WOW: Time to Charm

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I've been working between two main quilts these last few weeks: I've been prepping Oma's Blues and finishing LE2 and I'm just in love with both of them.

I had decided that from now on, I would no longer make quilts - I would instead make quilt tops and keep them as 'tops' only. At least, I thought this was a way I could get many of my quilts actually made. I'm still really disappointed with myself that my Forget Me Not quilt isn't finished as I feel that quilt didn't get enough love - probably because I never showed it here as I never got around to completing the top! At least with the tops done, I would feel free to move on through my quilt catalog until I'm caught up on all my own projects, and then I would take out a year to do nothing but back, quilt and bind each quilt. And it still sounds like a good plan. The only problem is, I fall in love with each quilt and can't imagine stopping at the top stage. I already know where I want to hang Oma's Blues!

Today I'm working through the charm plates. I'm making this quilt out of turn so I'm creating parts when it suits me, not according to the release schedule. I made the charm rings above a few months ago (and have a video tutorial if you missed that post), so today I'll be working on the motifs that go inside the charms and I expect to have every single one completed by the weekend. Fingers crossed.

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Oma's Blues: The Vase

 I'm working on the applique shapes that make up Oma's centre plate. Today, its the vase.

 Applique shapes have a habit of growing, so I keep checking them against the template

 I'm using stitch and wash fusible for the applique pieces 

 I'm fussy cutting all my shapes 

and my finished vase!

 I love this fabric and I'm not surprised it's called Dutch Cottage, it's perfect for my Oma's Blues

When I have my shape completed, I iron it and then position it into place on my background using basting glue. I've pinned my background fabric over the pattern template (which is clearly showing through).

Oma's Blues is my current free BOM; 

you can download the pattern parts over in my Yahoo Bom Group

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/estheraliubom/info

WOW: LE Hand Sewing

WOW = WIPs On Wednesday

Today I'm going to spend the morning hand sewing my LE2 quilt. I just love this quilt and I've added a new border that I think really makes it come into its own, so I'm looking forward to finishing it and showing it off. But for now, it's good old fashioned hard work time..

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LE2: Ring Time

The compass ring has been positioned, glued and ironed down. Now it's time to place the little circles at the compass points.

I prepared these a few weeks ago and tucked them in an envelope. On days when I don't feel like tacking anything 'big' I work at preperation - there's always so much to do. I'd forgotten about these fussy cut circles for LE2 but I found them during my room clean up last week, so I feel like I've made up on time!

 And now I just have to hand sew everything down

LE2: Putting Down The Ring

Accuracy is everything, so check and then double check the measurements of your ring, background fabric and inside ring measure. I'm cutting away the inside circle to leave a margin all the way around.

 Clip all the way around with sharp scissors, working in small neat snips

Avoid clipping all the way to the edge; when you turn the edge over, you don't want any snipped fabric to show or tear. So when you snip, always leave a millimetre un-clipped as a safety margin. My needle here shows how I don't snip all the way.

 Keep checking back to the pattern template for accuracy

I often snip my points or centre markings - these snips indicate points that make sense to me. I do this throughout all my patterns so if you ever see my fusible or progress work with snips, that's why. It's a kind of guide to help me keep position.

 These points are important so I've marked them

with this tool

The snip guides help me to position everything just so. When it comes to positioning the compass ring, you must take care to do so accurately. This will prevent warping when you stitch it down to the rest of the centre.

With the main points pinned down, I unpin each section at a time and dab basting glue in the area before carefully putting it down and positioning it into place.

Dabbing one section at a time makes placement easier. If you dab the whole ring and then try to guide it into position, it will be hard to accurately and flatly guide down.

 Section by section

 And finally I add the centre polka dot middle

Whenever you iron into position to set the glue for the time being, always cover the block with fabric. This keeps the fabric clean, prevents shine and I find it gets blocks flatter than when they are ironed directly. It works for me.

If you're making any of my patterns that require a 'ring' I have a video tutorial on how I do this relating to my Oma's Blues quilt and in particular the rings that are created for the charm plates. You can view this tutorial by clicking on my side bar under the tutorials tab.

LE2: Prepping for the Compass Ring

 Today I'm prepping my work area to create the 'ring' that goes around the compass

There's nothing wrong with my first compass (above), I just don't love it anymore. I feel like LE2 wants a polka dotty compass with fewer fabrics and a simpler look - so I made a new one.

 I love it, it's just what I had in mind

Tomorrow I'll be putting down the compass ring

WOW: A Tidy Room!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

My sewing room is finally in order. I was very happy to realise that an entire shelf of fabric has now been emptied of fabrics. This front shelf here was loaded with fabric, but is now books and magazines only. Over the next few weeks, I will be going through this bookshelf and letting go of any titles that I don't need in my life. It's hard to release things as I like everything I have. But if I don't need it, it has to go. I released an entire shelf of fabric in this way and now only have the stash shelf behind it full of fabric. My stash busting is half accomplished. The rest of my shelving consists of plastic boxes that are each filled with a WIP. When I'm ready, I'll take on each box one at a time until all my WIPs are done. What a wonderful feeling that will be. I hope I live long enough to actually accomplish such a huge task!

My biggest quilting mistake was that, 14 years ago when I started out, it was a popular idea to 'stash build'. I don't know why stash building appealed to me so much, but it did. And it even made sense. I wasn't the only one - everyone was doing it. Which sounds so stupid now. I really don't know why I didn't stop and think of the future? I purchased heaps of fabric. And I pretty much regret 80% of it. I really didn't think so much of it could date so badly. But it has. Most of it hasn't been useful. In fact, it's been a burden and I'm happy to see it gone. I now try to buy what I need on a project basis only and I'm already making a habit of releasing the leftovers wherever I can and to whomever I can. It's liberating.

I want to be a woman with quilts, not a woman with fabrics.

What are your thoughts on fabric stashes?

What's Your WOW?

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