This is my sister's Christmas gift for this year. She has two dogs but has fallen in love with cats. Hopefully, she will like this wall hanging. I had no idea what to do for the border. Then, looking through my stash I found this fabric which had all the colors of the applique. Plus, the yellow brightened the piece. I had made the center block a little while ago, but revisited it by changing the color of the cat's facial features, adding borders and quilting it. I did quilt all around the … [Read more...] about Wool applique and embroidery
Reinventing the wheel: innovative quilts
It is often the case that traditional things, ways, solutions serve as foundation for the new, the out-of-the-box, the fresh, and unexpected. I was just going through a book I received for review and was struck by how many amazing quilts we can create if only we would forget for a little while the 'right' way to sew a block, to cut a line, to assemble a project. Imagine Quilts by Dana Bolyard not only features beautiful modern projects, but it also helps you look for inspiration in your … [Read more...] about Reinventing the wheel: innovative quilts
Landscape quilt
Just finished this small (13" x 11") landscape quilt, inspired by a cloudy October day. This mixed media wall hanging features machine applique with monofilament, free motion quilting, free motion embroidery, Prismacolor markers, and Prismacolor colored pencils. The clouds were the last thing I did, even after the binding was applied. The three leaves are hanging on to the tree just like the ones which remained through the entire last winter through wind, rain, and snow, on a tree right … [Read more...] about Landscape quilt
Quilt Along for a Cause
Fat Quarter Shop is introducing their 2015 Snapshots Quilt Along to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Their Quilt Along has 12 traditionally pieced picturesque (novelty) blocks which capture moments of happiness in our lives. The quilt features the Daysail collection by Bonnie & Camille, and quilt kits and backing are available for purchase at their shop. The Quilt Along starts January 15th, 2015. Block patterns will be released on the 15th of each month. All they ask … [Read more...] about Quilt Along for a Cause
Tiny, tiny freemotion embroidering
I am still trying to figure out what to do next on this table top. I wish I had chosen cream or beige instead of white, but that is history now. Fall is here and the fabrics where already on my cutting table from another project... I did not want to work with applique, so I decided to embroider the leafy motif. For each of the white blocks, I marked the swirl and the three leaves, and placed batting on the back. Then, using Aurifil 28wt and Aurifil 50wt for the swirl, I began to free motion … [Read more...] about Tiny, tiny freemotion embroidering
Learning by doing
While I was visiting my family in Brazil this summer, I had a chance to teach my sister how to make her first quilt, from beginning to end. Amongst the patterns her husband her chosen, we picked the one on the left, which was all we would have time for. Many years ago, while my sister still lived in Boston, she and I traveled to Lancaster County, PA, and got some wonderful fabrics with which she wanted me to make a bed quilt for her. That bed quilt never happened and I kept the fabrics all … [Read more...] about Learning by doing