Monday, March 28, 2011

Star and Sprigs border 1

I did finish the first of 4 borders. I am very happy with it. The photo is very bad, I know. But as a "proud parent" I couldn't stop myself from sharing it. Border number 2 is one quarter done. I have new fabrics to add thanks to very nice friends who shared their scraps.

New Tip and almost done!




Thought I would show you what I've gotten done so far. I have 2 borders done and one corner block.

I had a mishap on all of my corner blocks. I took them with their cut out pieces for each block with me on my week vacation, which I sewed only on two nights. I spilled coffee in my sewing basket and didn't know it until I got home. The coffee soaked thru all blocks and some of my thread. I soaked and washed all of it but on 2 of the background pieces I could see a slight color difference. Since I'm going to do competition with this quilt I decided to start over, had one block almost done and partially another. I have since cut out the pieces that were sewed and I had just enough background to cut the 4 blocks out again, soooo glad I bought extra as it was on SALE.


As i usually do, I made some changes. I didn't put the birds in the corner blocks as I didn't want any birds upside down so I used the 2" circles and a smaller size circle to create this flower. Also changed the borders, using many flowers from the center adding little birds and added a cat and there will be 2 cats on top and bottom borders. I may add more circles but will decide this when I get it all set together.


TIP FOR THE DAY - I have left the selvage on my out side borders (remember to allow seam allowance for the pattern placement). I do this when possible because it helps to stop strecthing while sewing and quilting. I will cut it off after I'm done quilting and before I add my binding.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Four borders to go


I finished my last panel and am so happy to have the center together.
I have enjoyed everyones pictures of their progress, great inspiriation to keep going.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Lollipop block number nine


Happy spring,

Waiting for the wonderful spring weather to arrive in Michigan, we just finished having an ice storm earlier in the week. It is just so much fun to pull out my kaffe fabrics and sit down and put a block together. The Fabrics are so bright and cheery and definitely happy. This block is a little different from the others in that it has those blue leaves coming out from the center. I thought I would be tired of making circles but so far I am not. Can't wait to add this one to the rest.

Thank you all so much for sharing your beautiful pictures, you are very inspirational.

Rosemary Youngs.
The lollipop girl



Thursday, March 24, 2011

Princess Feathers

I want to share this beautiful quilt with you. My friend, Nancy Smith, gave me permission to share this quilt. She actually made the top, all hand applique, and I quilted it for her. Nancy specializes in hand applique and hand quilting and has made several of Kim McLean's quilts plus many many more.
One of the things that Nancy does on many is choose her own fabrics and colorways and does a beautiful job. She has made Flower Pots, Lollypop Trees, and the Hearts and Flowers quilt and they are all hand quilted.
I hope you enjoy seeing her work. I'll have to check with her and post some of her other finished quilts.
As I was quilting this I realized just how difficult it must have been to make, yet she did a wonderful job! Many pieces and tiny curves, but worth the effort. I'm sorry but I do not have a picture with a full view of the quilt but thought you'd enjoy the close-ups anyway.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Roseville bottom corner block

I've gotten the bottom right corner block finished. As you can see, I edited out some of the dots and moved around the ones I kept. I'm still not sure about the bottom right leaf, but wanted to repeat the fabrics I used in the center blocks and side panels.
The quilt top is now too big to get a full pic. There are more pics on my blog, so hopefully you can get an idea of how it fits in?

Monday, March 21, 2011

Flower Pots Updated

I recently finished the top panel in my Flower Pots applique. I'll admit it was fun 'fussy cutting' the birds to look like the ones in the pattern photo. For close-ups of this panel, you can go to my blog. I am now working on the fun circles in the border.

Flower Garden my no 6 block

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5th block

Now to decide on my next block
go with the REALLY bright flower or not! my goal is one block a week. The circles will all be appliqued down in the end I think.
I will use those to tie in the colors I need to or add more brights :)
not bad for reproduction fabrics, see they aren't all dark!


Kathie
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Quilts to Japan

Hi Everyone,

If you click on Janet's " Quiltsalott" on your right, you'll see how you can send a quilt via the QNM office in the US or send through "Patchwork Tsushin". Hope you can find a quilt or two to send to these people, it has been a catastrophe. Cheers, Kim McL

Saturday, March 19, 2011



My fourth block! haven't decided if those are the right circles so will wait to applique them down for a bit
my other three blocks are on March 7th post.

Kathie
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/

5th block Flower Garden

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Friday, March 18, 2011

My Third Block


I had the chance to finish my third Roseville Album block this week. I have some work done on the top and bottom border and another block prepped, but this is the third block completed. It seems like forever since I have worked on this quilt, I am nearing the finish line on the Civil War Bride quilt and then my attention will be turned to Roseville Album. I have all of my RA blocks done so far on the design wall so I have been seeing them a lot this week. I have followed the pattern fairly close for fabric choices on my first three blocks but I am getting some ideas for changes and thanks to all the good ideas on this blog I am getting braver to try some different things.
Happy Stitching,
Cheri

BYOG- Jaybird Quilts Blog Giveaway! - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

BYOG- Jaybird Quilts Blog Giveaway! - Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber

If I were a blogger (I follow blogs if that counts) I would buy batiks, batiks, batiks. I never met a batik I didn't like. Thanks. Jeannette

SeasideQuilter: 5th block Flower Garden

SeasideQuilter: 5th block Flower Garden

4th block Flower Garden

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Wednesday, March 16, 2011


since I am making my flower garden in repros I decided I needed to make my fabric work a bit harder to be bold like so many of the "bright" fabrics!
so what do you think of my leaves????
you can see how I made them on my blog!
now to figure out how to make big bold flowers , any suggestions????
Kathie
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Lynda-----The background fabric for my Lollipops is Graceful Geisha by Lonni Rossi for Andover. I think I purchased it several years ago.

Turkish Tiles Border Block #1

You may remember seeing my post on Sunday March 6th about Kim's quilt called Turkish Tiles.  Due to your encouragement I have started working on it again.  So thanks to everyone for being so wonderful.  It is a large quilt; there are 24 border blocks measuring 10" square.  Here is my first:


Lots of applique in an exquisite design.  It was fun auditioning the fabrics.  Now it's time to turn my attention to a second block.

If you would like the pattern to Kim's "Hearts and Flowers"  quilt from the post by LuAnn,  it is in the Kaffe Fassett book "Quilt Romance".


Coincidentally, I am hosting a giveaway for this book.  Just click here to visit.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Hearts and Flowers Center

I've finished the center of my Hearts and Flowers quilt and have started on the second border.  I'm really enjoying the hand work.  I just couldn't resist putting it up on the design wall....love the pattern and working with these fabrics!

block #6

well here you go
block #6


Sunday, March 13, 2011


I cut the sashing squares and a 2.5" strip of all of the fabrics as I was folding them. Began adding the sashing to the Lollypops this aft. I did have to remove a few of the circles as I was trimming the blocks as they were too close to the s.a. I need to add a few more in spots that are too bare.






I took time yesterday and today using the ruler folding technique, to corral my Kaffe fabs to make choosing fabs a bit easier.

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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Sues sneak into another block


Here is the most recent block with SS. It's quite fun to play with the patterns and make them my own. I'm planning more twists with a few others. Hope you are enjoying as much as I am; stay tuned!

Circles for Flower Pots


Aren't these cute? I'm looking ahead to the outer border of Flower Pots and decided to start appliqueing the double circles. I think they'll be a lot of fun--they were fun to cut out. Marion encouraged me to skip the front-basting step and try glue dots--I'm a convert!
Now I have 2 blocks plus these circles to take on a one-week vacation (thanks for the San Diego quilt shop tips) which is ridiculous. But we hate to be unprepared, don't we?

Friday, March 11, 2011

ok, ok, ok,
I changed the center flower,
now I may change the baset fabric also

well, block #6 moving right along
still questioning the center flower


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

2nd Flower Pots Panel






I finished my 2nd Flower Pots panel this weekend. The first panel took about 3 weeks, but this one took a little longer because I also managed to hand-quilt a baby quilt for my new nephew. Naturally I enjoyed every minute of applique.















Here they are together. I've cut out the Star block so I'll have handwork to take on vacation on Saturday. Does anyone know a good quilt shop in San Diego? I can always use a couple more pieces of fabric, right?

Flowers

I've had my blinkers on again the last week, more blooms makes thirteen blocks completed. I've been thinking a bit about value so decided to make a couple in darker, moodier colours. They're not my favourites but I think they'll work fine.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Flower garden is growing!



These blocks are just fun to work on, a great project to take along anywhere.
I love that they aren't fussy and your not working with a lot of little pieces!

Yes I have another block all prepped ready to go, for me thats the key, keeps me appliquéing!
kathie
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/

Flower garden no 2 block

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