A few weeks ago, another Poppy Patch Posse project arrived in the post from Poppy Patch. I'd chosen a sweet kit called At Home in the Garden, which is designed by the Australian designer Natalie Bird of The Birdhouse Patchwork Designs. This small wall hanging is made with a combination of hand embroidery and English Paper Piecing. As well as a traceable stitchery design, the pattern also includes a pre-printed panel which I've hand embroidered with a selection of Cosmo embroidery threads. Simple stitches are used, including back stitch, lazy daisy stitch, running stitch, satin stitch and a few French knots - although I've used colonial knots as I find them easier. Pre-cut 5/8" hexie templates were included in the kit. Once these templates were covered with fabric they were stitched together using a fine thread - my favourite is Aurifil 80wt in a mid grey shade...
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...two completed hexie flowers were hand appliqued onto a square of background fabric, again using Aurifil 80wt thread. These blocks were machine stitched to each end of the stichery panel and both inner and outer borders were added. Two fabric tabs were added to the top of the completed front. The front of the wallhanging was layered with a thin piece of fusible waddng. The backing fabric was added on top, right sides together, and was stitched all the way around, leaving a small gap for turning through to the right side. The opening was closed by hand (I prefer ladder stitch for this) then it was pressed ready for quilting. I chose a selection of threads from Aurifil Superior Threads and Mettler for machine quilting this sweet wallhanging, in colours to match the fabrics. I machine quilted this very simply around the embroidered panel, around the hexie flowers, and between the inner and outer borders. Finally I edge stitched all around the outside of the wallhanging...
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......this decorative quilt hanger by Ackfeld Design, purchased from Coast and Country Crafts and Quilts was perfect for this garden-themed project. A slim dowel slips through the two fabric tabs at the top of the wallhanging and fits onto the front of the wire hanger. I really like to finish my hand embroidered projects with a final flourish - a sweet little hand embroidered label, with my name and the date. I simply doodled a few ideas onto a piece of paper which I then traced onto fabric and hand embroidered. These colonial knots are perfect for a fuzzy buzzy bee in the centre of the label, which was hand appliqued to the back of the wallhanging...
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...obviously the perfect place for a photoshoot was in my garden! This really was a super project to make and as always the ladies at Poppy Patch have put together a lovely kit. If you'd like to make one of these too, kits and patterns are available on the Poppy Patch website.
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