Meeting the 1st Love Entwined!

Last week I blogged about Narelle Birchall and her LE - she is an extraordinarily talented quilter and the first person, as far as any of us know, to have finished Love Entwined. Am I serious?! Yes I am! Just thinking about it leaves me a little breathless. But Narelle isn't just talented, she's also generous and giving too. Last week we met up at Quilts in the Barn over in Wonga Park and I was able to see her work firsthand. This has been the first moment I've had to blog about the whole experience.

Oh my.

(L-R) Narelle, Brenda Papadakis and yes, that's me grinning in admiration and awe. It was cramped in there for a quilt as big as LE, but we were keen to unfold it and have a look at its beauty and it wasn't long before everyone present was desperate for a better look...

So it was taken outside and pegged to the tennis court fence. It was an incredibly bright day and the glare was overwhelming for me, all my photos turned out blank or washed out and I got one of those instant sun headaches, so I was very grateful to Linda who knew my camera better that I do and put it on the right setting so that I could capture a photo with Narelle in front of her majestic quilt. We are both somewhat stunned by the light in this image, but I think you can see how spectacular Narelle's Love Entwined is. Narelle, you are talented beyond words.

I can tell you that it truly is spectacular and that Narelle has accomplished years worth of work at a rapid pace. And yet, it's incredible in every way. Her fabrics, her workmanship, everything just left me speechless.

I'm already at that stage with Love Entwined, where I just don't know what to say about it anymore. It has been an epic and heartfelt journey for me and I feel in many ways that I have done what I felt I needed to when I started this project. With the last installment released this month, I feel somewhat 'finished' emotionally with the drive that was needed to release it. From this point onward, it belongs to whoever makes it and takes on its own character at each hand. Seeing Narelle's quilt made me fully 'realise' that this quilt is out there in the world now and this leaves me deeply contented.

Did I mention Narelle's excellent workmanship? She really is talented. This is perhaps the most difficult block in the entire quilt and she has made it look effortless and simple.

It's very difficult to photograph a quilt like LE because there is so much detail and these details are not distinguished in overall quilt front pics. So here is a close up shot. I can tell you first hand that every inch has been made extraordinarily well, this quilt is a masterpiece. 

My deep thanks and gratitude to Linda who allowed us to unfold LE and then peg it on the tennis courts, and for taking the images I am in when I couldn't manage my own camera (honestly, I'm hopeless with those things), and to Brenda Manges Papadakis (that's a whole other post!) and of course to Narelle Birchall - its incredibly generous to take the time to show your quilt and to have allowed me to see it in real life. Thank you so much for thinking of me.

Yes, Love Entwined is officially out there. What do you think?

LE: Vases 3 & 4, the yellow flowers

These last two vases just flew into being finished. 

I really loved working with the sunshiny yellow too.

I'm so glad I found this fabric for fussy cutting the flowers

and this cute print for a little bit of broderie perse

Here I am, auditioning the fabric for the best spots to pick. You can see that this print from my stash is actually a flower print, so the colour graduations are just lovely. 

 working from the pattern as a guide

 fussy cutting the tones I wanted to use

 creating blooms full of tone variation and 'life'

this one is so sweet

and overall, I love the look and it all balances with my compass and fabrics.

I've completed my four vases and I'm so pleased with how they look. My center is done now. It feels remarkable to have reached this point. It's been exhausting at times and when I hold this center square of fabric, I can't believe how much time, work and labour has gone into creating it. I have a bit of hand stitchery to do for embellishing and about a 2 weeks worth of hand sewing to stitch all the applique down into position. What you see here is mostly held into position with Elmer's Glue in disappearing purple. This is a starch based glue which simply washes away. I use it all the time - actually its the only glue I use for applique when quilting. That's the calm before my storm. Which storm? My creativity storm for the borders! I can't wait!

LE: Vases 3 & 4, the purple flowers

These are my opposite diagonal vases 3 & 4. They're very similar and I have chosen to make them both purple and yellow. The top vase being darker and the bottom slightly lighter. I don't usually use a lot of purple, but I think it really works between these vases.

Bloom details 

As you can see, I was auditioning the purples before I even stitched down my berries. I put these purple blooms aside very early on, deciding I wouldn't use them. But now, with my berries stitched down, it works. 

 Tomorrow I'll be showing my yellow flower choices

WOW: Love Entwined Part 17 is Launched

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays 

Well, I think reaching the last installment of Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet is a pretty big WOW! Don't you agree?!

We're finally here.

I knew this day was coming the moment I released the pattern, and yet, I never really thought it would come. It's such an epic quilt. It has touched me in so many ways. It has occupied my thoughts for so many hours. It has taken up a place in my heart as a story, as a moment, as a reminder of quilting, and quilts and quilt makers who have been before us. 

And I feel like I need a lie down, or a glass of champagne, or something to really mark this point. Because here it is; the last installment of Love Entwined. And whilst I have many hours ahead of me yet, to applique and create this masterpiece, the journey of releasing it out into the world - in order for it to be revived and remembered, has come full circle and closed. I've done what I needed to do.  

As for the pattern this month: there's only the last borders to add and any final assembly of the quilt top. And whilst this is the last installment, don't worry - there's months of LE blog posts yet as I share my journey right until the end with you all here.

What else can I say? I'm feeling so many things. Thank you for embarking on this special journey with me. I know LE is the kind of quilt that takes time and many of you are progressing at your own pace. And it's been a privilege for me to see your work and enjoy it as much as I do my own. I'm delighted to be sharing the journey with so many quilters who decided to come on board and join me by sharing what they do and how they do it over in my BOM Group.

I was planning to release several BOMs this year, but I had to put those plans aside when LE was launched - it was so much so fast, I couldn't handle having more than 1 BOM out there! I had no idea LE would capture so many hearts when I released it and I have a heartfelt thank you to the Yahoo Group Moderators who currently volunteer and have volunteered their time and expertise to moderate our quilting group for free and for the good of everyone who wants to be there. 

The fact is, I'm at a stage in my life where I don't have much time to be online and if the moderators didn't moderate, there would be no Yahoo BOM Group and I would keep making my quilts, but I wouldn't have a platform in which to share them with you. Thank you Anne Marieke, Glenda, Bunny, Pat and Jane, you allow me to share what I love with so many. How generous of you.

Are you making LE? or using any LE elements in a table runner, cushion or project? I encourage you to share your own quilting journey with all of us via your blog, in your sewing groups and in exhibition both now and in the years to come: for this is a quilt which wanted to be remembered - after all, that's where our journey started. 

I think we can all say, we've done our best to contribute to reviving it's legacy. The pattern might be finished, but the Love Entwined journey is far from over: I'll be sharing how I finish and quilt this coverlet and remember- if you have any Love Entwined progress or achievement of your own to share, let us know via my Yahoo BOM Group and via the Love Entwined Page at the top of this blog.

If you've made this quilt, or a part of this quilt, or a project based on this quilt, please take a moment to leave you name in the comments section of the Love Entwined Page at the top of this blog, with your  name and country. It would be nice to keep track of where these coverlets are.

And stay in touch, I'd love to see pics of all these completed quilts! In fact, I'm currently thinking of a Love Entwined coffee table book for our members to contribute to and enjoy so that everyone who wants to can have their own legacy of this project. Personally, I'd love to be able to flick through the many different looks, colours and styles of LE in one beautiful book and I think this is a quilt which really calls for it. I'll blog more about that in the weeks to come, so stay tuned.

Of course, a journey like this doesn't just end: I will keep posting about my own LE journey as well as my working methods as I also come to complete my two quilts, so stay tuned. 

What's Your WOW ?



An InLinkz Link-up

LE: Vase 2

My second vase has moved along much faster than the first - I think its because I had so many cuts out ready to audition by the time I got to this stage. Here is what I finally decided on. Like it's opposite diagonal, its based on pinks and reds - lighter and darker.

and this is a detail of the main flower head I finally opted for 

but before the bloom head (above) I was actually considering this one (below)

I really thought it looked good, but luckily my DDs both ousted it - they hated it. 'Too retro' they said. Whatever that means? Maybe it is too colourful, but I'm sure I'll find another use for it in another quilt. I ended up auditioning three different fabrics for this bloom (below) and none of them worked until I settled on my final one (in the first picture). As you can see, I haven't finished inner lining the hole of my cross next to this vase, so I have some extra stitchery to do before I can start on Vase 3. 

Finally happy with my selection, and the leaves just slotted in from my pre prepared stash

I'm almost surprised how quickly it all came together

Now I'm ready for the lilacs and yellow to balance out these pinks...

AQC 2015

I am delighted to announce that I will be a tutor at AQC 2015

I will be teaching two classes Binding & Love Entwined 2

Yes, you read that correctly. Love Entwined 2.  Since 'Love Entwined: 1790 Marriage Coverlet' launched, I have been inundated with requests for workshops and many quilters have asked me for a version of the original pattern that is more 'user friendly' in both size and time options.

If you read this blog you'll know that 'Love Entwined: 1790 Marriage Coverlet' is a magnificent quilt and true heirloom. But I also know that there are many quilters out there who would love to make this quilt more practical for them. Love Entwined 2 is that quilt, using the same beautiful pattern and exploring the same beautiful techniques.

I'll talk more about both exciting workshops when further Class info is released over at the AQC website. For now I'd just like you all to know that this wonderful workshop is coming. I know many of you have asked for this - the fact is, I've just been too busy and travelling too much to fit any extra workshops in this year and next year. For this reason, I'm doubly excited to be a part of AQC 2015.

WOW: LE Dewbies Prep

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday 

These are the 'triangles' from Part 8 of LE. I am making the pattern out of turn so I am working back and forth, pattern wise. Since I first drew these, I've always called them dewbies. This is a nonsense word and I have no idea what it means, except that its a triangular word for thingymajig. In the pattern, I had to be sensible and call them 'triangles' but to me they'll always be dewbies. I think Glenda (one of our moderators) calls them pixies. And that works too :) 

Today I'm doing preparation. Again, I'm using wash away fusible and cutting out my alternating lights and darks with enough seam all the way around to neatly needle turn the edge. Love Entwined is all about preparation, preparation, preparation. And today is another one of those days. 

What's Your WOW ? 

An InLinkz Link-up

LE: This is What Just About Finished Looks Like

This magnificent quilt has been made by Narelle Birchall.

Narelle is an Australian  member of my Yahoo BOM Group and has been posting her progress pics over there for us to all enjoy. I do believe that Narelle is one of the first 'finished' LE quilt tops (and is the first as far as I am aware), so when I asked her if I could share this image below with you all - she very graciously agreed.

What can I say? I'm in love with it.

When I started Love Entwined: 1790 Marriage Coverlet, of course I knew that someone, somewhere would finish it. Eventually. And I knew that of those quilters, some would share their progress either through blogging it in steps here on this blog in the LE Archive Page (top of this page) or through messages and photos over in my Yahoo BOM Group.

But to actually see that someone has made it - and so soon- in line with the pattern, is remarkable.I mean, I should just point out that we aren't finished yet BOM wise - the pattern is still being released! She's obviously been working overtime on this wonderful, captivating and so so beautiful quilt.

 I am delighted. It's a real honour for me to see this quilt made. And many thanks to Narelle who has allowed it to be shown and shared.

I know there are many of you who read this blog and aren't making LE, and its always a curiosity to see how BOMs turn out so I know you'll be in awe of all this work! I am too. Never did I imagine that this quilt, in all its splendour, would be 'entering the world' so soon.

What more can I possibly say? Beautiful. 

LE: Finishing Vase 1

I've decided that the darker flower reds do work when all bunched together in the top first vase. So my reds and pinks are finally selected. Which leaves just the process of fussy cutting for my lily:

I love these tropical pink hues and this lily would have worked if I had stuck to the lighter pinks for my vase, but I thought the pinks were either too bright or there was just too much 'pinkness' when they were all put down together ...and I didn't want colour blind spots (or distracting areas of colour) in the center. My LE is more towards scrappy and antique-y looking and I have to theme with that. Sometimes, I have two or three quilts happening at the same time in my mind - a bright one, a pink one and a scrappy and I always seem to be choosing between these opposing colour teams. Its hard to choose between very different - but equally beautiful- options. 

Do you find the selection process of other quilters interesting? I do. I really love seeing what and how other quilters make their choices. I'm really spoilt for choice too, because over in my Yahoo BOM Group, there are so many varieties of Love Entwined and each one becomes my new favorite for a few minutes. It's really exciting to see the pattern expressed in so many different ways. And I love seeing how other quilters 'think' about the same pattern moments - we're all so different. 

I should have saved time and just 'listened' to the pattern, I went with white after all!

 But I did fussy cut the stamen!

I just think that the white lily balances the darker red and pink flowers well. Origially I wasn't going to, because the background is white and I didnt want the lily to be lost, but when I auditioned it in place, it wasn't lost at all, it was just right. 

 Here you can see my bloom fabrics: darker than I expected but working beautifully

 and the white lily has really found its home here too 

Looking forward to Vase 2 now...

WOW: LE Still Making Leaves

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday 

Today is all about more of Vase 1. Did you see my post on Saturday? I'm still deciding between Vase 1 fabric options. And when I'm not doing that, I'm making leaves and fussy cutting for my lily - there's plenty to do!

they look so lovely, I love the fabric colour graduations too

What's Your WOW ?

An InLinkz Link-up

LE: Working On Vase 1

I'm working on my first vase. I'm thinking of mid pink and dark pink flowers, but I know by now that there's no use planning ahead - I will select whatever works after much auditioning of fabric in the right spots. I'm finding that my 'auditioning' method of colour scheming is working out the best for me - its by far the most successful method and it means I'm not waiting around for fabrics to arrive after I've purchased them online. I did do this at the beginning of my LE journey but I've made a complete U turn on my original colour scheme ideas and now I'm not scheming anything, I'm just letting it happen. I will let whatever fabrics I have guide me for the vases as well. I am planning at this stage to make this vase and its diagonal opposite more pink and the other side more yellow, to have a balance of variety, but I'll see how I go. It's too hard to predict at this stage.

 These fabrics are all very saturated so I've colour tested all my fabrics to be on the safe side (see my blog post on Colour Testing on the sidebar if you don't know how to do this). I don't always colour test - it depends on the fabric (and quilt) in question - but when it comes to LE, I am colour testing EVERYTHING. It's just too much work, time, love and commitment to take silly chances with it. I would be devastated if my LE ever bled out. So I'm not taking any chances and if you don't mind me insisting - either should you.

 I'm pretty much following the pattern colors at this stage, as you can see from my pieces here. I have a concern that these reds and pinks might be too dark for my LE center, so I will try them out and see how I go. Even though I swatched these fabrics on my LE center before I cut them out, I personally find that you cant really "see" if a fabric will work until its cut down to size and in position. I'm going to have a lot of leftover, fusible applique pieces when this quilt is done - but that's OK. I'd rather have more pieces and find the right fit then settle with something that doesn't feel right to me eyes. Of course, I'm making this quilt to please myself, so I'll just keep making and re-making until I'm happy with the result. I am planning, when both my LE's are finished, to make a little coverlet of all my leftover pieces - just for fun. So I don't really mind having all these left overs.

Hmmm, I like it but I'm wondering about the darker red background on this bloom

I have to leave it on my design wall for a few days to really decide

I think I might lighten it up with brighter reds

 I really love these dark, coordinated shady fabrics - but, although they are beautiful, they don't harmonize with the rest of the center. So it will depend on whether I darken the rest to fit in, or change these to something more mid tone. I haven't decided yet. 

 sometimes fabrics really look great, but they don't suit the actual project, I have this problem a lot

a real problem is that I love ALL fabrics, choosing between them is too hard 

I'll keep auditioning and let you know which fabric shines for my Vase 1 options. 

Have you made your Vase 1 flowers? How did you select your fabrics for these blooms? I'd love to know. 

WOW: LE: Pepping Up My Crosses

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday

I love the fabric choices for my LE crosses, but I was thinking that the yellow on pink was a bit lost, it needed pepping up. I used the rusty coloured thread, which I just loved and had wanted to use on my polka dotty crosses before I found the pink I finally settled on. So I used it here, to outline the inner cross hole.

This is my "before" shot

this is my "after"

 It's a small difference, but I think it makes a big impact!

What's Your WOW ?

An InLinkz Link-up