WOW: New Habits

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I've started two new working habits that are motivating me a lot more than I expected they would. The first is purely celebratory - each time I finish a design or pattern, I buy a bunch of flowers. Look at these lilies! This photo doesn't do them justice, they are a bright, deep orange in real life and I am smiling each time I pass them on my kitchen table. Designing is a celebration, especially at my age.

When I started quilting I had no idea that my new hobby would take me into such a new direction. After all, I am supposed to be retired. But I work more now than I ever have. It's a curious turn in life events and one I am grateful for. I only wish I'd started 30 years earlier!

With so much of my day taken up by my creative pursuits, my reading has mostly fallen away. I feel completely out of the loop when it comes to modern literature. I found that I couldn't keep up with my book group about 10 years ago and simply stopped going. Recently, I've been missing my reading time. My DD suggested that I listen to Audio Books whilst I prep applique pieces and do those boring bits. At first it didn't appeal. I sometimes already watch the Quilt Show on my laptop for company when I'm in the mood for it. But as I'm sewing and doing things, I often lose track of what's happening on screen. I was reluctant to spend money on audio books for the same reason. I just couldn't see myself getting enough value from them.

Boy, was I wrong! Call me the new Queen of Audio Titles! I have 30 in my library at the moment and it's growing at a rate of 2-3 a week. I know 'netflix' bingeing is a thing with younger people, well I am doing the same thing with audio books. Except, instead of sitting in front of a screen, I am working away and enjoying every minute. In fact sometimes, I keep working beyond what I planned just to finish the chapter! I use an app on my phone and simply listen whenever I feel like it. I really don't know how the Audible revolution passed me by before this. I can't recommend it enough for an afternoon of creativity. I love it.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

'Nelke' by Lin McQuiston

I was delighted when I saw Lin's 'Nelke' quilt: for one thing, her fabrics are beautiful, I am head over heels with this whole warm, soft pallette. You know, when I was thinking up a name for my quilt, I had always 'seen' it in my mind's eye as being hazelnuts, gingers and reds - a nutty pallette if you like. And Nelke literally means 'clove' so it fit perfectly.

Lin's use of lighter green on the large outer leaves add an air of delicacy to this quilt visually and it all works together in perfect balance. I was super impressed when I saw the fabric border, I think the print Lin chose is ideal, it looks custom made!

Look at this superb quilting - it offsets the applique beautifully.

I love everything about your Nelke, Lin. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to share it with us all.

Have you made Nelke? Lin made changes to this quilt to make it suit her. And since the pattern was released, I have added an extra bird and bows to the corners. This was one quilt I simply couldn't help 'updating' so for this reason, you will see several varieties out there. Each is as gorgeous as the next. 

If you'd like to read more about Nelke, you can check out the Nelke post archive right here on this blog by clicking the image below. 

'Nelke' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

------------------------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery------------------------------------------- 

Thanks to Lin McQuiston for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Morning Glory: Making Part 7

This month it's time to make the corner triangle blocks - they're quarter Dresdens with overlapping petals which are completed using applique. This is a perfect block for showing off some stunning fussy cutting. Or, like me, you might simply enjoy seeing your selected fabrics harmoniously come together.

First up, it's time to prep all the Templates. I wish there was a quick way to end up with all the right pieces just waiting for assembly - but there isn't! Take your time and make sure your pieces are all accurate.

There are 8 x wedges forming the Dresden Triangle Block. Start by appliqueing the curved edge wedge first, as below

 back view

 turning over the petal top edges

and front view

Next, it's time to create the 'blade' layer

stitch from pin to pin marked below

and sew between the same lines

back view of blades stitched together

front view

Next, sew in the blade tips

 back of the block

 front view

Now that all the elements are assembled, it's time to bring them together

Using the constructed pattern as a guide, 

 I positioned my pieces, overlapping with small dabs of Roxanne Basting Glue

 Building up from the corner outward

 back view of completed block

 Make sure you check your piece sizing and positioning as you glue down the pieces

1 x Corner Triangle Block applique motif shapes completed

BOM 2018, My Biggest Year Ever! 

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.

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

'Pomegranate' by Ingrid Slatta

'Pomegranate' is a wall hanging and Ingrid has made hers beautifully. You know I'm rather partial to a red and white combination (it's the same I made my own Pomegranate in) and Ingrid's is especially striking. I love her choice of quilting, the straight lines enhance the curves of the vase and flowers.

It's a real treat to see how quilter's have made up any of my patterns and an inspiration to browse through and enjoy all the creativity and talent expressed in each finished project. Have you made my Pomegranate pattern? If so, I'd love to see it!

Here are my blog posts related to this gorgeous wall hanging:

An InLinkz Link-up

------------------------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery------------------------------------------- 

Thanks to Ingrid Slatta for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

WOW: Rolling Up!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

So this here roll of paper doesn't look like much.. but it's a world of creativity to me! I design so much that I rely on rolls of paper to get it all down. Butcher paper to be precise. This is a standing order in my house - it's 1.215m wide x 500 metres long and the paper is 40gsm which is half the usual thickness of printing paper. It's perfect for designing.

This roll is 30kgs and it's waiting by the door where it was dropped off (upside down too as you can see!). My DH will move it into my studio later when he gets home. I use this paper to get my initial designs down in real life size. I then photograph and document the design process. Then, when I'm happy, I start transferring my original designs onto artists paper for long term storage. I actually keep all my designs archived in folios by year. I think it's so important to have a process. I know lots of designers work straight on screens now, but I'm old school. It all starts from a process that begins with sketching by hand over several drafts before I even consider sitting behind a screen.

Everyone works in the way that suits them and this is the way I like the most. I love being able to physically step back and see stages and developments in a design, it's a rewarding step that creates an important part of every design 'story'. I go through so much paper during my designing that I have to dispose of all my waste paper directly at a facility - there's no way my output would fit into our standard 'domestic' recycling bins! Well OK, my husband does that bit. I guess that's the price he has to pay for living with a designer :)

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

WOW: My New Brother Scan N Cut CM900

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Oh boy do I have high hopes for this machine! With so many patterns on the go and only one pair of hands, I've decided that I could really use some professional help. I'm pinning all my hopes on this Brother Scan N Cut machine. Initially I was reluctant to purchase a new machine. After all, I am trying to get rid of 'stuff', not keep adding to my collection. I went back and forth for several months before realizing that I really do need help with my cutting requirements and this machine could save me a lot of time and effort. 

In Australia these units retail for $699 (which is $514 USD), even though the same unit can be snapped up for under $300 USD in the US. Like so many items in Australia, this one has been slapped with an inflated price for no discernible reason other than brand greed. You can find this item online right now for as low as $649, but I decided to pay a bit extra and purchased it from the Better Homes & Garden Shop because they were giving away this 'bonus' bag with each purchase.

Well you know I love storage bags and really love idea of having somewhere safe to tuck my machine at the end of my applique frenzy sessions! To purchase the bag separately would have cost over $100, so it seems like a good deal to me. I only wish the bag was a bit more interesting. I often wonder about the developers who sit around designing these kinds of bags. The main users of Brother Scan N Cut machines are apparently paper artists and people into scrap booking - a creative bunch of people! So why is the bag this boring two toned blue affair? Couldn't they have mustered up enough enthusiasm to spoil us with a print? Maybe it's just the grumpy quilter in me talking, but seriously - would it have killed them to make an effort?

So today I'm playing around with my new toy. Hopefully this means I'll have some new designs to show you soon because I simply don't have the hand power to get ahead of my schedule any other way. Fingers crossed it's going to live up to all the hype.

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Arranging My Stars

So I finally picked fabric for the background and here I am arranging the blocks for my quilt top (don't mind my old lady house shoes!). This blue mop thing is a swiffer. Although I vacuum each day, wooden floors somehow always create dust tumbleweeds that are irresistibly attracted to my fabric projects, so before I lay down any fabrics, the swiffer comes out!

This quilt top is made from my pattern Stash Busting Stars. Well, to be precise, the blocks are from that pattern. I'm actually changing things around and adding sashing between the blocks and an extra border to get the size I want rather than make more stars, so mine is a variation.

It's a few years old now since I created the pattern and the way I made these blocks was that I simply added a round randomly from stashed fabric over about 14 months. And as I was making the stars, I really was stash busting scraps left over from various projects and this means that I didn't pay enough attention to the fabric pairing. I really don't know why this didn't occur to me as I was making it up! I think I was just happy to be making a scrappy quilt to have about the house, but now that I'm getting them all lined up, I wish I'd coordinated them more!

Finally after endless changes, I settled on this arrangement. And I will be adding sashing between the blocks and a border. I love that this throw around quilt is made up of project scraps for the stars and the background and border are actual stash fabrics. I hate parting with fabric, so it's nice to actually use it up.

Here's a close up of the background fabric I chose, I think it grounds all the scrappy blocks perfectly. It's called Count Your Blessings by Kathy Schmitz LLC for Moda #6083 and it's a stash bundle, I have no idea how old it is, probably 10 years or so.

This gorgeous pink trumpet flower fabric is by Beth Bruske for David Textiles and it's over 10 years old, maybe even 13 or 14. I haven't met a Beth Bruske fabric I didn't like, honestly they are all so gorgeous. Nowadays, I can't find any anywhere so I assume she has stopped designing, which is a shame. I find there's something so old world and evocative about her prints that are always charming and work beautifully in piecing, fussy cutting and applique. In fact, I love this print so much, I also purchased it in a blue-ish shade which you can see below used in the border. Again, I'll be using her pink trumpet flowers in my border for the new quilt too. I think the reason I keep using her fabrics primarily in borders is because I don't like cutting them up!

This is one of the first quilts I made. It's over 15 years old. Back then I was stenciling on all my quilts, so even a pieced quilt like this got the painted block treatment!

When I look back on my quilts, I can see a progression in style and taste. But you know what? I still love them, including this one. I can't actually remember what I called this quilt (isn't that terrible?!). It has a label but I stuck it at the top (a beginner's mistake) where the hanging rod is so I can't actually read it. Whatever I called it, it's made an appearance in my house for the first time in 10 years when I did my yearly Changing of the Quilts back in February. I thought it was about time it got some love.

The domestic machine quilting is gorgeous too. I'm taken aback at home much work I put into this quilt, even the back is fully stencilled. My Stash Busting Stars quilt is decidedly more relaxed and I love that I'm going to have some of these in the house as my current quilts are much more art and hanging quilts. It's nice to have some variety.

Now I have my blocks arranged, I am putting them aside for when I feel like a day's easy sewing to get the top together. It feels so good to have a quilt nearly done. It's all thanks to my WOW routine on Wednesdays, otherwise I would never have spent time working on a stash busting top. I feel very resourceful. Now it's time to get back to my BOMs...