A Bit of Handwork

 

BTCT Block # 24

 I did not get as much handwork done when I was in Australia as I had hoped. I had taken 6 blocks to work on. I completed 1 and worked on 2 others. I worked on this Beyond the Cherry Trees block on the plane from Adelaide and then during my layover in the Hong Kong airport, I was able to lay out the pink centers and get some more work done. I only dropped 1 pin. I had threaded several  needles and knotted the threads before leaving. Then I forgot to check my nice sharp little scissors so had to give them up at the security desk. Interesting that I took the same scissors on a flight to the USA last year without problem. Good thing that I have several extra pairs.

AWS Block # 1

I have gotten this far on the Antique Wedding Sampler Block #1. I joined the Homestead Heath BOM. I am told that it is the hardest one. That is probably why they sent a very generous amount of fabric for this first block . . . in case I had to redo it a couple of times. So far, I only redid one of the brown star points after cutting off the inside point of the pink thing I appliqued in the center. Now I am trying to figure out how to get it to lay straight and smooth on the background. I know I have a lot of pins in it holding it in place. But I think I have to get that center circle round first. It will be reversed appliqued once I have it right. Somehow, seeing the photograph helps get a perspective on it that I cannot see with it in front of me. I hand pieced it. Feeling quite pleased with myself at this point. This block will finish at 12 inches. It is the first of 25. No hurry. But the  next 4 block kits were on my desk when I got home last night.

Happy to Be Home Blessings,
Chris

Antique Wedding Sampler

I am in Australia for 2 more days before taking the 30 hour trip back home to Canada where I hear they had snow again a few days ago. Last week I met Di Ford the designer of the Antique Wedding Sampler Quilt that is one of many in her book Primarily Patchwork.

I joined the Homestead Hearth Antique Wedding Sampler Block of the Month and this is the first block. I am told it is the most difficult one. If I get this one completed then the rest should be easier. We shall see.

AWS Block # 1

I have done very little hand piecing in the past. My hands just do not like it. However, it appears that if I am to do justice to this quilt, then hand piecing I will be doing. I made a silly error with the inside applique point in the first star when I cut off the bottom point. Oops. So I will have to wait until I get home to get some more fabric and redo it so I can complete the ring. I have no idea at this stage how I will press the thing before appliqueing it to the background fabric.

Down Under Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ Blocks

These are a few of my recent completions

I still have 7-8 to complete.

Blessings,
Chris

My Great Down Under Adventure Part 1

It is hard to believe that I have been in Australia for a whole week. I went to the AQC on Friday and would you believe I forgot to pull out my camera and take pictures!! I had my camera with me. I got to meet my blogging friend  Carole  and we had  dinner the Thurs night with six other quilters and no less than 4 of them are dairy farmers. I just cannot get away from cows. I took a make and take workshop in Paper Piecing. Not to confuse it with foundation piecing like I am used to doing. It was in English Paper Piecing with hexie papers. Will I get hooked? Not sure at this point. But one of those dairy farmers,  Linda White , gave me a copy of her book Eleanor Jean. This quilt has no less than 22 thousand 5 hundred quarter inch fussy cut, hand stitched, hand quilted EPP hexagons and was awarded the Australia National Quilt Award 2014 by Bernina.  I just might consider it.

I got to meet some quilt icons like Jinny Beyer and Di Ford.
I did make it to Castlemaine and was warmly greeted by Sammy with a kiss. Cheeky fella. Does he do that to all the girls that visit Threadbear Patchwork?

I did not receive quite as warm a welcome from Bella the 22 month old baby Koala at the Gorge Wildlife Park in Adelaide.

I had 2 farm stays on Guernsey farms and the quilter in me sees potential patterns everywhere. This is a ceiling mold on one of the 12 foot ceilings in the century farm house. 

And this is another. Can you just picture those hearts surrounding a center medallion?

Far far away blessings,
Chris

More Hand Applique

For Slow Stitching Sunday I am showing my progress on this BTCT block # 24. Several months ago, I started by placing the leaves. I like how they are relaxed and not really centered formally. I drew in the stem lines with a blue disappearing pen and stitched them in 2 weeks ago.

Last week I cut out the yellow flowers using freezer paper. I drew the whole flower on and marked where the petals meet the stem. Then I cut out each flower with a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance. I will clip the inny curves of the petals when I start stitching each one.

 Then, I cut out the middle sections of freezer paper and ironed them onto the right side of the pink and then cut them out with a scant seam allowance. Those chopped off ends will help line the petals up.

 The yellow flower backs are in position. I did NOT draw on the flower shape. That is all determined by how much I actually turn under when I needle turn it. I stopped drawing the shape onto the leaves a long time ago.  The plan is to do a reverse applique circle in the center of each. And there will be a double circle in the very center.

I had to double check the original to see if that pink flower top really was so off-set and it was. This is one of the applique blocks I will be taking with me to Australia when I leave late tomorrow night, unless I forget all the things on my to-do list and just keep stitching.

Relaxed Blessings,
Chris

Getting Ready for My Trip to Australia

I am starting to pack my bags for my first ever trip Down Under. I am trying to not get too too excited because I still have lots to get done before I fly out early Tues morning.
We have a work crew here at the Farm for 2 days trimming cows feet before they go out onto the pastures. The cows, not the workers. That means 4 extra mouths to feed. The workers not the cows.
And the accountant is coming to do the taxes next week, but I will  not be here!! My daughter-in-law is my bookkeeper and she is taking care of it. Three year old Elly is coming to the Farm for the weekend so mom and dad can do some painting. Elly might help me pack or not.
The weather forecast keeps promising 18C and sun but we are still at plus 2C and rain. Rain is good in the spring. Something about April showers. Anyway, the rains warm up the ground and melt the frost in the ground, which by the way, was 2-3 feet deep this winter. 

I promised  Carole that I would bring along my Antique Wedding Sampler (AWS) block # 1 with me to work on. Well, here it is so far.

I signed up for the Block of the Month from Homestead Hearth. The next bundle of kits will probably arrive when I am away. I might have to do some explaining to my husband when he picks up the mail. I still have 4 days so maybe, just maybe, I can get the pieces cut out ready so I can learn to do some hand piecing. I wonder if I can find someone at the The Australasian Quilt Convention & Expo next week to show me? Now I have something to look for. Glad I thought of it.

Pieceful Blessings,
Chris

Machine Applique Experience

I attended the annual meeting of the Canadian Guernsey Breeders yesterday and had to have some hand work to work on. So, I finally cut out the 100 plus corner buds and leaves for the Ben Biggs BOM. Good thing I took along 2 different pair of scissors.  I  used the larger pair to cut out the buds with their smooth lines. I used the smaller ones to cut the fussy leaves. I noticed more than a few pair of farmer's eyes watching my hands. Too bad I did not bring along several extra pairs of scissors and ask for help. I had a dent in my right thumb by the time I was done.

Corner buds fuseable

A year ago, I photocopies several pages of buds and leaves onto wash-away fuseable. I had planned to blitz this step and get ahead on the corner buds. I stacked 4 sheets together and pinned some and stapled others. There are 4 corner buds in each block for a total of 100. And, there are more in the border, about 40 and now I see that a couple of the blocks have this same motif in them. I hope I have enough prepped.

master copy

I decide to do this BOM by machine applique using the wash-away fuseable. I initially thought I could do a raw edge machine applique, but the first block was a disaster so started over and am doing a turned under edge. Needless to say, this is taking some a lot more time than I had planned on. I could not make up my mind just what colour to do those buds. Will they all be the same colour? Will they be scrappy? I do not do scrappy very well. I like order and symmetry which is why I like sampler quilts so much. There will be buds since, in my mind, this is what makes the Ben Biggs wedding quilt so special.
 

prepping the leaves

This week I finally got block # 11 prepped and ready for machine applique. I had initially used a different red with a blue print floral print but this is one of only 2 blocks that has yellow so I changed it.

Ben Biggs #11

Also, I got started on the Bed of Blue Roses. I quickly considered all the UFOs in my quilt cupboard, so neatly organized in labeled boxes and decided that I would complete this one for a wedding later this summer. Did I just write the word "summer"? Spring has finally arrived with warmer weather and rain and purple crocuses.

Lancaster Rose

As I was sorting through the box,  found that I had 4 blocks already glued under. I still have to adjust some of the elements. I am using 4 blues and 4 greens on a very crisp tone in tone white background with a nap. I can be ingenious with my impulsiveness. It will be interesting how I do the final block arrangement with this in mind.
 

Democrat Rose

The pattern is Rosemary Makhan's Rose Sampler Supreme. The first time I saw this pattern was at a quilt show more than 21 years ago. I bought it while it was still in the full layout on newsprint sheets before it was published in book form. This has made it more convenient for lay out. I started one in pinks. The plan was to do each block in different pinks and greens. Did I say I don't do scrappy very well? I was just learning how to do machine applique. Why oh why, did instructors back then insist that the "proper" way to do machine applique was with monofilament thread on top and lingerie thread in the bobbin?? That is one of the things that has slowed me down. It just was not working in my Bernina machine. 
 

Tudor Rose

I had started this quilt 6 years ago thinking I could easily do a block a day and get it done in 20 days plus the double swag border. Huh. I decided to blitz the preparations and made clear over-lays for each of the blocks. Don't really like doing applique that way now that I have given it a try. I cut out all the freezer paper shapes and ironed them onto the back of the fabric AND cut out all the fabric shapes. The memory of this reminds me why I invested in the GO applique dies.
Anyway, school and life got in the way and I started Dear Jane and now fast forward 6 years and here I am.

Wild Rose

It looks like I even tried some fussy cutting thinking it might almost look like broderie perse. I have learned a lot in the past few years. I still have to place those small leaves correctly. I am now considering what stitches I will use. I have some Bottom Line thread in light and dark blue. 

Indiana Rose

So this is what I am thinking about my applique experience. I started doing applique with freezer paper on the back with edges glues under. I stitched it by hand, pushing the needle through with a thimble. This did not make my arthritic hands happy. Machine applique was complicated the way I was taught. I learned needle turned hand applique a few years ago in a Baltimore class with Kathy Dunigan, but did not progress very far on that project.  I will revisit it when life slows down a bit. It is when I started the CCCQ and made the switch to needle turn, that I have finally got it. What I love about the BTCT quilt is that the placement of the leaves and flowers is so relaxed and forgiving. The Rose Sampler blocks above are all set in perfectly and symmetrically and all the flowers and leaves have to be exactly the same all around. I am so glad I have learned to relax. And I cannot believe how much applique I have accomplished in the past 18 months.

Easter Blessings,
Chris