Friday, June 28, 2019

Island Batik Ambassadors Try It! Challenge - Part Two

I LOVE working with Island Batik fabrics!  They are so bright and bold.  Be sure to check out the first part this project in the post about construction here.  I used four fun fabrics, an Accuquilt wedge die, some Aurifil thread for piecing and Hobbs 80/20 batting inside.

Once the top was together I was sitting there staring at it trying to figure out how to quilt it.  I wasn't sure.  Then my mom says, "I'll quilt it for you."  Okay, twist my arm.  So I gave it to her to longarm.  She did a fabulous job!  




She quilting lots of other gears into the design.  She used a purple air erase pen that was taking forever to go away and I wanted to get my pictures taken.  What to do?  I Googled it and found someone who used vinegar to get out the marks.  I tried it.  It worked beautifully.  Now to wash it so the vinegar can't eat away at the fabric.  But yay!  Marks gone.






I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Island Batik Ambassador's Try It! Challenge - Part One

The June Try It Challenge for Island Batik Ambassadors was to try a technique we'd never done before.  First, I picked fabrics...aren't they luscious?  I love the raindrop fabric!




Next, I cut some strips using my Accuquilt GO! Big cutter.  It's so fast!  And of course I have my favorite Aurifil thread to sew my strip sets with.


Then we get to the try a technique part.  I bought the 9" Wedge die from Accuquilt to see what would happen if I made a complete circle.  Here are my strip sets cut with the wedge die.  Easy peasy!  It was awesome.


I had to lay part of it out to see what happened!  Sew much fun.


Here's the whole ring.  I ended up taking in a few seams to make it lie flat. 


Now...how to attach it to a background square?  It's 38 inches finished!  It's huge.  I didn't want to hand applique it.  So I decided to do it by machine with some bias strips.

First, I pinned the circle to the backing.


Then I cut 2 inch bias strips, sewed them together and ironed them in half just like binding.  In fact, I made enough to do the inside and outside of the circle AND the binding.  


I pinned OFTEN to make sure I didn't get a wrinkle.  I am an obsessive over-pinner.  I admit it.   Below is how I did the seam of my bias strips.  I know, I should'be sewn it diagonally, but I just wasn't ready to deal with it at the moment and this would do nicely.


Here you can see the two bias strips sew down.


Now to pin the other side down and machine applique it.  Since it's smaller on the inside of the bias strip than the outside I again put in a lot of pins to even out the fabric.


Yup....obsessive over-pinner. 


Come back Friday to see it all done!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Monday, June 24, 2019

Wildflower Inspiration

I love going hiking this time of year and looking at all the pretty wildflowers!  Enjoy!







I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Friday, June 21, 2019

Free Motion Friday - Tula Pink Kaleidoscope

My mom had a lot of fun quilting my Tula Pink Kaleidoscope.  I promised I'd take more up close photographs.  Here they are!


Do you see the frogs by the dark purple triangles?





I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

An Applique Family Affair Special Exhibit

My favorite moments from the Minnesota Quilter's Show this year are from the special exhibit I had there with my mom.  Check out the video!  Okay, so no video...it didn't want to load.  So pictures!


Regalia


Indigo Star by my mom from my book Folk Art Quilted Traditions


Hungarian Heritage by my mom from my book Folk Art Quilted Traditions


Hungarian Heritage from my book Folk Art Quilted Traditions


Victorian Pinks by my mom


Pentaflora


Peculiar Posies


Seussian Flowers


Cats by my mom


Butterflies in the Garden by my mom


Nature's Chorus by my mom


The Twelve Days of Christmas by my mom


Salvation's Bloom


Harmony's Loop


Floral Medallion


In Remembrance


Dotville


My Flowers in a Pot Series



Wildflowers by my mom 


It was so fun to see them all hanging together!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy