*There is a great video tutorial on Lynette's blog demonstrating how to use the apliquick tools.
Sewing Friends is a pattern designed by Lynette Anderson, and combines her usual mix of applique and stitchery. I bought this kit from Coast and Country Crafts and Quilts, here in the UK and the kit contains the pattern, all the fabrics for piecing and applique (also designed by Lynette and are from her "Quilters Garden" collection), the beautiful painted buttons to embellish it with AND the embroidery threads too. I used a Micron Pigma pen to trace the pattern onto the stitchery background, fused a small piece of weaveline on the back, and I was ready to start stitching... ...I used a small wooden embroidery hoop to keep the background fabric taught. These hand painted buttons are the perfect embellishments... ...two of these mini-blocks also have applique, and my friend Teresa very kindly loaned me her apliquick rods to have a play with. I really haven't got to grips with needle-turn applique, and recently discovered the applique apaper and glue stick method with I found much easier. So I had a go with these rods, and quickly became addicted - so much so that I ordered my set from The Fat Quarters... ...once these mini-blocks were completed, I was able to get the main block pieced together. This kit uses this beautiful fabric range "Quilters garden" (also designed by Lynette Anderson). I used a fine embroidery thread in pale grey by Mettler for the piecing, along with a Schmetz Microtex size 60 needle for the piecing... ...then changed to a Schmetz Topstitch size 70 needle and an Aurifil thread 40/2 weight for the quilting. I changed the pattern slightly and made the back with an enclosed zipper, I used some extra "Quilters Garden" fabric for the cushion back and the binding... ...here it is finally completed with a nice plump feather cushion pad inside. This really is so pretty. I'm getting quite a collection of Lynette's cushions for my sewing corner - poor Mr F is worried that I may soon need a special sewing room all for myself! And my daughters are worried that the next time they come home from uni I might have taken over one of their bedrooms!!!
*There is a great video tutorial on Lynette's blog demonstrating how to use the apliquick tools.
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A few weeks ago the second block of Simply Blessed arrived in the post from Australia (I'd ordered this online from Under The Mulberry Tree after seeing this version made with Tilda fabrics and I simply couldn't resist it!) and I quickly set to work with the hand embroidery. This BOM includes all the Tilda fabrics needed to make each block, and includes the pre-printed linen, and the variegated Cosmo thread too. This embroidery thread (from the Cosmo seasons range) is absolutely beautiful to stitch with... ...I traced the outline of the template onto fusible appliqué paper, cut out the middle and fused the paper on to the back of the stitchery that I'd already completed a few days ago. Using a pair of "Perfect" scissors, (these are fantastic scissors, by Karen Kay Buckley) I then cut approx 1/4"inch away from the paper. Carefully clipping the curves, taking care not to clip into the paper, I then used a fabric glue stick to draw a line of glue around the outline and carefully folded the edges of the fabric over the edge of the paper. I've used a wooden skewer for this so I don't get glue on my fingers. I've used a neutral coloured YLI silk thread for the appliqué to secure the first layer into place... ...once all the layers of applique were completed, I added the borders that were cut from fabric that I received with Block 1 a few weeks ago, and added the corner stones.I used a Mettler fine embroidery thread for piecing the borders and corner stones... ...this is beginning to look really pretty. My youngest daughter has taken a fancy to this, as it really is "her colours" so maybe this one will end up in her bedroom when it's completed!
I recently did some online shopping from Under The Mulberry Tree, and while I was browsing their website, I saw this. I just couldn't resist this BOM by Rosalie Quinlan - I'd seen it on her FB page a few weeks ago, and decided to go for it - so I've signed up to get it in this version, made with Tilda fabrics. The kit included these beautiful varigated "Seasons" Cosmo threads, shade 8049, and the handkerchief linen is pre-printed... ...this variegated Cosmo thread is beautiful and is really lovely to stitch with. Once the stitchery was complete, it was time to do the applique, and there's lots of hand applique on this block. I used fusible applique paper, and a Sewline glue stick, which certainly made this part a lot easier... ...I used a neutral coloured YLI silk thread and Clover gold eye appliqué needles for this project. The next step is a narrow border, and corner stones sewn into place... ...and here is Block 1 of "Simply Blessed" completed. This is going to be super when it's finished!
I was clearing out sewing corner, and found a few scraps of fabric left from a quilt that I'd made earlier in the summer (it was called "Down In The Garden" by Leanne Beasley). I'd already made a cushion for my sister with some of these scraps, and had just enough fabric left to make another one. I traced a stitchery design (also from the same quilt pattern) onto a couple of plain pieces of fabric, and then it all together randomly. The stitchery design was then completed by hand... ...the cushion top was layered with a muslin backing and a piece of Quilters Cotton Dream wadding (select weight) in between. This was quilted very simply with straight rows 1/2" apart, using my walking foot as a guide. I've used my favourite quilting thread for this - Aurifil 40 wt - and a Schmetz top stitch needle size 70. I really like the ribbed effect of the quilting, and the Aurifil thread is just wonderful to sew with. Once the quilting was completed, I added some machine-appliqued butterflies... ...the bodies and antennae were then added (this was done very simply with back stitch). A spotty binding finishes this off, hand stitched to the back of the cushion, and one of my labels is added to the back too. i really loved this pretty yellow Lecien fabric that I used for the top half of the cushion back... ...and here it is - another scrappy cushion completed!
I've been playing around with a selection of white and cream fabrics, and lace trimmings, and printing vintage pictures onto fabric (I always use EQ printable sheets that I buy from my local quilt shop, Quilters Haven). I made a scrappy log cabin block and added more fabric in random shapes and sizes until I had a piece that was approx 18" square. Once I was happy with the layout, it was layered onto a piece of muslin with some wadding inbetween (I used an off-cut of Quilters dream cotton wadding, select weight that was left over from another project) and spray basted the layers together using 505 spray. I quilted the layers together, and free motion quilted a large angular spiral on the log cabin block... ...once the quilting was completed, I machine appliqued the vintage picture into place, and stitched a few vintage buttons randomly. 3 rows of lace trimming were finally added. The front and back of the cushion were layered up, and the binding was added... ...I used 2 fabrics for the back of the cushion (I think this adds a bit of interest to the back, and like things that I make to look pretty on the back as well the front!) and used a concealed zipper as the closure. This looks really neat, and had a small label sewn into the side seam too... ...and here's the finished cushion. A plump feather cushion is used to fill this out. It was time for a quick photoshoot this morning, as it was raining when I finished this yesterday, then it needs to wrapped up for my baby sister who has a birthday coming up!
One of my favourite patterns for baby quilts is this one, Charm Squares Baby Quilt, designed by Elizabeth Hartman, which I have made several times before. The fabric range I've used this time is "The Hamptons", by Minick and Simpson for Moda. I'd been asked to make a baby quilt with a nautical theme, and this fabric range fitted the bill perfectly, as blueprints and anchors and sailing boats are scattered across these fabrics, which I have teamed with a white tone-on-tone fabric for the sashing and top and bottom borders. ...rows of straight quilting half an inch apart give a soft ribbed effect to the quilt, which was bound with this navy/white spot. The backing is another spotty fabric, this time I used a white background with blue spots. One of my labels was machined into the top corner, then the binding is machined into place then secured onto the back of the quilt by hand... ...I used the same navy/white spot that I'd used for the binding for the appliqued letters, which were taken from the book "Winsome Baby" by Nancy Halvorsen. I traced them onto steam-a-seam lite, peeled off the backing paper... ...and pressed them into position. (I've been desperate to get some steam-a-seam-lite, and thankfully Barnyarns has just managed to get some). When I was pleased with the placement of the letters, I fused them onto the quilt with a warm iron. The letters were then finally secured using machine applique in a matching coloured Mettler quilting thread... ...and here is the finished quilt, blowing on my washing line on a VERY blustery but sunny afternoon, ready to be wrapped and delivered to baby Oliver.
I bought this kit "Circle Of Love" (designed by Rosalie Quinlan) a few weeks ago from the Festival Of Quilts in Birmingham, from the Cross Patch stall. The kit included pink pre-printed handkerchief linen, 2 skeins of Cosmo thread for the embroidery, dresden templates and all the fabrics too. I added some soft light-weight fusible interfacing to the back of the stitchery design before I made a start with the embroidery... ...the dresden templates were traced onto a sheet of applique paper (this is semi water soluble, single sided fusible and semi transparent so ideal for this project) and fused onto the wrong side of the fabric - 4 dresdens were needed from each fabric. I then cut these out adding a quarter inch all the way round. A small strip of glue is drawn all around the sides, slightly overlapping the applique paper, and the fabric edge is then folded over and finger-pressed into place. My favourite glue for this method is a "Sewline" glue pen... ... once the small dresdens had been hand stitched together to form a ring, I glued the ring onto the linen background with Roxanne's basting glue, and hand stitched the ring into place with a neutral coloured silk thread. Finally there was some more stitchery added around the dresden ring... ...once all the stitchery had been completed, this is the finished project. I really enjoyed stitching this, and rather than making it into a wall hanging (the original pattern uses a wooden embroidery hoop as a frame) I think I'll use this as the centre panel for a cushion. Hopefully I'll find the perfect fabric for this idea next weekend when I'm off to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London.
I was clearing out a cupboard yesterday, and came across this wall-hanging that I'd made a few years ago (not sure if it was 2006 or 2007!!). This was made on a class I went to at my local quilt shop, Quilters Haven, and the technique we were learning was another method of applique. The pattern was taken from the book "Stitch and Split Applique" by Jayme Crow and Joan Segna. I named this wall-hanging "Stormy Sunflowers" and my inspiration had been driving past a field of sunflowers in a neighbouring village during a storm... ...the background was quilted using a decorative stitch before the applique was added. The leaves are embellished with green beads, and I copied the leaf motif for free-motion quilting in the borders. This was one of my first attempts at FMQ, so the tendrils are probably a bit more curly and wild than they should have been! The background "field" and "sky" of this wall hanging was made with batiks, also the borders and bindings. The stems, leaves and the sunflowers themselves were made from an assortment of fabrics from my stash. The sunflower centres were embellished with large buttons.. ...it seemed perfect to use this sunflower print for the back of the quilt! I haven't got any sunflowers in my garden this year, but Mr F has grown some very nice Rudbeckia, which compliments this wall hanging very nicely. Now I wonder if he'd notice if I picked a few of these to have in the lounge ;) ... ...anyway, back in 2007 I'd entered this wall hanging in a "Quilt Walk Around Wickham Market" that was organised by my local quilt shop, Quilters Haven. Quilts were hung all around the market square, in the church and in local shops too. This wall hanging was displayed in the hardwear shop.
Before I packed away the applique paper that I'd recently ordered from Patchwork Chicks, I thought I'd do some more applique before I got out my sewing machine for a bigger project! This is another kit designed by Lynette Anderson - "Christmas Night" - and again, the kit contained everything I needed - background fabric, ribbon, embroidery thread, scraps of fabric for the applique, and even the hand painted buttons that are used to embellish this picture once the stitchery and applique are completed. Once the design had been traced onto the background fabric I was ready to start. The frame was also bought from Lynette... ...once again, some wadding is added between the stitchery and the backing board, which ensures a snug fit and pads it out a little bit too. Buying the frame at the same time as the kit was a brilliant idea, as it meant I could get the whole project completed without it going in my "to-finish-later" box. This one will be used to decorate my lounge at a more seasonal time. It did seem a bit strange sewing Christmas project in the summer!
Last year at the Festival Of Quilts in Birmingham I bought a gorgeous kit to make a cushion, The Orange Tree, designed by Lynette Anderson. The kit included all the fabrics needed (Secret Garden, also designed by Lynette, for Lecien) and a hand painted button to embellish the cushion. The front of the cushion was soon pieced together, and then I traced the design using a brown coloured Pigma Micron pen... ...I made a start on the stitchery while I was staying in Birmingham for this year's FOQ (I needed something to keep me occupied in the hotel in the evenings!) and it wasn't long before the stitchery part of the cushion front was completed. DMC embroidery threads were used for this project... ...next was the applique - I'm really not a fan of needle-turned applique, but I'd watched Lynette and Teresa using this applique paper at FOQ and thought I'd give it a try. I ordered this from Patchwork Chicks after I'd returned home from FOQ - the shapes were traced, cut out, and fused to the wrong side of the fabric. I used a glue stick along the edges of the fabric, then turned the fabric over very carefully. Lynette uses apliquick rods for this method of applique. A couple of dabs of glue held the shapes into place whilst I slip stitched them into place with a neutral coloured silk thread and finally embroidered the lintel over the door and the windows... ...the cushion front was quilted very simply (stitch-in-the-ditch was perfect for this) and the hand painted button was sewn on as a final flourish. I made the back of the cushion using the fat quarter that was included in the kit added with some fabric from my stash, as I prefer an opening with a zipper. Single-fold binding covered all the raw edges (I hope Lynette approves of my changes to her gorgeous design)... ...and here is the completed "Orange Tree" cushion - as you can see, it has pride of place in my sewing corner in the garden. I really have enjoyed stitching this, and can't believe how much I've enjoyed this method of applique too!
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About me...Hi - welcome to my quilting blog! My passions are my family, my dog, my friends and sewing, not necessarily in that order! Archives
July 2023
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