BOM 2018: Morning Glory Background Blues

Although it looks almost black in this picture, this is my navy blue background that I'm using for Morning Glory. I purchased a whole bolt of it in a fabric shop a few years ago. I fell in love with the colour and just knew it would be perfect for a future project.

Well, I was right about wanting to use it, but what I didn't know is that it has a grain warp through the whole bolt. Initially I thought it was a fold line, due to how the fabric was wrapped around the bolt. And I thought this could be relaxed away. But no washing has budged it, so I really wonder if it was just manufactured like this.

I washed and then soaked the fabric to try and relax the fibres, but it didn't help.

And then I noticed these notices throughout the fabric at various intervals.

I'm so annoyed. 

So, I'm going to see if I can get enough unblemished length to work with and make a start..

It's a lesson for me, bolt bargains aren't worth the headache later on.

Have you ever been stung by a fabric treasure turned tarnish?

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

WOW: Showing My DH Some Love..

WOW= WIPs On Wednesdays

"Roses are red, see how I bother

I used up some Tilda to make good your collar"

It must be true love. I have three WIPs sitting on my design desk, but instead of working away at those, I'm behind the iron, spending my precious quilting time updating the collar of my DH's shirt. 

It's a lovely shirt in a muted pink shade. It's new, but somehow I ruined the collar. I blame the washing machine, because although I don't know how, the tips of the collar were suddenly frayed, in really no time at all. Perhaps 4 washes. With no way to match the collar which looks shabby on an otherwise excellent shirt, the only real way to save the shirt is to replace the collar. 

There's no way I'd ever be able to match the fabric, so I opted for some Tilda from my stash (above). I think it's a perfect match without looking too feminine. So this morning I'm fixing up the collar, using the original collar as my template. 

And being a pink shirt, it'll be perfect for my husband to wear this evening when I send him out to collect some TakeAway. No cooking or dishes? Now that's something I love!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

WOW: Tracing Love Always

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Talking about WIPs, did I mention that I'm making 2 x full size Love Always quilts at the same time? Crazy? Maybe! Perhaps all this bright and cheerful Kaffee Fassett stash surrounding me is giving me renewed enthusiasm?!

I don't know how I'm going to fit it all in, but I feel determined. Oh, and I've decided that I'm going to turn edge applique both of them because otherwise I know it will drive me crazy later on if I don't. So today I'm getting some preparation out of the way. 2018 is going to involve a lot of prepping, so I may as well make a start.

What's Your WOW? 

An InLinkz Link-up

BOM 2018: Tracing Onto A Dark Background

I haven't worked with a dark background before, so tackling how to trace my applique position onto the background fabric posed a new challenge. I thought I could get around it with a light box but that didn't work, my navy background is really too dark for any cheat methods to work.

So my next thought was to try using pounce powder. I've had this block for years. I purchased it back when I was experimenting with quilting - or I should say, had plans to. But, as a freestyle domestic quilter, I just never got around to trying it out. Lucky for me, I stashed it for 'one of those days' and I'm happy to say, one of those days finally rolled around. Now, in my household, that's like saying 'the cows came home' because I stash a lot of things and no one in my family believes they will ever serve a purpose. Well, as you can see, they are wrong, the cows really have come home and I will continue stashing things as and when I please (and shelf space allows).

This is a tracing wheel and I decided to test it out on the nearest block I had to hand. This is Part 6 of Morning Glory, so don't worry if you don't recognize it yet.

The tracing wheel worked better than expected around curves and I think it's because I did my tracing with a soft thick cloth beneath my block which really allowed the spikes to puncture deeply.

Then I rubbed the pounce block over my punctured block

and here's my block, traced and ready for working with.

What I love about pounce powder is that you can handle, scrunch and work with the fabric normally, just like you would when preparing applique onto a background, and it won't come off until you iron it off, or rub over it with a lint free tissue. This means that if you make a mistake during the tracing, you can simply wipe it off and start again.

I have my colour scheme, my fabrics and my method of tracing down the background, next it's time to make a start and show you some progress.. stay tuned. 

But if you can't wait for me, be sure to visit my BOM Group over on Facebook - there's lots of progress going on over there to inspire you. 

Morning Glory is my current paid BOM. It's an applique and pieced quilt. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

KFC: Topping Up the Stash

Making a start on Love Always means I've had to top up my Kaffee Fassett stash: I seem to have lots of smaller measures that simply aren't enough for my full sized quilt, so I've been shopping online and luckily managed to find what I was missing.

I love the reds and oranges and always seem to have enough of those, but I don't have nearly enough green. My latest purchase  from the Fat Quarter Shop was these new greens here, but I still went shopping for more from Glorious Color for older ranges (luckily still in stock) and I can't wait for that package to arrive.

I'm buying enough to make 2 x full size quilts because I know that as soon my DDs see this quilt in all it's fabulous bold beauty, they will want one each. So I'll just make two at once! Because of this, I'm debating what technique I'll personally use - raw edge seems the most feasible, time wise. And it would allow me to contrast satin stitch if the mood takes me. But, can I resist turn edge applique? I'll let you know once I've started, right now, I'm undecided. 

BOM 2018, Biggest Year Ever! 

Love Always is my current paid BOM. It's mainly applique. It stated on January 1st and Part 2 has just been released. 

To see some of the breathtaking examples that are taking shape, simply visit my BOM Group where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

You can start this BOM today! 

Simply click the quilt image to learn more.

WOW: Playing With Prints!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Today is the last day of January, and I'm loving what a productive month it's been!

-I've launched 4 BOMs
-Tidied out all my cupboards and checked over all my stored quilts
-Confirmed 4 new designs for drafting
-Started a new Group for stenciling and painting quilts
- And started on making my own blocks

So today, I'm taking the morning to do some serious playing. This package from Fat Quarter Shop arrived 2 weeks ago and after checking to make sure it was all there, I set it aside to explore when I had time. That time is now and I can't wait to dig in. I'm filling out my Kaffee stash for my BOM Love Always and this pack will make up those fabrics that I didn't have enough of.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

The Magic of Tidying Up!

After my moth attack, I did some tiding up around the house and had several bags of goods which I dropped off at my local Op Shop. I never go there usually because my family have forbidden me from browsing other people's discarded things. They have this crazy idea that I will end up bringing home an antique side table, matching chairs, two man sized lamps and a boot-full of fabrics that my DH will have to somehow stash in the garage. They are constantly thwarting my great ideas and love for antiques in this way. But this weekend, I managed to sneak out whilst they were all distracted, under the guise of a hairdressing appointment .. and I struck gold!

This is 5 metres of Chintz, and it's so new that it still has all it's shine. It's never been washed. It even has that new fabric smell. I don't have many blue ideas, design wise, but I'm already seeing lots of possibilities with this fabric. I feel like I want to cover a chair with this fabric, or perhaps make a broderie perse version of On My Window, Flowers Bloom?  It's gorgeous. The flower heads include large vintage roses, parrot tulips, daisies, bell shaped flowers and more.

Right now, I just want to admire it for a while and let an idea find it's way to me.

My DD recently lectured me on the magic of 'tidying up' (aren't grown up children insufferable sometimes?!), and whilst I ignored her at the time, I must admit, she might be right. What a pay off!