Inspiration in Natural Shapes ... Updated

I too, love seeing a bouquet reach it's full potential...so here are a few snaps of the pink lillies in full opening. I love the hue of pink here.

I know that technically speaking, lillies arent the best flowers to celebrate with, but sometimes you have to overide traditional flower language for the sheer beauty of it.


As for the delicious cake - it was from a cake bakery my DD works for on the weekends. The cake is called a croquembouche - its a stack of profiteroles held together with caramel.

Last year both my DD's actually made an impressive croquembouche (held together with chocolate instead of sugar) and it was equally delicious. And it turned out great on the first 'try'. It's such a pretty cake - but definitely achievable at home. If you havent tried to make one - go ahead, it's delicious. The only draw back (and the reason we purchased one this year) is because it is time consuming and as it was my DD's birthday, she didnt want to spend all day in the kitchen (and you do have to eat this cake the day it is baked).



The Fall Quilt Festival is underway and I have spent so much time browsing through the great sites that I havent really done much else.


But ohhh, the inspiration!

Tulip Delight Stencil Table Runer

Tulip Delight Stencil Table Runner PATTERN

This is a pic of the Tulip Delight Stencil Runner which you can make by either winning the pattern via the Fall Quilt Festival 2009 (see previous post) or purchasing online via my Etsy Shop. To be in the running to win this pattern, simply leave a comment on the Sunshine & Shadow Post. 25 winners will be randomly selected at the end of the fair. Good luck all who take part!

QUILT FALL FESTIVAL 2009 - Sunshine & Shadow

QUILT FALL FESTIVAL 2009 Oct 9-16

(click on the logo at top of this page to join in!)

Sunshine & Shadow

by Esther Aliu (2009)

2m x 2m

'Sunshine & Shadow' is my latest stencil quilt. Inspired by ironwork and french motifs, particularly the Fleur- de-lis, it is an original design.

I love stenciling - as a technique it allows you, as a quilter to create original designs from beginning to finish. This design started out as a sketch in one of my journals and grew from there. After some drawing up and defining lines, I transfer my designs and stencil them directly onto fabric. A really rewarding aspect (although sometimes frustrating too!) of this stage in the work is that you have total control over your coloring and hues. With stenciling, you create around your own sketches, blend your own colors and control the whole process.

Although a lot of quilters have met stenciling for the first time in 'modern quilts' and designs, stenciling is actually an heirloom technique. It was used as a technique in the first generation of New England quilts - a method which arrived with the European settlers who were in the midst of a 'stenciling craze'.

Unfortunately, due to the paints available for use during this era, few stencil quilts have survived. Paints available today however will last as long as commercially available 'printed' cottons, so there's no reason not to get stuck in!

Obviously I'm biased - I love stenciling! If you havent tried stenciling as a technique...what's stopping you? If you want to try stenciling, but arent ready to take on a whole quilt, why not try stenciling a table runner?

FALL QUILT FESTIVAL 2009 GIVE AWAY!

To celebrate the Fall Quilt Festival, I will be giving away my Stencil Tulip Runner pattern (PDF format) to 25 viewers who comment on this specific post. At the end of the fair, I will place all names in a teapot and draw 25. Please ensure you include your email address at the end of your comment.

A pic of this table runner is available on my blog!

Why Not Try A Stencil Quilt Today?

Inspiration in Natural Shapes

This is a snapshot of some flowers that I wanted to share with you. I have been lucky enough to spend a day sketching stash busting ideas with this glorious bunch in front of me.

The colours are just superb. I can see the most magnificent quilt in these green- grays, dusty & deep pinks ad splashes of butter yellow.




And I love the shapes too. These discs on a line are so simple and evocative.

It's so reviving to see the mastery of detail in flowers. I love it.

Fabric Dilemma

Loves the green vine print (new) & the chocolate print (old stash)

Hates the rose and stripe print! (new)

I broke my own rules last week because it was my DD's birthday coming up and I saw fabric online that I knew she would just love. So I purchased it online (I didnt plan this, I was just browsing to see what was new out there - to jog some inspiration from my own stash) and the perfect prints for a beautiful quilt just appeared. I had to buy them! Easy, I though, this quilt is going to be so easy...

The only problem is, she HATES the rose and stripe print (which is actually the perfect match for the vine print). I explained this as patiently as I could, but she has declared an absolute NO on those two prints. So now my easy design is stuck... I have a green vine print (the only print I bought that she loves) and some left over chocolate prints that I've always wanted to use somewhere...and thats it. Now I'm really stuck. I have been through my stash and...nothing!

This is incredibly frustrating. Especially as I am now -2- birthday quilts behind - I just never got around to making last years, its still on the list, and I was planning on using the beautiful rose print in the 2nd quilt as well, as a sort of running theme.

How fussy are non quilters?

I am going to wait a week and then go through my stash 'again'. I will not be purchasing any more new fabric for this quilt.

I will also not be browsing online fabric stores either.

Where do the years go?

I'm always saying on this blog that the months seem to flit by...and before you know it, another year has passed. Well it happened again - this past weekend was my DD's birthday.


Still, as everything seems to be moving so fast, it's nice to stop and admire a cake, almost too beautiful to eat...almost... and think about how quickly the rest of the year is going to pass. In my family, we have now entered the birthday 'season' where it's going to be very busy until the end of Feb 2010.

This means I am going to have to really keep to my schedule.




Wish me luck

My Quilt Midnight Garden

See, sometimes I do finish quilts!

Like this quilt? Why not make it? The project is in No. 39 (Vol. 8.5) of Quilters Companion - now available.