Blog Archives

Simply Blessed - Blocks 1-9

28/6/2015

This shows all the blocks that make up "Simply Blessed" designed by Rosalie Quinlan. I bought this as a BOM online from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia, and chose the Tilda option. The first block arrived back in October 2014 and I never believed that it could look so beautiful. Each month another one arrived, and included the screen printed linen, the Tilda fabrics and skeins of Cosmo Seasons variegated thread shade 8049. This has been hand embroidered, and the Cosmo thread supplied compliments the colours of the Tilda fabric beautifully. The satin stitch areas were stitched with a pale aqua and pale brown DMC threads from my thread box as I didn't really like the "stripey" effect of the variegated thread, but loved the way it looks across the rest of the stitching. The hand applique was completed with applique paper and a glue stick and apliquick rods. The borders were then machined to the main block. If you click on each picture it will enlarge it and you can see more details.

Block 1 - Nature

Block 2 - Home

Block 3 - Life

Block 4 - Creatures

Block 5 - Family

Block 6 - Caravan

Block 7 - Friendship

Block 8 - Enough

Block 9 - Stitching

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Down In The Garden - Blocks 1-9

27/6/2015

7 Comments

I've shared several pictures of this quilt, but hadn't shared any close-ups of the beautiful custom quilting that Janette at J-Quilts did. I've always had edge-to-edge quilting on my larger quilts (always quilted by Janette on her longarm machine) but this was the first time I'd had one of my quilts custom quilted. She certainly worked her magic, and I was absolutely thrilled with the finished results.

Block 1...

Block 2...

Block 3...

Block 4...

Block 7...

Block 8...

Block 6...

Block 9...

7 Comments

Happy Mrs F

27/6/2015

1 Comment

There's been great excitement at Foreman Towers, as I didn't think I'd be able to go to the Festival Of Quilts this year, then whoop whoop look what arrived in the post a couple of days ago! Cinderella SHALL go to the ball! I'm off to the Festival of Quilts after all on Saturday 8th August, so I'm busy saving my pennies for some essential shopping when I'm there. Will I see you there?

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Valdani Threads - Month 6

26/6/2015

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Month 6 of The Thread Club by Lynette Anderson Designs has arrived all the way from Australia, and this month's collection of Valdani threads is very very pretty. These threads are hand dyed, and the subtle changes in colour are gorgeous. This is a great way to try beautiful hand embroidery threads, and to build a wonderful collection. Along with these threads, I received 10 personalised wooden spools to keep them on!

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Simply Blessed - Block 9 "Stitching"

26/6/2015

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Look what arrived last week! Block 9 of "Simply Blessed" by Rosalie Quinlan Designs. This BOM includes the screen printed linen, beautiful Tilda fabric for the appliqué layers and 2 skeins of Cosmo Seasons variegated thread shade 8049. The border fabric was also included in the final part. This BOM was bought from Under The Mulberry Tree in Australia. I always use a wooden embroidery hoop for my stitchery - a piece of weaveline was fused to the back of the linen, and I was ready to start stitching. I used a pale aqua DMC thread for the stain stitch hearts, as I preferred the satin stitch in just one colour. The variegated thread looks beautiful over the rest of the block...

...the final block of "Simply Blessed" has a space to add your name and the year. Using the alphabet provided in the pattern, I traced my name onto a plain piece of paper with a normal pencil, nothing fancy, and then using my light box and a brown coloured Micron Pigma pen, I traced it onto the linen. 2 strands of embroidery thread will cover this. Once the stitchery was completed, the next step will be to do the appliqué with those beautiful Tilda fabrics...

...I made a start on the applique on Monday evening at the sewing group I've recently joined. It's much easier having a hand sewing project as it's easier to chat to the other ladies! Once the edges of the fabric had been turned over with the help of a glue stick and my apliquick rods, a few dabs of Roxanne's basting glue held it into place while the edges were sewn into place by hand. This pot of basting glue was bought several years ago when I did a couple of workshops with Lynette Anderson at my local quilt shop Quilters Haven and it's finally all used up! Yesterday evening I spent a couple more hours stitching...

...and the final layer was in place and block 9 is complete! Next step is stitching the 9 blocks together and then piecing the border - 3 guesses what I've got planned to stitch at the weekend!

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Spåblomst

20/6/2015

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This is my latest project, using another table runner pattern "Spåblomst" by the Norwegian designer AnnAKa. I've been using up some fabric that I'd had in my fabric collection for absolutely ages, "Sanctuary" by 3 Sisters for Moda. I'd already completed the stitchery designs a few weeks ago, and packed it away as I was busy with other projects. I joined a sewing group recently, and on my first visit I managed to get a few squares pieced together. I also had time to pin the remaining squares together, and the following afternoon I was able to stitch the rest of the squares together....

...I also managed to sew the borders are on, and complete the remaining stitchery too. I used DMC embroidery thread shade 601 for the running stitch. The runner was quilted very simply in a cross-hatch design across all the small squares (avoiding the stitchery ones) and then stitch-in-the-ditch around the small stitchery squares and the larger daisy blocks. I used a King Tut variegated pink quilting thread shade 956 and a Schmetz Topstitch needle size 70. I always lengthen my stitch to approx 3mm for machine quilting...

...this afternoon I managed to finish the binding on this runner and add one of my labels. Once the binding was on, I added some Suffolk Puffs as decoration. I used some scraps of left-over fabric from the runner for these, and used a Clover Yo-yo maker...

...and here is the finished table runner. This is a gift for a family member, so needs to be parcelled up and posted off overseas. I hope they like it!

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Another Waverley Cushion

7/6/2015

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Well I've been very busy, and the remaining scraps of "Sanctuary" by 3 Sisters for Moda have been put to good use! I'm using the "Waverley Bag" pattern by Leanne Beasley (although this project will be a cushion rather than a bag!). Stitchery designs were traced with the use of my light box and a Micron Pigma pen. Weaveline was fused into place on the back of the stitchery squares and all I needed to do then was to put the kettle on for a cuppa and choose some embroidery threads! The stitchery didn't take very long, and I spent a few evenings watching TV getting this part done...

...next was the applique. I traced the applique designs onto some fusible applique paper, fused it to the wrong side of the fabric, and cut out the shapes leaving a scant 1/4" margin all around. The glue-stick and paper method of applique really suits me, and the shapes can then be glued onto the background fabric to hold them in place temporarily instead of using pins. The applique shapes can then be stitched down, and I used a neutral coloured YLI silk thread for the applique and a Clover Black Gold applique needle. The front of the cushion was then spray basted (with 505 spray) and was ready for quilting! I don't usually use polyester wadding for my projects (apart from pellon, a felted polyester that I use for bags and table runners) but I found a small square of this in my box of wadding pieces and it was the perfect size!...

...this was quilted very simply with stitch-in-the-ditch around the 9 mini blocks, stitch-in-the-ditch around the inner squares and finally quilted around the appliquéd heart and the appliquéd daisies. I've used a pale pink King Tut variegated thread shade 956 and a Schmetz Topstitch needle size 70. Inspired by Leanne's style of quilt labels, I decided to add a "label" on the cushion backing. I used the same pink DMC embroidery thread, shade 601, that I'd also used for the stitchery on the front of the cushion...

...the back of the cushion was made with 2 different fabrics from the "Sanctuary" collection, and I inserted a zipper under the flap of the yellow print. Single fold binding, which was machined to the front of the cushion, was then folded over and hand stitched to the back of the cushion...

...and here's the finished cushion. This was a really nice project to stitch - it combined some of my favourite techniques - applique and stitchery - and it was quicker than making a quilt! I'm putting this one away as it will be a gift. Maybe i need to make one for myself!

3 Comments

Simply Blessed - Blocks 1-9

Down In The Garden - Blocks 1-9

Happy Mrs F

Valdani Threads - Month 6

Simply Blessed - Block 9 "Stitching"

Spåblomst

Another Waverley Cushion

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