Baby blankets....???

Hello Fabulous ladies.
Happy New Year!

I squared up the sis boom blocks today, and as I was doing so was thinking about
how they will go together... I divided them up into piles of 6
and am thinking about making 8 baby quilts instead of 2 big quilts..

I have yardage of a pink fabric and of a blue fabric from Jennifer,
and think that would be a nice way to finish them off.


Then we can donate them to Project Linus or which ever charity that will accept them,
that we would like....

How does that sound?

Let me know your favorite charity groups for kids quilts, then we can vote on it...

Happy New Year!

JP makes for cute quilts

The first I had heard of Jennifer Paganelli was in September. I went to visit Victoria in New York (to sew together) and she had this box of fabrics that this designer had sent her. She asked me if I would like to make a couple of blocks for these two quilts she was putting together. Of course I said yes. (I was staying at her house, was I going to say no?) I zipped two blocks together and fell in love with these fabrics.





A month later, I had to make two baby quilts (for girls) before the first of the year. Well, what else was I going make them with? And of course, they turned out darlin.




And then guess what I did with the left over scraps.

all of them!

Hi all! So i do have all the blocks now! if only I had a design wall to stick them up on!

After Christmas I will sort them and get working on putting them all together.

I thank all of you for your lovely work!

Now do you all wanna come to NY and help me put them together?

ha! wishful thinking... *smiles!*

Being new to applique myself, I have to say, I learned a lot from each of the blocks in came in.

So. Stay tuned. There will be a bit of a break before I can get to to putting these together.

So for now, I want to wish everyone , Happy Holidays!

And THANK YOU ALL for your lovely generosity and creativity!

And helping me with this most recent Donation Quilt.

I know how busy we all get this month, and my wish for you all, is that you get to savor each precious moment... Because it all goes so fast...

ENJOY!

********

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I did my blocks for Sis Boom Pow Block Gather - but I just haven't posted them yet.  I thought I would finally get them posted - if anyone is still interested!

I really enjoyed making these!  The fabric is so fun.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do this, V!  I can hardly wait to see this quilt finished.

Almost done!

I've recvd almost all the blocks.
A few are not signed and I did not remember at the time to look at the envelope
so i don't know who to remind. I think they might be in the mail..
or if you don't see your blocks in the photos, let me know that they were sent.

Great job Everyone!!!!

A Finished Little Bee

Just wanted to share the finished little bee on my second block for V!

Three Billy Goats Gruff

Inspiration shouldn't come from the bathroom when it comes to quilting, but it did. We've been having some bathroom battles with our three year old and we've taken to reading to her while we all wait for her to go.  Her favourite book for this is an edition of Three Billy Goats Gruff that was my Hubby's when he was a kid.  

As soon as I got my package from Victoria I thought of the book.  The colours of the fabric were bright and rich, just like those in the illustrations.  So I took the flowers that are on nearly every page of the book and recreated them with the fabric.  It's all fusible applique with a contrasting outline stitch to echo the notion of illustration.

Now, aren't you glad I didn't say I was inspired by poop?

Fiesta Flowers!

So I'm finally getting these done! Aaagh!

Here is the ironed together first block :) It will be raw edge appliqued.

The theme was Fiesta and my favorite thing about a fiesta would have to be the colorful skirts and flowers that are worn, so, I took that idea and ran!

I layered my flower with color in the center but then I decided to mix 'em up a bit just for fun!

My second block will be a bit different but still fun! I'll post as they come along!

I also had some issues with shrinking of the backing but went ahead and just tried to give enough edge space to trim and sew :)

I'm loving all the blocks and can't wait to see them all together, but I guess that means I better stop talking and start sewing!

Almost... finished...

One block down... Inspired by this Flickr photo...


One to go! Just a few more stitches to add tonight... it just needed a little something more buzzing around...

I ended up caving under pressure (deadlines, eeeek!) and falling back on raw edge, fused and machine stitch applique, which isn't new to me although I haven't done a lot of it either. However, this experiment did inspire me to broaden my applique skills in the needleturn department. I'm looking for a local class or considering the Piece O Cake book for that... so thank you V! I will be mailing these to you by the end of the week!

Finally!

I finally managed to get my blocks done. I was beginning to wonder if I'd make the deadline! I didn't even choose anything that hard . . .

I made both of mine alike . . . I guess my imagination is a bit stalled (too much head congestion). It's a Robyn Pandolph design from a long time ago, greatly simplified. I liked the birds everyone else was doing, so I thought these two would fit right in with them.

So they'll be in the mail soon, and I'm so glad I made it in time. Thanks, V, for including me! It's been fun!

another week...

Hey there Mr. Postman!~

We have a little more than a week before Nov 14th.

Please try to have your blocks mailed by NOV14th.

Right now only half of you have sent in your blocks. I would like to try to wrap up this project before the holidays, So please make the effort.
Thanks!
They all look great, and know that many are in the mail as I write this.

Also, Check in with Jennifer Paganelli this week, see what cute things she's been up too.

Finally plucked up the courage!

Well I finally plucked up the courage to have a go with the real fabrics. I settled on a raw edge technique.

I started off with a Dia de los Muertos theme, but it just looked wierd and a bit spooky rather than funky and cool which was the look I was going for! So that got turned into this.

And then I was inspired by Upsy Daisy from In the Night Garden, and did this flower.

I thought it would balance nicely with V's dresden plate.

Hope you like them V, they'll be in the post this afternoon.

Hi Ladies,

got my blocks done for the quilts. It was fun to learn something new. I originally wanted to try different types of applique, but in the end...I ran out of time...I found the tutorial for this block at Cluck Cluck Sew. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for the opportunity V. ~Jenny

From Italy

This are the blocks made by my friends.... both are great appliquè quilters!


The Claudia's ones...

...and the Luciana's ones...

All the blocks are flying to N.Y.city!

Wow!

Looking good Everyone! The Blocks are really looking great together!
I'm loving seeing how all your creative minds work! It's truly a great experience seeing these blocks come in and watch the quilts grow! So many processes, techniques and designs, so very Inspiring! Thanks for taking the challenge!
Remember to please have you blocks shipped ASAP,
I'd liked to have received the rest by Mid November.
Thanks!

Keep those creative juices flowing!

I finished my second block this am!
I will be mailing them to Victoria on Monday!
Happy Halloween
Kathie
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/

finito!

Alrighty then! I finished up my second block last night. This one was completely my design. I had a little help with the scooter block design though :).

For the "tulip twist" block, I wanted to try my hand at the applique where you turn the raw edges under, so there is no fusible web on the fabric. As far as I can tell, it's like needle turn, but with an iron, and sewn with a machine. I actually got all my tips for doing this from Pat Sloan's book, Pat Sloans Favorite Techniques. I cannot recommend this book enough. She not only goes over the how-to's of applique, she tells you what her favorite products are and why.

I'll let my block speak for itself, this is my first hand at doing applique like this, and I'm very pleased.


Basically, to make this block I cut out the shapes and used my clover craft iron with the mini head on it to press all the little pieces with some light starch. I then used some "glue-baste-it" to tack all the pieces down where I wanted. (this product is ESSENTIAL! There is no way I would have been able to get perfect placement by pinning all those little bits down with straight pins. And since I didn't want to have the extra stiffness of the webbing, this product really impressed me!!) Using a straight stitch, I stitched very close to the edges (I don't typically do hand sewing unless it would save my life or the life someone that I love! :))

I also wanted to give just a few tips on my scooter block.


I did this with raw edge applique, so there has to be a fusible webbing on the back (I guess so the fabric won't fray too much?) Anyway, the product I used that made the biggest difference for placing all the pieces for the scooter, was "The applique pressing sheet". I have had mine for years, and don't know when, why, or where I picked it up, but this was the first time I used it, since this is the first time I've done applique. It's so awesome because you fuse your pieces together on the pressing sheet instead of your background fabric. As you're fusing the pieces together, if you don't get perfect placement, you can peel the piece off the mat and move them!!!! I had to do that a couple times so I was very grateful I didn't just start out by fusing the pieces to the background fabric where I couldn't have moved them.

So thank-you so much V for putting this all together! It pushed me to finally try applique and stretched my thought processes for sure! I'm very excited that through a little research and with a little skill, I CAN do applique, it's not that hard. Just a little tedious and time consuming!

~Penny

first block

I'm so excited!
It's actually turning out the way I envisioned.



Now I just need help!

All you applique experts out there, do I just do a straight stitch around the edges?

EDITED TO ADD:

ok, so here it is all sewn down with a straight stitch. I'm really happy with how it turned out!

baby steps

I've been dipping my toes in the world of applique with a little research, and now it's time to take the plunge. This is the current state of my applique blocks:



But tomorrow, that's all gonna change. I've got grand ideas. Hopefully the ideas will look as grand with fabric as they do in my head, lol!

We'll talk tomorrow, either way!

Quick Post

Just wanted to show my finished block...I had planned to run to the post office, but I am home with a sick kiddo today...maybe later tonight after hubby gets home..or first thing tomorrow! This block makes me happy..the raw edges seem appropriate for bird feathers and a nest! I'm feeling a bit more confident with a new technique (thanks for the motivation V!) And thanks to everyone for the kind comments.

Finished

Just a quick post to let you know I am finished with my second block (no pics taken yet...maybe tomorrow) but I wanted you to know that it is finished! I can't find my micron pen, so will run out to get one tomorrow, then to the post office!

Finite

Finally completed...and I had so much fun with these, I want more fabric to create more loveliness! For more shots of these, I blogged them here:Happy sewing,
Doris

for me this was a real challenge!
It was fun using little bits of fabric and making do with what I had
notice the bird, I wanted him to be blue,
blue bird of happiness thoughts here :) but the piece was not big enough I sewed pieces together to get the size I needed!
finally after cutting and playing this is what I came up with...now the appliquéing will begin.
Hope you like them
Kathie

Nearing completion.

I guess I will have to watch alot of TV this week to get these done.
M.C.

Get 'er done!

Hi,
Needs work....this has been really fun. I love what everyone has done. Such variety....Such talent!!
Mary C.

One block

...almost done! I need to stitch it down and add some details. I feel like it's okay, but I'm looking forward to improving on my second one! It was really tricky figuring out how to cut and place the pieces, and everything ended up bigger and reversed from the original plan.

Cats blocks

This are my blocks done. I'm waiting for the ones from my friends and so I will send them to N.Y.city.

nichi

Mailed?

My very wonderful husband is on the way to the post office with the blocks in hand.  V - please forgive me for including nothing for you in the package but I hurt my back and my husband is doing most of the running.  I just couldn't figure out how to send him to get a trinket or a cut of fabric.  He would gladly do it if I could be specific, but I couldn't.  Thanks so much for allowing me to participate.  I am on pins and needles waiting to see the finished quilts. 

DONE and DONE!

I really struggled with what to do for my applique. I had thought I would do reverse applique (something I've never tried) but once I saw the fabric I realized I probably wouldn't have enough for two blocks and get lots of contrast....

So I put the fabric aside for awhile until I was printing a leaf template from Martha Stewart's web site and there happened to be a butterfly on the same page. "Voila!" I thought! If a butterfly doesn't say colorful I don't know what does!


I wish I would have arranged them both like the one on the left, I think the possibilities for quilting are really cool. C'est la vie!

Lots of Changes

I finished my blocks today and after all my planning they are nothing like I thought they would be.  I am at least not horrified with either of them.  I thought and planned and then the fabric didn't talk to me when I tried to force it into the patterns I had in mind.

 I did manage to get the bird I love in one of the blocks and I think it turned out sort of cute  - take a look.

The other block was supposed to be a flower, but there wasn't enough fabric in colors close enough to pull it off, so I regrouped.  I went online and searched and found the machine applique paisley by Jennifer Paganelli.  Being blissfully ignorant I thought I was up to the challenge of placing 3 of the paisleys equally in the square, I wasn't and it is a little off, but I still like it.  Hope you do too.

Now I hope they are usable in the quilts.  I had fun making them and actually learned a little.

Penny G.

two new

Two new blocks! I am posting these blocks for my mother! Yes, I wrangled her in to help
on this quilt too. Trying to encourage her to start doing more sewing again...
She liked to point out to me, that, the last time SHE appliqued, was also the last time I APPLIQUED.
I had a home Economics class in 8th grade, where I had to applique a scene, and of course I picked something rather difficult because I had already been sewing for quite a while...
it was three little chicks under a BIG umbrella... I had a broken leg, and sat around, and thought it was the perfect thing to work on... But it was so putzy, that I couldn't stand it and I begged my mother to help me finish it!
My first time and my last time for a good 25 years!
So, Way to go MOM! Thanks for giving it a whirl! And you surprised me by trying some different things! A few yoyo's in there, a ruffle, some cording...
Thanks mother dear!

...at last!

The package arrived at last!

nichi

The Sun and The Moon

Here they are my

Moon and Sun.

My inspiration came from a Mexican serving dish I have as decoration.

There were other designs worked up but thought this would be THE ONE.

It's raw edge applique with some hand embroidery in royal blue.

I really enjoyed myself with this project.

(You'll have to excuse the picture quality. I wanted to post this tonight so there was only artificial light available. Bummer!)

Thanks V for letting me come along for the ride!

It's in the mail tomorrow :o)

Till Next Time!

Carla

rolling along

Hi all! Boy! Coming home last night was fun!
Lot's of little packages!

Thanks, Tara, Mary, Janet, Sarah P, and Trudi! Don't they look great!!!

;-)