FREE Quilt: 'Heart It' is Launched !

Heart It is a charming heart themed quilt and I'm releasing it for free to all my group members. Do you have a heart themed quilt in your home? I don't - yet- so I decided to do something about that! Hearts are such a classic design and plenty of fun too. I've designed my hearts here in a 'sophisticated theme' of red and beige but I'm also falling in love with a girly scheme of pink and lemon. This is a quilt top design that can be made in a single weekend and completely satisfies my craving for simple pleasures - love hearts and simple pieced blocks. A perfect opportunity to show off those stash fabrics.

I make a lot of intense quilts, so its nice to get back to basics.

This pattern is ideal for beginners; full of repetition and practice with a good balance of piecing and applique. What's not to love about that? The full complete pattern is available in my Yahoo Group for free. It will be available there for 1 month.

If you make this quilt, please consider letting me know by adding a comment to the Heart It page at the top of this blog. There's also a linky there for any bloggers that want to share their journey with the rest of us.

Happy Quilting!

WOW: Collectible Sewing Kits

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday

Today is an unusual WOW in that I'm not doing any sewing. I'm instead sorting through some boxes in the garage as we are having a garage sale. I think I have been downsizing for the last 5 years, it's just so hard. But other than that, its just so time consuming. But even so, some decisions are easier than others. Take for example my bag of sewing kits. I don't know why I even have so many. I guess its a bit like having hundreds of matchboxes back when everyone handed out little matchboxes wherever you went. That doesn't happen nowadays, but I can remember when it did. I think my sewing kit collection grew in the same way.

This is a basic sewing kit, it's rather pointless as it doesn't actually include a needle.

whereas this one has a fat needle that would puncture rather than sew your clothes

this is the deluxe version as it has 3 needles, 3 sizes of safety pin and even a press stud

the rest are all exactly the same, except for their different cardboard covers. I really wonder if anyone ever uses sewing kits. Did they ever? I know having hundreds of these in a bag is completely pointless and yet I think they're rather cute and don't really want to part with them. But I will.I definitely will. 

What's Your WOW ?

An InLinkz Link-up

Oma's Blues: Template C

In Oma's Blues, you have the option of creating charm plates with a ring within them (you could of course simply stitch down a fabric that you love, without applique, depending on the look you're after). With the charm plates themselves, this inner ring is quickly and easily appliqued with fusible.

This is a real time video guide for beginners. This is how I do it and the technique is the same regardless of the template or pattern or design I am following:

Oma's Blues Part 2 is Launched !

Phew, I'm launching on time! Yes, my copier issues are finally behind me and hopefully my trusty old Toshiba will be able to keep up as I intend 2015 to be my year for BOMs.

Since last month, some of you have already started on your centre plates  - and they're all looking wonderful, just how I imagined them. I'm feeling really sorry at the moment that I'm not making the pattern with you at the same time. This is how it has to be for most of my patterns from now on. 

There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to make everything I design. Mind you, if I didn't have so much going on this year, I think I would 'pause' LE for a year to get Oma's Blues made because I'm completely in love with it! You've probably noticed that I've started an Oma's Blues board over on Pinterest (you can see it from my Oma's Blues Page at the top of this blog). If you're making this quilt, be sure to share your journey with us. I've already seen some fabulous fabrics as well as one member who is going with an oriental inspired version...I can't wait. 

My heart skips a beat when I see a new image uploaded. I never knew so many of you were in love with the idea of a blue and white quilt too, and I'm so happy that Oma's Blues has snuggled into your hearts . I know many of you also remember your own Oma's with dishware and I've been touched by the emails I've received by those of you making your own quilt in memory of a loved one. What better use for a quilt can there be?

This month you will be creating the 4 x roses charm blocks and I already know they're going to be beautiful.

Can't wait to see your progress....

Oma's Blues is a free BOM available to members of my Yahoo BOM Group. 

We are currently at Part 2. Part 1 is still available for free, so if you're interested, join us today

Lily Rose: Sewing Down the Borders

Today I'm sewing in the borders and I hope to be done by lunchtime. I'm thinking about puffing out the oval frame by stuffing it lightly, just like I did over some of the flower details. I'll take a look at it when its all together and decide then what should be done. I'm feeling so determined to get Lily Rose completed as I know that its now or never. Meaning that if I don't finish this WIP now, when will I? I have so many WIPs I'm too daunted to even answer that question!

Often as I work I listen to the Quilt Show that I'll have running in the background or the radio. Today I opted for the radio and I've already had to change stations twice. There's a lot of nonsense on the radio about it being Friday the 13th. Well, I don't believe in bad luck or that a number can have any power over your luck, but if it did, surely talking about it non stop wouldn't help?? What about you? will you stay home today? Or avoid threading a needle?

Or do you have any other sewing superstitions you pay heed to?

WOW: Lily Rose the CBBs

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I'm working on those corner bits that are in each of the four corners of the centre. For LE, I resorted to calling certain shapes dewbies because I had no words for certian shapes. I don't know what to call these shapes, other than centre background bits or CBBs. They're lovely and I want them, I just don't know what to call them. Anyway, I've made one and I have the other three prepped and ready to be made. 

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Lily Rose: Embellishing the Rose Buds

I've decided to dedicate another day to embellishing the bouquet with simple stitchery. In this case, I'm focusing in on the rosebuds to give them some dimension as I felt they were a bit flat.

 I'm simply highlighting areas in complimentary DMC threads and basic gobelin or straight stitch

 I think outlining has the biggest impact

It's a bit wrinkly, so I'm going to make a tiny snip behind the fabric and lightly stuff a tiny amount of batting behind the rose applique fabric to puff it out. At this stage I should mention that I have already sewn down my bouquet to the background fabric. It is in position.

I have lightly stuffed my pink flower centre in the same way, I think that little bit of dimension makes a real difference.

Love the puff :) 

 I'm looking forward to hanging Lily Rose and enjoying it every day

 these details just increase the pleasure