life on the design wall to audition border fabrics - which must come from my stash.
Here is choice number 1....

  
I like the rustic wood tones, but I'm not sure that the curved inside edge of the border will look great in this fabric.

 Here is choice number 2.....

This pulls some of the applique colours to the border, and I love the funky swirls.  I think it would look good with the curved inside edge as well.

Maybe by the time I get the other project quilted, I'll be able to make a decision!





Head over to Judy's blog to see what other creative quilters are up to!

APPLIQUE THURSDAY

I only participate from time to time, but I managed to finish the embroidery on my Southwest tree of life project.

 Of course, after I took the picture, I realized that I had forgotten to stitch the spines on the cactus!  Guess I'll be working on that tonight...
My next job will be to find fabric for the borders - off to hunt through the stash.
Check out everyone's applique projects here.

APPLIQUE THURSDAY

I haven't been posting much lately.  Too much going on...

I've been stitching away on the tree of life pattern, and have everything stitched down except the last two angels on the upper right side.  If you look closely, you'll see my needle with thread attached in the angel with the blue dress. It still looks so unfinished, so I can't wait to start adding all the accent stitching!

I delivered all my items for the consignment table at my guild's June quilt show.  It took a while to double check the list and write and attach all the price tags, with washing instructions and fiber content labels.  Now I am trying to get all the labels finished and the hanging sleeves attached to the quilts that will be part of the exhibit.  I also have to make labels for the cloth bags that they are required to be in for delivery.  I made a bunch a few years ago, but since I have sold some of my exhibited work, the bags go with the buyer.  
 
DS2's wedding last Saturday was wonderful!  The weather cooperated with lovely sunshine and not too much wind.  It was a small family wedding - just 19 sat down to eat in the afternoon.  It was great having time to talk with each and every guest.  Unfortunately, we only a took a couple of pictures, so we'll have to wait until the official ones are delivered!

This table was set up at the reception with the cake, made by a good friend (hope you can see the dragonflies).  The large mat on the framed photo was used for guest to sign, and the DVD player ran a slide show of their engagement pictures.











Click here to see what other applique projects are in the works this week.

A BIT OF APPLIQUE

This is another project that was put on the back burner for a while.  While visiting Arizona several years ago, DH and I saw a wonderful baby tree of life quilt in a shop, and DH insisted I buy the pattern, designed by Chris Bubany for Dream On Productions, Tucson AZ.
I chose fabrics from my stash, but of course, didn't start working on it until a few days ago.  I spent my TV watching time preparing all the applique shapes, and decided to stitch the tree and pot onto the background fabric.

 I prefer using the back basting method, but it was difficult transferring the pattern onto the black background.  Instead, I used some wash away stabilizer for the shapes, and used a wash away glue stick to turn the edges to the back.  I stitched all the small parts to each shape, so that I only have to stitch around each shape when attaching them to the background.
As you can see, I love using bright colours on dark backgrounds, and I can hardly wait to begin the embroidered details on each shape.  I am doing the applique stitching with silk thread, as I find it disappears into the fabric.  I use 4 dark to light neutral colours, along with black and white rather than thread matching each fabric.
I plan on stitching each evening on our trip north.  I don't know if I can control the stitches well enough to stitch in a moving car!
 

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've been busy preparing some shapes for hand applique.  I picked up a pattern for a southwest tree of life design when we were visiting Arizona several years ago.  I brought all the fabrics south so I could work on it this winter, but unfortunately it was pushed onto the back burner. 

 I decided to get some of the shapes ready so I could do some hand stitching in the evenings on our way north.  There are still more stars and moons to get ready, as well as flowers, leaves and angels.  I've stitched the tree and the pot on the background fabric already.  I've decided to use a black background, to enhance the bright applique colours.  I can't wait to start adding all the stitched details, but I guess I have to get them appliqued in place first.....

I also had an abundance of 2-patches from my leaders and enders, so stitched them into 4-patches.  The block is called "Grandmothers' Cross" according to Electric Quilt.  I decided to use an "on point" setting, and the blocks have varied "light" setting triangles, using up scraps left-over from the plaid quilts that I made in the fall.

Check out all the creativity over at Judy's blog!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

My design wall is empty!  I will not begin another project until the quilting is done on my Baltimore quilt!  I didn't get much done yesterday, as our power was "out" from 2 - 6:30 pm - wind damage from the edge of Irene.

 This is the quilt that was on my table, under the baked goodies - I finally took its picture!  It was the first hand appliqued quilt that I ever made.  I bought the pattern from a quilt shop in Orlando (now closed) that specialized in historical reproduction and wool fabric.  I can't find the pattern to give credit to the designer......  I use the quilt as a table cover during the fall and winter months, removing it when using the table!

 This quilt is used on my table during the spring/summer months.  Again - I have no idea what pattern I used.  I remember seeing the pattern in a magazine, and when I went to the fabric store, I found a great overall flowered print and a matching stripe - both required for the pattern.  The background was supposed to be a stripe, but as I couldn't find one, I used a solid blue and quilted the lines with a variegated blue thread.
I'm heading off to machine quilt all day!  Check out Judy's blog to see what others are working on this week!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  120.63 yards

Added this week  15 yards

Added year to date  52.375 yards

Net used 2011  68.25 yards

My three 5 yards of clearance fabric lowered my number this week, 

but I hope to have a quilt completed soon.  My version of "Pushin Up Spring" is just waiting to be pin basted, and I am adding the borders to my Oriental "Baltimore Bliss" quilt, made from blocks I completed over the winter.

DH is scheduled for cataract surgery on Friday, so I plan to make the most of the early part of the week - then I have to make sure he follows after-care orders!

Check out everyone's progress at Judy's blog.

FORGOTTEN BLOCKS!

Since I couldn't move forward on my "Pushin Up Spring" quilt until the backing fabric was washed, I decided to plan the layout for another applique project that I had worked on over the past winter.  The pattern is called "Baltimore Bliss" and is found here.

Block 11

 

 

Block 12

These were hand appliqued using a wash-away stabilizer, and I recently spent some time adding a bit of machine stitched embroidery to each block.  Here is the border fabric that inspired the colours in the quilt blocks.

 I enjoy designing in EQ7.  I imported pictures of each of the finished blocks, and then added a picture of the border, so I could see the actual border in place!  Too much fun!
Since I was able to wash and dry the backing, along with the 15 yards of fabric that I recently purchase, I'll be spending the rest of the morning at the ironing board.