WOW: Double Trouble Or Twice The Pleasure??

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

It's really only now dawning on me what an epic challenge I have undertaken for myself in deciding on two colorways. One would have been enough, but that simply didn't satisfy my need to see this quilt made up, so as usual I went in for double duty!

What was I thinking taking on a double dose of this beautiful quilt?! Sometimes I wonder!

Here are my two projects, side by side as of last night. 

Yes, I'm busy.. really busy.. and I can't wait to progress even further.. 

What's Your WOW?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

HOYH: More Bows and Berries

I'm making steady progress on my berries and bows. Although I like to buy all my fabrics ahead of time when I've settled on a project,  this is one quilt I simply can't confine to a single palette. This used to drive me crazy. I hate going over (and over!) fabric decisions once I've made a start on any quilt, but Hold Onto Your Heart has it's own ideas and I can only take directions. 

At least once a week I go out and browse local fabric shops looking for an elusive shade of green or blue or pink to match this or that. I've noticed that fabric ranges are coming and going much too quickly for my own artistic pace - I like to do things a little slower and enjoy a range a little longer than seems to be popular. 

I'm currently setting aside the best daylight hours for a few days each week to make this beautiful quilt happen and can't wait to show you what's next..

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

Hearts Desire by Bunny of Canada

Hearts Desire by Bunny of Canada

Bunny has a wonderful eye for using blues and her Hearts Desire is a masterpiece. It has a permanent place in my heart because when I was making my own fabric choices for this quilt, I was torn between two schemes and a blue quilt option was strongly on my mind when I made my own selection. 

In many ways, I see this beauty as what mine would have been if I had selected a blue pallette. Well, it's what I hope my blues would have looked like! The truth is, Bunny has a special way with blues which she's showcased over and over again.  Knowing my fabric indecision I think my blues would have moved into a more diverse teal and green scheme. 

But back to Bunny's beauty here: I love how she's balanced her blues perfectly with the orange and yellows, the whole quilt sings to me and I just love every bit of it. 

Thank you for always being an inspiration Bunny, you know I love all your quilts - they're a constant inspiration and motivation - two things I'm always seeking and striving for.

'Hearts Desire'

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

--------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery--------------------------- 

Thanks to Bunny for sharing her quilt progress with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Pomegranate by Bunny

Pomegranate by Bunny of Canada

You've probably only seen this wall hanging quilt made up in reds as that seems to be the most popular colour, so prepare to be surprised by this blue beauty! Bunny has a special affinity for blues which always leaves me inspired and this stunner is no exception.

Thank you so much for sending through this image of your quilt Bunny; I know these projects are out there and I wish I'd started the Open Gallery years ago so everyone could enjoy each others work so much sooner. 

I love every blue inch of it!

'Pomegranate' 

You can read more about this quilt or buy this quilt pattern by clicking here now

--------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery--------------------------- 

Thanks to Bunny for sharing her quilt with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Mini Easter Blessings by Bunny

Mini Easter Blessings by Bunny of Canada

This sweet mini quilt was an Easter project from a few years ago. Once day I'll include it as part of a seasonal project set but it isn't available as a pattern right now - mostly because I haven't completed mine. That's right; although I have many grand plans and schemes, most of them haven't eventuated yet because of my epic WIP pile! Once I get all my Easter Projects made and photographed, I'll release them, but for now I browse the beauties other people have managed to complete - like my dear friend Bunny. 

I can always rely on Bunny when i want to see my 'back catalog' because she's done just about everything I've put out - which is more impressive than what I can boast for myself!

And this little sweetie is just too cute not to share. Honestly, who doesn't love tulips, birds and foliage? And let's not forget the jumping bunny behind the eggs.

I love it Bunny, but then again, I love everything you do.. 

Spring Reflection by Tena Davis

Easter Blessings by Tena Davis of Sarasota, FL, USA 

Tena decided to call her Easter Blessings Wall Hanging 'Spring Reflection', here's what she has to say about her quilt: “Spring Reflection” won an Honorable Mention in Appliqué at my quilt guild show this past March 2019. Machine appliqués and domestic machine quilted. Thank you for the beautiful pattern! 

If you look closely, you can see the wonderful quilting on this piece that silhouettes the bouquet with added tulips, I love this effect! Tena you have done an outstanding job on the quilting! 

From the the lush green fabric in the frame to the handsome black and white bunny with those irresistible pink ears, this is a gorgeous wall hanging. And those tulips - the colour graduations are stunning. I love everything about this wall hanging!

I know you're going to get so much enjoyment from this quilt and I'm so grateful that you sent through pics of your beautiful quilt and it's show success too!

'Easter Blessings' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

--------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery--------------------------- 

Thanks to Tena Davis  for sharing her finished quilt with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

WOW: Working on my Diamond Clusters

 WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays 

Like usual, I'm working on my Hold Onto Your Heart quilt out of turn. Although I've completed Part 5 now, today I'm returning to Part 4 which is the Diamond Clusters. I really love these shapes but I'm unsure about what fabrics to put on the sides, so I'm playing around will try to get these completed today.

What's Your WOW?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

HOYH: Simplified Flower Heads for Part 5

Fussy cut flowers can work beautifully with the pattern in place of the multi layered flower heads. If all that finicky applique isn't for you, don't worry, you can simplify. The most important step is to make sure any potential fussy cut flowers are size appropriate to the pattern and then it's a matter of picking a colour scheme that's going to shine. 

I thought this was going to be nearly impossible with my warm golden yellows and fuschias, it seems a long stretch but luckily I found a gorgeous flower print that I knew would be perfect as soon as I set my eyes on it. Look at those layers- they actually remind me so much of the pattern- how could I not go with them?? I was considering small roses first in position for an easy option, but these flowers stopped me in my tracks. 

I traced them from the fabric to obtain their shape

and cut their shape from fusible to make turning the edge nice and crisp

 like this.. perfect huh?

I wasn't sure if I wanted to simply this pattern, after all I do LOVE every last detail of it, but this fit was too perfect to pass up and I know it's going to enhance all the other pieces. Look at the colours and layers of the print, isn't it just lovely?

 And this green swirl colour is my current option for matching the stem, nice isn't it?

OK, time to get back to work.. 

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

HOYH: Part 5 Flower Heads (following the pattern) and Berries

Today I'm sharing how I made the flower heads (following the pattern) of Hold Onto Your Heart Part 5. Tomorrow I'll be sharing how to simplify this head, so be sure to check back if you've reached this stage yourself.

I love everything about Part 5 and now that the bows and stems have been resolved fabric wise, I'm free to play with the flower heads. The pieces are little and varied, so its really a process of organized production lines.. 

As I work, I pin the shapes into position directly over my paper pattern. This is another reason why I love my new wool mat that I mentioned last week - it allows me to iron and pin shapes into place without having to move work areas.

To help me during my production line, I coloured in my pattern to distinguish how many fabrics I wanted to make up the flower head. Then I numbered each shape. Using Stitch N Wash fusible, I traced each shape (and marked it with it's number for easy assembly later) on the wrong side of the fusible. Then I ironed the fusible onto the wrong side of my fabric.

This is why I don't remove the 'inside' paper when I turn the edges. The inside is not paper, it's fusible and it's meant to stay in place. If I was using freezer paper, I would remove it once my glue from turning the edges was dry. As you can see in these berry pics below for Part 5, the process is the 

same.

I just ran out of my new favourite glue - the blue sewline one and whilst I'm waiting for it to arrive, I've gone back to using Elmer's. There's nothing wrong with Elmer's at all, I've just developed a habit for the sewline one now!

And I turn my edges with a cuticle stick. I now also use the Purple Thang.. but can't actually find any of my 5 x pieces in my mess of a sewing studio...

Love these gorgeous berries

Once all the turned pieces are pinned into position, this is what the back of my flower head looks like

I am so pleased that my completed flower head is almost exactly as per the pattern. Phew!

When the glue is completely dry and all the heads are done, it's time to sit down and stitch my motif heads together with the smallest zig zag stitch I can get away with.. 

If I told you how many hours these flowerheads here represent.. well, lets just say you wouldn't believe it! 

Luckily I love seeing my time turned into beauty with the help of fabric. 

This is an heirloom level quilt and the fine little details matter to me and like many applique enthusiasts, I enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of the end result. However, if finicky little pieces aren't your thing, don't torture yourself - come back tomorrow for another option. 

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

On My Window, Flowers Bloom by Elaine Armenta

On My Window, Flowers Bloom by Elaine Armenta

How gorgeous are these bright and bold bloom heads? Look at the orange and pink combo centre bottom, it demands your full attention! What a delight this wall hanging is. I really love the dusky background, it's the perfect fit for these vases. And the top right vase fussy cutting? Wonderful!

Elaine, you've done it again. From the vase prints to the superb bloom heads, every inch is drop stitch gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us!

If you'd like to read more about On My Window, Flowers Bloom, you can check out the OMWFB post archive right here on this blog by clicking the image below. 

'On My Window, Flowers Bloom' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

--------------------- Open Quilt Gallery---------------------

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Love Always by Elaine Armenta

Love Always by Elaine Armenta

Elaine has created yet another beauty: it was a happy day when I saw that she had uploaded three quilt images to share in the Open Gallery. I love multiple submissions - the more the merrier! Seeing how Elaine uses her gift for fabric and colour across completely different quilts offers a real perspective and is hugely motivating. To see her Diamond Hill stunner, click here now. 

Love Always offers a unique colour story: you have the vases, foliage and borders which can take you into many different directions. Elaine's is perfect! I am loving the pink tones with hints of purple balanced out with the teals and blues. I often worry about balancing teals and leaf greens but Elaine, like so many others in the Group, keep widening my perspective on what works. 

The darker burgundy / brown print of the centre is an interesting anchor and is repeated in the lower vase - it adds depth without over powering these jewel colours and the prints are gorgeous and strike a perfect balance between the flow of the design and attention of the fabric colours themselves. Yes, I've really feasted my eyes on this beauty and I love everything I see here.

Wow Elaine, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful work with us all to dream over. 

Love Always is a special quilt, I consider it to be the sister quilt of Love Entwined and it definitely has a large dose of romance and mystery about it. I love how the simple rose vines create gateways inviting you to spend time in the centre which is anchored with three large flourishing blooms. I love every last detail and it's a joy to see others  interpreting the design over and over again - each time is a new story that I can't wait to read.

'Love Always' 

You can read more about this quilt or buy this quilt pattern by clicking here now

--------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery--------------------------- 

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her quilt with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Diamond Hill by Elaine Armenta

Diamond Hill 

by Elaine Armenta of Bonney Lake Washington, USA 

Oh my goodness, what an elegant quilt! I just love the colours choices Elaine has made, the purple tone with golden yellows is so attractive, I love how it frames the floral blocks. This quilt is perfectly balanced and I keep looking again and again, getting something extra each time. The centre star in deep blue is the perfect finishing touch that harmonizes with the border foliage - perfect.

If you read my blog, you already know that I love 'reading' other people's colour schemes, to me it's a real treat to see my design through someone else eyes and this beauty is a real treat.

If you'd like to read more about Diamond Hill, you can check out the Diamond Hill post archive right here on this blog by clicking the image below. 

'Diamond Hill' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

------------------------ Open Quilt Gallery------------------------ 

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

HOYH: My Iron Wool Mat

I'm getting lots of emails asking me what this matt is??! It's a new thing to my tool kit. I have lots of ironing mats and they all serve their own purpose, this mat doesn't replace them but I must admit that it IS my new favourite thing. 

It's a wool ironing mat

There are several brands and sizes you can buy - I love that you can pin the board which makes it perfect for using with patterns and the thickness means that I can use it everywhere without worrying about the table underneath. 

I've got this smallish one, but now that I love it so much, I will get getting it in two larger sizes for bigger ongoing projects where I iron and pin lots of motifs. 

WOW: HOYH Bias Stems..

 WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays 

I'm still working on my bias strips for Hold Onto Your Heart Part 5! It's been about 3 weeks now. These are the three fabrics I'm deciding between:

I don't know which one will make the final cut because I'm still deciding on the final fabrics and you know me -I like options, lots and lots of options.

 What's Your WOW? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Hold Onto Your Heart: Creating Bows

I've got my heart set on this stripe fabric for the bows. Of course, I had to make things just a bit tricky for myself with this fabric option! Due to the stripes, I had to pay extra attention to the stripe directions when cutting out my fusible and positioning it on the reverse of my fabric. I had a bit of a brain freeze but got their in the end.

When finally happy with the stripe positions (it took 2 attempts!), I turned my edges.

This is what the back looks like. I'm using the pattern sheet as my guide - just like I always recommend. Don't allow your bows to grow!

Ok, I'm happy with my bows, now it's time to move onto the stems and vines.. 

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!