Wild Rose & Lilac Details

Wild Rose & Lilac

This is a block from Part 4 of my free 2012 Mystery BOM Forget Me Not

turn edge applique petals for the wild roses

raw edge applique lilacs

turn edge leaves

some pencil detailing on the petals

Like the previous blocks, I will be embellishing these blocks with decorative stitches at the end, when I plan my quilting. With the lilacs in this block, I am looking for tiny beads to stitch in amongst the applique so that the lilacs 'shimmer' in their cluster. How much or how little extra embellishment will vary block by block. You can keep it simple or really enjoy embellishing all the areas of small and fine detail.

Fabric selection next to my sketch and alongside my background fabric

Lilacs in deep to light hues of blue pink. Make sure that you check which side is fusible, to avoid sticking your little lilacs to your iron, this is too easy to do!

I use fusible release paper when raw edge applique cutting out.

It's great because you can re-use this paper 5 times before discarding.

I use Wonder Under brand.

This is the lilac 'shadow', it's raw edge and again, so simple. Creating the lilac backrground means that I don't have to cut so many little lilac shapes out. I was also toying with the idea of embroidering the lilacs on top of the 'shadow' fabric and if you have an embroidery machine, this is definitely an option for you. (I tried on my domestic and it didn't look effective). So I went ahead with my lilac applique.

These are my leaves waiting to be cut out

How is your Forget Me Not Block looking?

This is a block from Part 4 of my free 2012 Mystery BOM Forget Me Not

You can download this month's block via my website or my Yahoo Bom Group 

WOW: Finding Forgotten WIPs

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Has this ever happened to you?

I have found a new WIP stash!

I'd completely forgotten about it.

I found it in a cupboard I thought I'd cleared out. 

The top is finished, and I even began quilting it before it was packed away....

I think it will have to be next on my WIP to do list, as it's so nearly done, I may as well finally finish it!



Forget Me Not: Part 4 is Launched

This month you have the option of

Wild Rose & Lilac

Jacob's Ladder

Here are the pattern sketches. Remember, colour in your patterns before commiting to fabrics.

Stay tuned as detailed block images and working pics will be posted after WOW this week.

Also, remember to check out the Yahoo Group to see what we are all talking about over there!

Forget Me Not is my 2012 Mystery BOM

Anyone can take part.

Each monthly block is available for download via my

website and Yahoo BOM Group only.

To learn more about my BOMs, click here.



Any Excuse for Roses

Yesterday was Mother's Day,

and whilst I'm a mother every day of the year,

it's a nice excuse for roses!

I definitely didn't need an excuse for cake... and will be resisting today.

My DH will have to finish it off!

Today I also realised that it's time for Part 4 this week!

How are you going with your Forget Me Not?

WOW: What the Judges Thought

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Hearts Desire arrived home late yesterday afternoon. Well, the box did. I've only just found time to unpack it this morning, give HD a good shake and re-fold and take a look at what the judges thought of my quilt during assessment.

Best Feature:

"effective border frame, variety of scale in fabrics"

Areas to Improve:

" machine tension problems in quilting"

Well, I'd have to agree with that! I think it's time I had a serious re-think about my sewing machine options  as my 1950's Elna just can't keep up with my domestic quilting demands and of course, I don't have a stitch regulator.

Still, it's nice to have this quilt home, it reminds me how much I can do in a few months. Because at the moment, I have a lot of WIPs to get through and I'd really like the satisfaction of seeing them finished.

WOW: a Paducah mention!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Well I am delighted to have received a mention at Paducah this year! Thanks to everyone who sent through congratulations. And thanks as well to those of you who let me know in the first place, because I had no idea until you all contacted me. For some reason I haven't seen the full list of awards and winners yet (am I looking in the wrong place???). It's also been such a busy week that everything seems to have taken up my usual blogging time!

This is a quilt that really needs to be seen up close to be fully appreciated and obviously it's such an honour to take part in Paducah, let alone receive a mention too.

I can't wait to see the judges comments which I will share here when it arrives in the next few weeks.

Can you believe it, MAY already??? 

RIP Mooshy

UPDATE:

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and words in the comments, our pets really have a way of touching our hearts, don't they?

Our little cat Mooshy has died. She was a beautiful and gentle cat. She had lunge cancer, which I didn't realise could happen to cats. She was very ill and had to be euthanized.

In December she started losing weight very rapidly but had her normal appetite. We took her to two different vets and run tests, but both times nothing was detected. Both put her weight loss down to her getting old. Then, this last week, she had grown thinner and stopped eating altogether and looked so unhappy, so we took her back to see the vet, expecting him to say the same thing, that she was just getting old. Unexpectedly, after another morning of tests, he told us how very unwell she was. She was only clinging to life and in a lot of pain. We didn't know she wouldnt be coming home with us when we took her in, so it was a suprise. It's always sad to lose a much loved pet, especially when they have been in the family for 15 years.

She was always napping in my fabric stash or guarding the ironing board (which gave me a good reason to put the ironing off for later), and she loved watching me quilt and tapping at the sewing machine whilst I worked. I will miss my little companion whenever I sew or read, she was always by my side and gave all of us so much love and pleasure. She will be much missed in our house.