Having way too much fun!

    Last night I read through my new book, a  get well gift from Lara at BuzzinBumble...... isn't she a sweetie!
I had commented I was putting her book on my Christmas list, and she offered to send me a copy for my recovery.  Happy dancing here.

   So I did an intense read and decided to begin today on my focus banner for 2017.  Nothing like the present to set a future course.
   The book is a great read, and I love the extra tips that Lara includes.  Her directions are clear and easy to understand.  It is not a complicated technique, it just takes a little planning and prepping.   So if you haven't gotten a copy.....put it on your Christmas list.  There's time:)




     Along the way, as I prepared my fabric for the words I want to use, I discovered a new use for campaign yard signs.   I slipped one inside a trash bag for my prepping.  And that is all I will say about it for now.

  It was time to begin work on the letter patterns for the applique.  Next, I pulled out my orphan block box.  I found a couple of blocks I loved that I could incorporate into the banner.  And then the improv/free piecing of the background.  I have a large zip lock bag of neutral strips, and pieces that come in handy for creating  mixed backgrounds.
 

 
   I had a rough sketch  as a guide to what I wanted.  I knew that I wanted an off set layout, and that a bit of color in some orphan blocks would be a good thing.  At this point, I need to square up the bottom and check to be sure I have enough room for the letters.

   You can get an idea of the type of piecing I am using....strips, chunks, a few 4 patch units, and a couple of blocks.  It is a matter of finding things that fit, and pressing well.  Square up the sides as you go:)

   
        And the first letter is a "B".    I am using a lot of batik scraps for the words.

  I did a search for alphabets for applique.  I found a couple that I decided to work from because the size was about right.  I traced over the block style letters I needed, adding a little curve and personality to them.    I added an extra strip across the bottom on the final size to be sure I had enough length.  

    I did a small bit of cutting with the rotary cutter---no problem.  The pressing is worse on the hand, so I pulled out the lighter travel iron to use.  Much better.  
   I got the lab results for my B12 level.....even with the monthly shots, it is too low for my nerves to heal and maintain my body.  I see the doctor on Friday to discuss  a different shot schedule.  I seem to do well for a couple of weeks after the shot, but feel my  energy level drop by the third week.
  I'm done for today.....happy stitching.

A Welcome detour

  I am up to 30 of the string blocks.   Along the way---between colored blocks---I used white, beige, and cream strings  to cover  some smaller pieces of the foundation.   I figured they would be a good background for a small piece.   Then my package arrived from Connecting Threads with the wire stand table top display! Time for a detour......

    I decided on a pineapple for the applique.  I know this doesn't look like much, but it is how I began.  Using the gold, to orange and some brown strings, I did a wonky style braid.  I began with a small almost square piece at the top and added a string to one side and then to the other----until I had a large enough hunk of wonkiness to work with.

Pineapple fused onto string background 

   I had a pattern from a magazine article---it looked more like an egg to me--- that I used for the pineapple.  This I  traced onto fusible interfacing.  This technique is one that Eleanor Burns uses----
    Draw pattern onto the smooth (non-fusible side) of the interfacing.   Place fusible (bumpy side) side down on the right side of fabric and pin together.  Stitch on the drawn line of the fusible...all the way around.  Trim the excess fabric and interfacing away--close to the seam line.  Then slit the interfacing in the center and turn fabric right side out.  Use a dull or round end of chop stick ( or other "poker")  to smooth the seam line edge.  Be careful not to poke through the interfacing.  I do a lot of "finger pressing" here to make it work.  Once it is flattened / smooth / shaped, then the applique can be fused onto the background for stitching.

 Fused  leaves added

   I like this technique for larger applique pieces, or when I want the applique to appear raised and not flat.  I chose to use it here because of all the bias edges created by the braid technique.   A buttonhole stitch was used around all the applique.   For the top knot of leaves, I just fused them in the normal way and then stitched them too.












  Finished size was a consideration....so only 2 sides got a border.  The pineapple was not perfectly centered, so I just used that as a reason for the 2 sided border.

  No swirls!  I quilted teardrops  for the background.   I like the feathered effect they create.    In the border I did parallel straight lines.










  I added a narrow tube sleeve at the top and Welcome is done.
    Finished size is 12 1/2 inches by 14 inches.



  Our local guild has a quilt show this weekend....so today  I am baking some pumpkin bread for the hostess break room.  Then maybe a few more string blocks....happy stitching.

Favorites at the quilt show....photo heavy

Notice:   I had written this post for today on Friday night.  Saturday we went to Charlotte to help Deana do some yard work.  I managed to step into a hole ,caught my foot, and did a header.  Result is a broken nose, and a broken humerus--left arm bone--at the shoulder.  We are home now and managed to get thru the night ok.  Thankful that it was not worse, but Sir Old Man has his hands full for 6 weeks, as I can do almost nothing by myself.  
  Please understand if I am slow at getting to emails to reply.  I will be following your blogs.....likely few posts of my own for now.  One hand makes for slow going.  

I had great plans to be really good and not spend too much at the vendors at the local quilt show.  I am sure you know the feeling.  We all have our weaknesses.
   But first just a few quilts that  gave me some inspiration. When I go to a quilt show, I look for color, design, or technique elements that  evoke a feeling or just plain make me stop.   There were wonderful traditional quilts, but these are the ones that gave me inspiration.

 
This one was a zinger!  The colors were so bright and cheerful, and lots of small details to delight the eye.
And the quilting was full of feathers and swirls.  I loved it.

Here's the detail shot of the technique.....raw edge applique!  Layer upon layer stitched down, much like the technique used in the French Roses quilt.  

Of course this caught my eye....color and movement in this one and a story.  The flowers represent the flowers the quilter transplanted to her new garden here from Mississippi.  I really like the pieced background she used.    Since I have a love of day lilies, I looked a little closer.

The flowers are stitched by machine with a tight satin stitch that gives a raised appearance to the edge. Very nicely done. 

Striking and graphic background done in batiks in this one.  I liked the shimmering effect  of the color arrangement.    I have a stack of fabrics that I have been saving/hording/holding on to for a while waiting for an idea to find me. This one just may be it.

This small landscape was glorious.  A very beautiful sunrise over the mountains.  So how did she achieve that effect?

Lots of strips and lots of values blended together.  This detail shot shows how the reflection of the sun on the water was created with raw edge (again!) appliqued shapes.  It was also densely quilted with wavy lines.

Another landscape---but this is heavily thread painted.  I was over the top studying it!

This is just one of the detail shots I took.  I felt like I could just walk right into the woods.  Oh, boy......I may need to spend just a bit more than planned at the vendors.

This just took me by surprise.  Jean is one of my very favorite people and I was blown away with this wall hanging.  She grows  700 or so named iris, and some historical ones, too.  She did a beautiful job at color selection.  I so love the off set layout.  

So exactly how bad was I?  Pretty bad....considering I only had needles and thread on my planned list to purchase. Ha!!!  Batiks....3 yards...."But, honey, they were on show special."  And 3 books....applique and thread painting.   "But the applique book was used and has great ideas in it."
   I sense a change is coming in what I have been doing.  You can count on a whole lot more thread painting and applique.    I have been inspired.
Happy stitching.  

Do you use Leftovers?

I am not a fan of "leftovers for dinner", any more than I like leftover blocks from a quilt.  They only take up space and rarely get used.  At least, by me, they rarely get used. 

   I was sorting the piles on the work table and putting away the batiks.  Yikes, guess what I found.  More cobblestone blocks.  Hard to believe I had discarded these when putting together  Cobblestone Lane, but I did.   So, I decided to re-purpose them into a background piece for some applique. 

Not all the sizes matched, so I   had to do some sacrificial cutting to make things fit into rows.  I also needed to add a few filler strips to have the rows the same size.

I am auditioning a few different fabrics for the first border.  I am going for a blended look...so lighter at the top and  darkening down the sizes to the bottom.  I'm not satisfied with the right side at all....so more work to be done there.    I'll leave it on the design wall to ponder on while I get the applique ready to add.    

  And what to do with strings?   I found a good many of those too.  With the price of fabric going up, I couldn't throw them away.   Some are straight, most are crooked on one side, a few are only an inch wide......I decided to sew them together...no matter what.  I have a plan for them....and no, not a journal project, or an art quilt.  This will be a useful item, I hope, when finished. 

Insight:  Fabric is expensive.  Leftover blocks and strings = $.  Find a reason or way to use them.   Somehow... that means I saved money!

Happy stitching.