Patchwork Chicks
Cross Patch
Sew and So's
Coast and Country Crafts
(Note to self... as I've only been to Sew and So's, it's my mission to actually visit the other shops in person too sometime - maybe Mr F will take me on holidays there!!)
I bought this as a BOM a few months ago from Cross Patch in Wales. I've just completed the fourth and final pattern for "A Dog's Life" by Lynette Anderson Designs. This block is called "Park Meeting" and shows Hugo and his friends having a fine old time together. I decided to make a bit of a change to block 4 , and I replaced the poodle from Lynette's original pattern , so here is Jasper, my very own rather mischievous black lab! I made him with a piece of black fabric from Lynette's Happy Halloween collection, and used the wrong side of the fabric for the body, and the right side of the fabric for his ear. If you click on the picture below you can see it better... ...so here are Hugo and Jet, ready to get up to some mischief, and who's this rascal? Oh yes it's Jasper, that "blasted hairy hound" as we usually call him! I had to squeeze everything together a bit for this block, to have enough space to get everything in, but I really couldn't leave Jasper out could I? the hand embroidery was completed with DMC threads, and I used the glue stick and applique paper method for the hill, the dogs, the flowers and the butterfly. Linen can be a bit tricky to work with, so I fused some weaveline to the back of the whole block. This will be trimmed down to the correct size and then the borders can be added and all the blocks can be joined together... ...and here is the final block. Hugo, Jet and Jasper having fun together. Absolutely loving this one! I'm hoping to get some pictures of the completed quilt top later today, once the sun is shining. This one will be sent over to my wonderful longarm quilter, Janette at J-Quilts, for her to work her magic on with her incredible custom quilting. Then I just need to persuade Mr F that this one really MUST take pride of place hanging on the wall - especially as it has got his lovely Jasper on it!! This was bought as a BOM from Cross Patch here in the UK, but there is also a list of stockists around the world on Lynette's website. Here in the UK I mainly use the following websites for purchasing Lynette's patterns and fabrics and kits, but I also order from her online from the Little Quilt Store if I can't find something that I really REALLY need!
Patchwork Chicks Cross Patch Sew and So's Coast and Country Crafts (Note to self... as I've only been to Sew and So's, it's my mission to actually visit the other shops in person too sometime - maybe Mr F will take me on holidays there!!)
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Block number 3 of "A Dog's Life" by Lynette Anderson Designs is called "The Dog's favourite Tree" - this was pieced in 2 parts, I found it easier to add the inner borders to blocks 1 and 2, add part of block 3, add the final part of block 3 so I could avoid a very tricky "Y" seam. I'm using the glue stick and applique paper method of applique for this project, although Lynette uses the fusible applique method with blanket stitch on her original pattern. I just love using those apliquick tools! It didn't take too long to make the applique shapes. If you're using this method, you just need to trace/draw the applique template on the reverse of the applique paper... ...this method of applique gives a very neat finish. Believe me, you wouldn't want to see my needle turn applique before I discovered apliquick tools - it was an absolute disaster! I use a few spots of Roxanne's basting glue to the back of the applique shapes, press them into position and let the glue dry. You really don't need much, and it dries very quickly. Then I can secure the shapes into position with hand sewing, using a very fine Clover Black Gold applique needle and a fine neutral coloured YLI silk thread - I always try to match the colour of the thread to the background fabric. I've used linen for this project, and I really like the added texture this gives. There was only a very small amount of hand embroidery for this block... ...the tree is embellished with Suffolk Puffs and I used a small Clover Yo-yo maker for these. There is a template in the pattern for these, but I like using this little gizmo. Again, a few spots of Roxanne's basting glue held these in place while I was busy stitching - this meant that I didn't get stabbed with those devilish little applique pins that I used to use in my early applique days!... ...and here is the competed block. I absolutely love this! I really like how the leaves spill out onto the side borders. I made those and attached them before completing the applique. I've also prepared a scrappy binding ready for when it's completed, although that won't be for a while as I will get this custom quilted once it's all pieced together! Although I bought this as a BOM from Cross Patch in Wales, there is a list of stockist of Lynette's patterns on her website.
The second block of "A Dog's Life" by Lynette Anderson Designs is called "Friends at Play". This was bought as a 4-part BOM from Cross Patch in North Wales, and is made using fabrics from Lynette's "Time With Friends" collection, and some of my own linen that I decided to use for the background fabric. Linen can be a bit tricky to work with, so I fused some weave line to the back of it first (weave line is a thin cotton woven interfacing that is fusible). The applique technique that I decided to use for this project was the glue stick and applique paper method. There is a very good video of Lynette demonstrating this on Youtube, and I've added the link below... ...it was great fun prepping the applique shapes and playing with the layout. Once I was happy with the layout of the applique shapes, I added a few spots of Roxanne's basting glue to the back of the shapes, and pressed them into place. The shapes are then secured to the background fabric with a YLI silk thread in a neutral colour, a very fine Clover Black Gold applique needle, and some very small stitches! There are 2 very well behaved cats sitting in the cart, called Fatcat and Felix, and a dog called Scruffy, who reminds me of my friend Heather's dog, Ben, although Ben would probably have tipped the cart over and chased those cats straight up a tree!!... ...meanwhile, Hugo is very well behaved and is pulling the cart behind him, without a care in the world. Once these playful friends have been appliqued into place, their features are hand embroidered with DMC stranded cotton and they get their own characters... ...and finally this block is completed. Only 2 more blocks to go, and lots of piecing for borders is going to keep me busy over the next few evenings!
This gorgeous BOM is "A Dog's Life" by Lynette Anderson Designs. This was ordered from Cross Patch here in the UK, and included fabric from Lynette's "Time With Friends" collection. I used some linen for the background fabric, that I already had in my fabric box. The first block "Flower Power Puppy" arrived beautiful packaged and tied up with ribbon, back in April 2015. Weaveline was fused to the back of the linen, and the stitching could begin. DMC threads were used for the hand embroidery, and I used the applique paper and glue-stick method of applique for this project (Lynette's original quilt was made with fusible applique and blanket stitch) and those fabulous apliquick tools... ...and here it is - a cute puppy surrounded by flowers. This block is 12" x 12" finished size, and it really has been a joy to stitch. Lynette calls this block "Flower Power Puppy" and if you want to stitch this too, it's available from Lynette's shop Little Quilt Store in Australia. There is a list of stockists world wide on her website.
Yes, I've made another cosmetic bag, this one is going to be for me!! I used my favorite pattern, Anna's Sminkepung by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. These patterns are only available from quilt shops in Scandinavia, and I bought my pattern online a few years ago from Lapp-Elisa in Sweden. The instructions for this are in Norwegian, but I was able to follow the diagrams without too many problems, and as a last resort there is always google translate to help! I used some of my dwindling supply of these gorgeous Lecien prints from the Princess Rose Floral collection, which was bought simply ages ago from Sew and So's of Bungay - I think another trip there is needed soon! This was finished with some pink lace/velvet trimming. It was all quilted very simply with a pale yellow aurifil 50wt thread.
Shhhh don't tell Mr F but while he's been busy at work, I managed to get my Bernina out for a couple of hours this morning. Anyway, this didn't take very long to make, so here is my first project for 2016! Pattern is "Anna's Sminkepung" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa, made with some Lecien prints from the Princess Rose Floral Collection. Trimmed with green lace, and quilted very simply with Aurifil 40wt thread. This one will be sent overseas tomorrow. I hope the new owner will like it!
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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
February 2025
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