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Stitched By Me - Block 6

14/2/2016

I spent a couple of hours on Friday morning getting the applique for Block 6 of "Stitched By Me" prepared. (I'd already pieced the block together last weekend). This 7-part pattern is by Lynette Anderson Designs, and I'm making this using a kit supplied by Lynette - the kits are available from her shop Little Quilt Store. Firstly the appliqué templates have been traced onto appliqué paper, cut out exactly on the drawn line, and fused to the WS of the fabric. I've also traced the surface stitchery design for the bird cage, using a Micron Pigma pen, a light box and a very steady hand! If you're easily offended please don't read any further as I'm about to commit quilting blasphemy - I. Don't. Like. Piecing. Hexagons.
There. I've said it. Now strike me down!!! Although these hexagons were simple to prepare, and I loved fussy cutting them, but oh how I wish someone else could've pieced them together for me...

...despite my, reluctance with the hexies, the finished mini quilt looked super once it was appliqued into place, and I just love the cute bird in the birdcage. This is the final block for Stitched By Me, and the next step was to piece all 6 blocks together. Then I have to stitch 32 friendship star blocks together to make the borders, so I'm going to be rather busy in the evenings over the next couple of weeks!
If you want to order a kit, they are available here http://www.littlequiltstore.com.au/shop/product/stitched-me-kit/ and if you're taking part in the quilt-along, don't forget to use the button on the right and link back to me, and let me know that you're taking part as I'd love to see your pictures too. There is also a special Stitched By Me quilt-along group on Facebook that you can join too :)

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Stitched By Me - Block 5

11/2/2016

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It didn't take long to make a start on the next part of Stitched By Me by Lynette Anderson Designs. The friendship star blocks had already been made, so block 5 didn't take long to piece together. The stitchery design was traced using a Micron Pigma pen, a piece of weave line interfacing has been fused to the back of the whole block, and the appliqué was been prepped. This is Mrs F's top tip for tracing the stitchery design onto appliqué.. I've fused the applique paper template to the back of the fabric, and used a light box to trace the surface stitchery design, using a very fine Micron Pigma pen. I usually use a brown one, but had run out so used a black one instead. The design shows through the fabric and paper really well. Once the design is completely traced, I'll turn the edges over using a gluestick and those apliquick rods...

...once all the applique shapes had been glued and stitched into place, the remainder of the embroidery was completed with DMC threads. The wool felt flowers (wool felt was bought online from Eternal Maker) were appliqued using the fusible webbing method, and secured with blanket stitch, then embellished with small Suffolk Puffs. The raw wood buttons have just been laid onto the block so you can see what it look like when the quilt is completed, as these will only be stitched in place once the quilt is finally completed and quilted.
Kits for this project are available from Lynette's shop Little Quilt Shop over here -
http://www.littlequiltstore.com.au/shop/product/stitched-me-kit/

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Stitched By Me - Block 4

9/2/2016

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What a productive afternoon I had on Sunday! Block 4 of Stitched By Me (sewing brings joy) by Lynette Anderson Designs was pieced together, the stitchery design was been traced and the appliqué templates were traced onto appliqué paper, fused to the back of the fabric, and were ready for me to play with those aplique tools. Sunday evening was spent stitching the applique shapes into place, then I packed my sewing bag ready for Monday evening and sewing group tonight...

...I managed to get bias stems stitched into place (I used a few spots of Roxanne's basting glue to hold them in position rather than pins, and used a neutral coloured Bottomline thread for the applique stitches. The flowers are made from wool felt that I'd bought from Eternal Maker, and were made using a fusible webbing on the back, then stitched with blanket stitch DMC embroidery thread in a matching colour. Finally the flower centres are added - these are very small Suffolk Puffs, appliqued by hand and embellished with some embroidery stitches. The fabrics for this project are from Lynette's My Hearts At Home collection, and kits for this are available over on Lynette's website here http://www.littlequiltstore.com.au/shop/product/stitched-me-kit/.
If you want to join in with this quilt-along, please add the button on the side bar, and link back to my blog.

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United Stitched - US025 and US026

7/2/2016

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The next 2 stitchery designs of United Stitches, US25 and US26 have arrived! This gorgeous BOM is by Rosalie Dekker Designs, and was ordered online from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia. Each month a couple of these little stitchery designs arrives in the post, and I can't believe I've kept this going for the past year!...

...these blocks are quite small, just 4,5" finished, and they really don't take very long to stitch. The 4.5" template that came with the starter set is perfect for making sure the stitchery is centred within the block before it's trimmed to size...

...Once the stitchery designs have been trimmed to size they are ready to be stitched to the pieced blocks that I'd made a few months earlier. US25 of United Stitches has been added to row 7, and then rows 6 and 7 have been joined together. I've used Aurifil 50wt thread for the piecing, along with a Schmetz Microtex size 60 needle...

...this really is coming along nicely! This morning I've added rows 6 and 7 - only another 2 rows to go! This Chirpy Lola fabric is also by Rosalie Dekker Designs and was bought online as a FQ pack from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia. And now row 8 is coming together at long last!! US26 of United Stitches has been stitched in place too. This time last year I'd just made a start on US001- hopefully in 3 months time I will have finished all the stitchery designs and might even have the borders on!

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Stitched By Me - Block 3 Completed

4/2/2016

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Block 3 (my quilt shoppe) of Stitched By Me by Lynette Anderson Designs. This has been made using fabrics from Lynette's "My Hearts At Home" collection. The wooden "Quilt Shoppe" button will be stitched into place once all the blocks are completed and the finished project has been quilted. I simply love this cute quilt hanging on a pole, hand stitched with DMC threads...

...I used cream wool felt from The Eternal Maker for the bird perched on top of the roof, and pink wool felt for the flowers. These were both appliquéd in place with fusible webbing (steam-a-seam lite), and stitched with DMC thread. Suffolk Puffs were used to embellish the flowers. The remainder of the appliqué was made using fusible appliqué paper, a glue stick and apliquick rods. Hugo the labrador is holding a hand embroidered daisy chain. His collar and heart shaped tag are also hand embroidered...

...and here is the completed block. Are you joining in with this quilt-along? If you are, please use the button on the right to link back to my blog, and comment below so I can see your progress too :)
If you want to get a kit using these gorgeous fabrics, (the kits contain all the fabrics, patterns and wooden buttons too) they are available online from Lynette's shop Little Quilt Store in Australia, over here http://www.littlequiltstore.com.au/shop/product/stitched-me-kit/

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Aurifil Thread

2/2/2016

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My favourite machine sewing thread is Aufil - and as my thread supply was getting rather low, I did a bit of online shopping and bought this great collection of Aurifil 50wt from New Threads Quilt Shop. This box has 12 spools of 1300m of thread, in an assortment of neutral colours which are just perfect for machine piecing. And my Bernina loves Aurifil thread too!! I placed an order on Sunday evening, and this box of goodies arrived in the post this morning. That's brilliant customer service!

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Forward>>

Stitched By Me - Block 6

Stitched By Me - Block 5

Stitched By Me - Block 4

United Stitched - US025 and US026

Stitched By Me - Block 3 Completed

Aurifil Thread

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