Benjamin Biggs BOM - two rows down

That's ten 12 inch blocks done now, and time to lay them out for a 'play'. I won't stitch them together yet just in case I want to change something later . 

This is the latest one finished - Block 10 - rather an unusual one I think...not quite sure what these four elements depict but I stitched it anyway! They look a bit like candle sticks but maybe they are a simplified stem and flower. I checked in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Applique but there's nothing quite like it, though in outline it could resemble four fleur-de-lis. Any thoughts?

Civil War Bride -  for my second block I jumped across to Block 11 (the numbering in the Threadbear pattern) .

Four block applique quilt: Last post I mentioned that I want to improve my hand quilting technique. I used to hand quilt by stitching forwards (I was taught 20 odd years ago and that was it) - and then got a lot of hand/ wrist pain. I am now teaching myself the rocking motion and quilting towards myself - and feel so lucky to have loads of YouTube video tutorials and blogs to study. 

Anyway...I want to dive in with a smallish test quilting project. There is a pile of completed Baltimore Album blocks which have been abandoned  living in a cupboard here (you know how it is...not happy with the standard of my older work). But I thought I'd pick out four of the better ones and make a small wall quilt - instant hand quilting practice!

First trimming the blocks with my Karen Buckley adjustable square (love this tool) - and they really needed adjustment I can tell you.

Blocks sewn together: 

Then I needle-turn appliqued a saw tooth border to finish it off (lucky I still had plenty of the red fabric left) :

Basting the layers together ready to hand quilt - it measures about 1 metre ( 39 inches) square:

And I'm off...quilting around all the applique pieces: 

I'm pretty slow, the stitches are far from perfect, but am feeling more confident all the time, and loving it. One thing I wanted to avoid was holding up the layers with a hand hoop - used to give me such a wrist pain - but I don't want to invest in a floor stand or frame at this stage. So I bought a hands free 'sit-upon' rotating quilt hoop from Thimblelady - seemed a good start and reasonably economical. I'm finding it comfortable to use sitting on the lounge and the hands are pain free so far.

I've got a lot of applique going on as you can see above - and that doesn't include my secret sewing of Auntie Green. But there are more temptations out there. Have a look at Wendy's new free applique BOM - just lovely!

And what's going on here? ... In Sydney with my daughter and her fiance when she was admitted as a solicitor this month. 

some happy tomfoolery there...

We celebrated after the ceremony with a champagne silver service High Tea in the Queen Victoria Building - such a treat. 

beautiful ceiling

There's been a touch of Summer in the weather. Too early for me (what happened to Spring?) but some things in the garden are loving it.

 

"simple" Simon border and a new project

After not posting for many weeks this is my second post in one week.
Well it's that time of year - no work, Christmas rush is over and a few days to relax and catch up on quilting... The house that was cleared of quilting clutter to make room for entertaining is now littered with piles of auditioning fabric.

My Simon quilt top is almost finished. I just have to decide on the fabric to use for the outer first and third borders -"should be simple" she thought?
Here is 'Simon' in the Dutch book - the antique original and the authors' reproduction - showing these borders:

The antique quilt in "Promenade in a Dutch Garden"

Outer three borders on the original antique quilt - a lovely diamond print. Photo from the book.

Outer borders on Petra and An's reproduction - a beautifully coordinated stripe. Photo from the book.

Here is a collage of some fabrics I trialed with my quilt top and strips of pieced border - just auditioning, not stitched yet. I think I would like to keep the colours close to those in the original quilt - cooler/lighter colours - so these are rejects for this project.

The bottom right is my favourite of this lot but still not right...

Then I tried a Dutch chintz floral and a paisley print - I love them both and can't decide. I'm edging towards the paisley print because I love it's simplicity.  But it seems to make sense to use the Dutch chintz on a Dutch chintz repro quilt! Ho hum... not such a simple Simon border after all.

Dutch chintz print

Paisley print

Meanwhile - new project...

In a couple of weeks I am going to Summer School in the NSW Blue Mountains with Rhonda Pearce to make her version of the Ann Randoll quilt/coverlet - so terribly exciting as it is just my cup of tea. What's not to love in an antique British quilt with applique, clamshells and loads of fabric choices! And I have had such fun learning to make clamshells in my Chintz medallion quilt (still in progress). 

Unfortunately I didn't get to see the original quilt when it was on show at the Queensland Art Gallery but at least I have the wonderful book/catalogue they produced ("Quilts 1700-1945").  There are also great pictures in this book below:

Photo from book above

Centre of the quilt - photo from book

Photo from book - wonderful fabrics!

Some possible fabric selections I've made for the centre using the requirements list:

  Lots Some more set aside for scrappy piecing and clamshells - loads of small prints needed.

I've not seen anything but a small colour photo of Rhonda's work on this so am keeping my options open a little regarding fabrics and colours. You can read that to mean I'll be taking half my stash along to class! 

Thought I might review my quilting year - 2013.

A collage of projects that were started and finished this year:

All started and completed in 2013

Then there are the projects part-done this year: 

Baltimore - blocks 14 to 23 made this year, the rest were previous years

Burnt quilt - top finished 2013, still needs to be quilted - some time!

Lucy Boston - Started 2012, finished 2013

Medallion quilt - started 2013, working on it now

Simon - started 2013, working on it now

Double X - just started

Pretty happy with that lot.

But I'm a bit shocked to find there are 5 quilts still in progress ...and I am starting a new one! Such is the quilting life. All the best to you all for much inspiration and fun quilting in 2014!

Trapunto update, Baltimore update and a winter break

Comparing machine trapunto samples

Continuing on from last post's trapunto experiments...

I have made a second machine trapunto sample in preparation for quilting my Carolina Lily quilt. 

The first sample had only one layer of bamboo trapunto batting (on right in picture above) - just in the trapunto area. 

The second sample has two layers of the bamboo (on left in picture). 

And at the back is a piece I made in a class years ago - it has a thick wool/poly batting in the trapunto area. All three have the same wool/poly batting in the final sandwich. If you click on the picture to enlarge it might be easier to compare the finish. 

The class sample has the greatest definition but it is too stiff for my liking (though is fine for a wall hanging). I am very happy with the double layer bamboo sample (on the left) as it seems a good compromise - is still reasonably soft and cuddly, and has pretty good definition too. So...am planning on using that method for my quilt. 

Baltimore Album block 24 finished...and suprisingly I did  quite enjoy all those berries. It was almost entirely back-basted needle turn applique. 

I see so many interesting techniques to try on blogs and such great applique finishes (and get a bit green with envy), so decided to give the "Perfect Circles" a go for a few of the berries. Just to see if this might suit me ...and here are the six I made:

Only made six berries this way

I have used them before and think they are a very clever technique but that is as far as I got before skulking off to back-basting and needle turn - might not make such perfect circles my way but I just enjoy needleturn more. Fun trying different methods though.

Am just back from a lovely winter break to the Snowy Mountains of NSW - staying in a house rented with a mixed family group of eight adults - some oldies and some youngies. The non-skiing group (my group) headed off for walks with and without snow shoes. 

Charlotte's Pass - so beautiful up there

Snow shoe walking Charlotte's Pass

Thredbo walk - that's me on the left

Happy stitching till next time. 

Baltimore Album block 23

One of my favourite blocks - and made with one of my favourite greens - so all good fun to make! I am not a "hearts" girl so I made the hearts green in this block to make them less of  a feature.

I did the whole block using my usual back-basting and normal needleturn applique. But I have just read on Repro Quilt Lover blog that parts of this particular block might be easier done in reverse needleturn applique and I can see that. The narrow parts on the petals could more easily be made very narrow that way I think. Interesting....

I have experimented (rather randomly!) with reverse applique in parts of my Baltimore Album. Thought it might aid with layering and add some depth - centres of buds etc - and found it very useful. It combines well with back-basting but adds an extra step. You first back-baste the under layer in place, and then the top layer, prior to reverse applique.

I feel a bit nervous showing such close-ups of my applique - could have taken a wee bit more care with stitches and thread colour but never mind! These are all closeups of different earlier finished blocks.

the pink centres in bud are reverse appliqued

pink in petal area is reverse applique

reverse applique yellow in centre of  knot and in curved bows, but not on wider ribbon ends

 

Do have a look at the blog I mentioned because Taryn shows her beautiful block there - looks wonderful quilted!

I've now finished 5 blocks of my Carolina Lily quilt and still going strong...

Another Baltimore Album block and other updates

Baltimore Album block 22 is done - a bold and wonky block. I feel I have to announce this every time for those that quite like wonky - and an apology to those who don't!

Carolina Lily quilt update:
 In my last post I moaned about my difficulty with curving the half inch bias for the stems (ugly bunching happening - am not going there).
The back basting applique is working very well for me as an alternative. Here's how I've been doing it...hope it doesn't bore you silly but I love seeing how other people do things - and the more pictures the better.

Marking the back of block and pinning fabric underneath - sorry bit dark

Basting the applique fabric to block background - from the back

Needleturn applique as basting removed - on the front

Rest of applique pieces pinned ready to sew down too

I can't believe how quickly these centre blocks are coming together now (they are rather large at nearly 12 inches across) but that's fine - won't get bored.  

Am still going on the Star Bouquet quilt (version of Mary Leggett's)  - much smaller pieces there but it is growing!

A few new stars added