Chickadee Workshop with David Taylor

 I attended the first in-person workshop yesterday since this Pandemic started.  It was great fun to spend a day with quilting friends and learn some new techniques. The workshop instructor was David Taylor. 

Three techniques that will especially impact my future applique were:

1. How and when to use a lining behind the applique pieces to keep a shadow of the fabric from showing through, as well as what fabric to use for the lining.

2. When David applique curves, he only turns the fabric under on convex curves.  For concave curves, he does not turn the fabric under, but rather fits the adjoining applique piece such that the adjoining convex curve overlaps the convave curve.  Hard to put this into words, and can be a little complicated doing it as well, but was an interesting technique to learn.

3. How to use a finger stilletto.

    I finished up my little 12" square Chickadee block this morning. Sweet little Chickadees are among of my favorite wild birds, right up there with blue birds.  Not sure yet what it will become, but I am considering a pillow, and maybe more "bird" theme pillows to put out in the spring.

Gentle Gems Block of the Month update

 An update of my progress on the Val Laird, Block of the Month - Gentle Gems.  These are so fun to make!

September blocks

 

Blocks January - September

English Paper Pieced blocks

 I have been doing a lot of English Paper Piecing lately, working on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt and some additional blocks to use in the border of this quilt.   My plans are to make a series of 7" EPP blocks to put all around the border of the quilt.  To date I have 3 rows of the GFG sew together, and additional 1 1/2 rows of completed blocks for Row 4 and Row 5.  I have made 5 blocks to go around the borders.

Daisy block- Sharon Burgess block

Geranium Delight; I first saw this one on Samilia's Mom blog.  I elected not to include an outer round of pieces.

May Blossom - Elise Baek pattern

Tenderness - Sharon Burgess pattern

Round We Go - Sue Daley pattern

Mosaic Tile Quilting

 I recently became interested in Mosaic Tile Quilting and found a book on Thriftbooks called Tile Quilt Revival. I believe I saw a reference to this book on Barbara Brackman's blog.  I also did some researching for YouTubes showing how to do the technique, and nearly all  involved fusible applique, which I am not interested in.  I did find one site that was all sewn by machine and I did not like that either. 

The Tile Quilt Revival book shows how to do the technique with needle turn applique and gave excellent pictures and instructions on the technique.  I am somewhat comfortable with needle turn applique so was anxious to try.

One particular difference in this technique is to only fold under 1/8" seam allowance, I usually try to allow at least 1/4".  I wasn't sure I would like this, but I am game to try anything.  After a few efforts, I found that I really like the 1/8" seam allowance.  This is the piece I chose to work on, and I had already appliqued the blue bird, but you can see how close the pieces are.  The way you cut out the pattern, they should fit exactly together like a puzzle, you baste in place and then applique with the 1/8" fold under.  This will reveal a 1/4inch "grout" once all the pieces are appliqued.  Obviously I did not cut my pieces exactly right, but not too bad for a first attempt.

I would have preferred a white fabric for the "grout" but because I used light fabrics for the block backgrounds, they did not show up well on the white base fabric.  So here is my finished block:

Obviously I have a ways to go, but I enjoyed the process and will do better on the next block.  I am making the table runner below:

Spikes and Specks

 Yesterday I finished a quilt top called Spikes and Specks.  This is a Katrina Hadjimichael pattern, one of my favorite Australian designers.  The quilt will be a gift to my special niece Cindy.  I had shown her the pattern and asked if she would like a quilt made with this pattern, and I let her choose the type of colors she would like in the quilt.  She sent me color swatches that she liked and I matched those colors in the backgrounds of the blocks.    I took the quilt to my dear friend, Donna, who will quilt it for me on her Handi Quilter long-arm quilter.   Here's the quilt top and next picture will be a completed quilt :)

The fabrics are all batiks.  I used two different hombre batiks and these were used in piecing the rings.  The  leaves are all the different batiks used, both for the backgrounds, center circle and pieced rings.

August blocks

 I did get my August blocks of the month blocks completed.  Cutting it close on the Gentle Gems by Val Laird but was determined to have them done before the end of the month.  

Gail Pan - Bring Me Flowers:  One of her August blocks had a very cute Bumble Bee, but I am just not a big fan of any kind of bee - so I did a hummingbird instead.  Its fun when you can take a block of the month and choose your own fabrics and in cases designs to use.  

Val Laird's Gentle Gems: Ok so one of the blocks is sideways.  But I had already put them away before I saw this oooops - so just have to tilt your head a little to see the bike :)   This pattern used bullion stitch which I love to do, but do find it awkward.  I am considering getting a hoop on a stand to do some of these stitches that are challenging. I did message Val Laird (and she replied promptly) asking if she used a hand held hoop, hoop on a stand or no hoop when she embroiders.  I was surprised she said she does not use a hoop.  Hmmmmm...maybe I need to try this again.  I find it hard to get my stitches the right tension and consistent this way, but then practice would probably help.

Ooooops

Got up early this morning to complete a row on my Grandmother's Flower Garden.  Got it done and laid it out on the floor to admire my progress.  Ooooops - maybe I should have waited until I had more coffee!

 So got out the ripper, moved the block and fixed that - sigh - took about 45 minutes out of my morning.

Have to admit, not the first time I have done this oops on this project :(