Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Leftover Top Complete!

Here's the first part of my block.  I love the way the triangles look when they're only on two corners.


I also had fun only adding leaves to two corners.


And the whole top completed.  It's...a bed runner, a huge table runner, a wall hanging?  I'm not sure, but I really like it!


I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Monday, February 26, 2018

Budapest Inspiration

Okay, let's be real.  I haven't been out and about much this week due to conferences and two sick kids.  So what to do for inspiration this week?  Well, I dug back into my photos from when I went to Hungary with my mother and grandmother in 2015.  Here are a few favorites.  I have no idea where this first picture was taken.


The next three pictures are from St. Mathias's church was has stunning painted walls.




I hope you're inspired.  I sure am!

And I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Leftover Pieces and a Shadowing Problem

I decided my leftover pieces needed some applique in the middle...

I must admit that I hate shadowing (when a fabric that is darker shows through a lighter fabric).  Here's what I tried to do to the yellow fabric to fix the problem.  I added some extra decorative stitching.  I didn't like it.  I ripped it out.


And I tried again.  I ripped it out.


Then I decided that it wasn't worth it and I left it.  Shocking for me, but this ISN'T a show quilt so I just left it.  And it's okay!  You can't see it unless you look closely or know where to look (which I suppose you all do now...oh, wells!).


For these outer green leaves I tried doing my blanket stitch as a single instead of a double.  I used a 28 weight Aurifil with a 50 weight in the bobbin.  It worked great and you can tell the stitches are thicker.


Here's what the block looks like all together.  Yes, there are purple threads I haven't cut yet over those red pieces.  I love the way purple, cheddar, red, and lime play together.  I come back to this color combination a lot.


Here's the blanket stitching on the purple.  I like that it's slightly darker.


Come back Wednesday for the big reveal!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Friday, February 23, 2018

Free Motion Friday - Filled Feathers - Idea 1

I've decided I want to play around with filled feathers on my sampler quilt I'm working on.  I started with a hooked feather.  


Then I went back and echoed the inside of ever other feather on each side.  I like the effect it gives and the way it makes your eye travel.


I hope you get to today!
Suzy

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Leftovers....a Dilemna

So....I have all these triangles left over from Four Dazzlers.  What to do with them?  Well, the first thing is to count how many I have.  I did so.  73.  A nice number to work with.  I doodled some (of course!) and came up with this basic idea:


And then I started pinning and sewing.  Yes, I pin obsessively.  It works for me.  No, you don't have to.  Like I said, it works for ME.  Do what works for YOU.


Here's a tip on cutting apart chain piecing.  I use a seam ripper and use the ball end that way you won't nick your ironing board. 


You can also see a rather obnoxious flannel print.  I put that on top of my ironing board because the pieces stick to it and hold in place really well without distorting.  This is new to me.  It's something I learned during Bonnie Hunter's On Ringo Lake Mystery Quilt this year.  It's fantastic for triangles because they don't warp when ironing!


More on Saturday!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Monday, February 19, 2018

Toucan Inspiration

My son brought home this drawing from school.  I am unsure of it's original source, but it has some great motifs for quilting!


I adore this flower.  I could quilt that!


Another fun feathery texture.


If you look at this sideways it could be crazy eyeballs.


Paisleys.  There's just something about paisleys.


I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Island Batik Ambassador's Mini Love Challenge

When I found out that the theme for February's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge was Mini Love I knew I wanted to create a quilt with hearts that overlapped.  After much drawing I ended up with this design.  I love the way the final quilt came out



I started with this pink frame.  I have learned by experience that pulling off all the fusible backing at once on a shape like this is a BAD idea.  It will stretch and distort since it's so thin.  


So I pulled off one corner and stuck it down.



Then I pulled the next corner and stuck it down.



Then the third corner.



And the last corner.  Nice and symmetrical.



Next I added the red hearts. 



After stitching those pieces I added the pink/purple hearts.



Now it was time to quilt!  If you follow my blog, you know I have a problem with over quilting.  I love to free motion quilt and this piece is no exception.  I started by doing a wavy grid in the center and in all the pink/purple hearts.




I then decided it needed an echo around the motif so that there was some space for the eye to rest.  



How to fill the rest?  FEATHERS!  My favorite. 


I added a red binding and all done!  I love the way the hearts and the feathers glow in this piece.  Such fun.  And thank you to Island Batik for providing the amazing fabric as usual!  And to Aurifil Threads for the amazing white thread 2024 50 weight.  It makes the feathers sing.  

Did you notice how much those feathers stand out?  WELL....Hobbs Batting has a new batting coming out soon called Tuscany Supreme 100% Natural Cotton.  It's thicker than ever and wow do those feathers stand out!  I was lucky enough to get a sample in Houston and it's FANTASTIC!


I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Friday, February 16, 2018

Free Motion Friday - A Sneak Peek

I'm currently quilting a new show quilt.  I don't want to give too much away, but here is a small sneak peek.  This first picture has curvy lines between the dots.  Such fun.  Yes, you see loose threads.  I always bury them on my show quilts.  I wait until I have a bunch and then get the job done in front of the TV.


This has to be one of my favorite parts of this quilt.  A doorway with the bricks quilted in.  Such fun!


I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Helen Godden's Feathered Friends Block of the Month

I have adored Helen Godden's work for a long time and have taken 1 class from her in Houston.  I have always wanted to take a class on her painting techniques.  Then I saw her block of the month for this year and I knew this was the first block of the month I had to make.  Yes, it truly is my first.  It's all Australian birds and with two pet birds of my own I knew this was for me.  Here's my painted birdies.  You can still join in by visiting her website, www.helengodden.com and searching the store to pay the joining fee.  It's such fun!  I can't wait for next month's block.




 Such fun!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Island Batik Ambassadors - Happy Galentine's Day 2018


Yes, you read that right.  It's Galentine's Day.  

You don't know what that is?  I didn't either until I did a Galentine's Day project for Island Batik Ambassadors last year!  


So....what is it?  It's a fictitious holiday created by the TV show Parks and Recreation.  It occurs on February 13th and is designed to help you celebrate all your female friends.

Island Batik was kind enough to send me some amazing red and pink fabrics with which to create this project.  Here's what I created.  Three stylized hearts in different fabrics.


I then stitched pebbles in the middle of the hearts and wavy lines around the edge.  My wavy lines have a thicker section every fifth line.  I used my trust Aurifil 2024 white thread provided to me by Aurifil in our Island Batik boxes.    


In the thick sections I added strings of pebbles.


 This was so much fun to quilt!  Here's the finished mug rug all ready for gifting today.


I hope you have a great Galentine's Day and Valentine's too.

And I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Monday, February 12, 2018

Quilt Hanger Inspiration

This quilt hanger is from my local quilt shop, Quilter's Haven in Rosemount, Minnesota.  I love the graceful curls and the three dots in the leaves.  Hmmmm.....


I'm currently being inspired by my new box of Island Batiks....stay tuned for tomorrow~

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy