Queen's Garden by Karen Daniel

Karen Daniel from Ilkley, Sunshine Coast, Australia created this stunner: look at these colors! The dark background makes all the colours zing so beautifully.  I am in love with the impact of a dark background on this design, and the centre pinks, yellow and green anchors the quilt perfectly.  Here's what Karen had to say: This was my first BOM, first attempt at appliqué and my first QAYG Files show front and back of quilt. Karen, you've sure got that knack for applique! This is more than an accomplished effort, I'm really proud that this is your first applique quilt and honored that you invested your skills in my BOM. 'Queen's Garden'

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

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

Thanks to Karen Daniel for sharing her finished quilt 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. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Hold Onto Your Heart: Part 6 Cacti

By now you've already seen this image, but I wanted to share my fabric switch out. You know I love chopping and changing my mind over fabrics, and the cacti fabric is no different. I started with the sea green above, I just loved it and thought it was perfect. But as the rest of scene started taking shape around it, I felt it was too stark and replaced it with this print below.

It's such a small switch but makes such a huge impact. I get to see these kinds of little decisions all the time over in my Quilt Group and I just wanted to share my own on here, I know how addictive it can be to fuss over fabric. In this instance, it was worth the extra motif making!

How cute are these cacti? I can't wait to show you my subtle quilt too. It looks like this bright version has become my ambassador quilt as it's coming together so much quicker! Luckily for me, they're both on track - I just work in different phases and parts which means the subtle one is never ready for photos, but I'm hoping to catch up soon.

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

Hold Onto Your Heart: Part 6 Orbs

One of the things I dislike about writing patterns is having to name certain elements or motifs for the sake of clarity. I much prefer not to name elements and for creators to develop their own terminology. It's the same with these shapes-I've been calling orbs since I drew them but I know everyone will instinctively just know what to call them. Non quilting friends who have seen this shape laying about tables in my house have called them dials, portals and windows. I love each idea in its own turn. 

So this is my orb: I had played around with keeping the centre empty so that the background fabric would show through, and when I tried this it looked very effective. In the end, as this is such a colourful statement quilt top, I decided to opt for more features rather than less. I settled on this wonderful rose print at just the right size for fussy cutting.

Here I'm using my favourite circle tool. If you don't have one already, get one - it makes circles a cinch!

Below are the pattern shapes cut from the fusible

For the circles all around the orb - these are optional.

You could also reverse cut them out to reveal your background fabric if you like.

For me, I'm adding smaller circles as additional applique shapes over the main motif.

Here I'm using my usual fusible, glue stick and turn edge method

and this is the back view

It's important to remember that these orbs want to grow - I know because I had to keep trimming mine back. Take care because the quilt is busy and the space is a custom fit, you can't allow the shapes to creep up any larger than indicated on the pattern.

When thinking about creating your orbs, remember that you don't have to add the extra circles on the dial, you can fussy cut the scalloped shape to show off a fabric instead if it suits your theme better.

Jenny Henry who is a Moderator in my Group has had the wonderful idea of inserting a photo image in each orb as a kind of photo frame - this works perfectly and is definitely worth considering. In fact I love the idea so much that I have incorporated it on my subtle quilt top and will show it in more detail when I have some images..

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

Hold Onto Your Heart: Part 6

This month it’s time to create the applique birdsong scene: you'll find all the wonderful details over in the pattern which is released today. I love this scene, it's the perfect place to begin the first of our four stories. When I was sketching the design, this bird couple just flew into the scene and perched themselves on the cacti. There's always a bird in my designs, well almost always - but in this instance, the cacti came before the birds.. which is a little unusual, but felt right straight away.

Cacti represent warmth, protection and endurance. The birds are plucking fruit from the blossoming flower heads whilst around them, vines are flourishing. There are two orbs tucked under the petal swirls. These orbs appear only once in the design and are very interesting, I'll return to them tomorrow and show you how I made mine.

These images are from my full colour quilt top, I just love how the overall look is coming together. There were a few moments when I was worried, it felt like too much colour all at once..but has finally come into it's own.

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

WOW: Free BOM 2019 = Half Wrapt Up !

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Here's a WOW that thousands of quilters are loving each month: it's my free BOM for 2019. This gorgeous blue color scheme was voted the most popular over in my Group and I can see why, there's something so serene about these tones. The fabrics are by Laundry Basket Quilts and they're drop stitch gorgeous. 

Now that we've hit June, this BOM is officially half way through. Yes, time sure does fly when you're busy creating beauties.. I love BOMs, it's super rewarding to see the months go by each year, knowing that a design is out there, progressing in the hands of many happy stitchers. 

And so that's my very special WOW today - it's a WOW of satisfaction because frankly, I have so many WIPs that I sometimes just have to bask in the completion success of others! Seeing this quilt coming together over in my Group is as exciting and fun as making it myself - possibly better because I could never make the hundreds of variations that are out there.

Thank you so much for making my year so colourful. I know so many of you take the time to share your pics over in the Group and it makes my day.

Thank You For So Many WOWs

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Mid Year Start: BOM 2019

'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a sentimental quilt: it's full of evocative motifs that represent all those values I hold dear to my heart; love, abundance, perseverance, sanctuary and journey. 

The middle section consists of applique scenes before the eye reaches outward and rests in the calm borders. At first glance, the design creates an impression of a life map (..or perhaps a treasure map?) before searching for and finding all those wonderful details that make this quilt so special. 

The floral border is a triumph; full of rose heads tumbling through the vines and spilling over into the previous border. For anyone not interested in the blooming rose border, there is also an alternative pieced border included in the pattern that has been designed to zig zag any gorgeous fabrics you may want to use instead.

Finished Size: 87 x 87 inches for the full floral border. If you opt for the alternative pieced border, the Finished Size will be 85 x 85 inches. 

We're currently up to Part 5, about to receive Part 6 in a few days.

   Yes, you can still join TODAY.    

The BOM runs for 12 months: January 15th 2019 - December 15th 2019. When you sign up today, you'll have access to all 5 x parts right up until today and will continue accessing the monthly parts along with the schedule until it's completed in December.

All the BOM 2019 patterns will be available in PDF digital format, ready for home printing. Throughout the year, members of BOM 2019 will have access to download the blocks as they are released via an exclusive Members LOGIN page over on my website. If you've paid for this BOM, you can click here to login now. 

BOM 2019

Early Bird Discount*

Single one time payment

$83.00 USD

*Normally $95 USD single one time payment.

WOW: Busy As Can Be

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

Somehow June has happened and I don't know how I got here?! 2019 please slow down.. I have so many ideas and WIPs and designs and you know, I just can't believe we're half done with the year. Is it just me, or is time speeding up?

I'm really lucky to have 2 full days completely devoted to Hold Onto Your Heart at the moment and I'm excited to be making progress on both quilt tops. But I have so many designs waiting to be made as well as WIPs that need my attention...and now that winter is here..well, you know I went and purchased some yarn, didn't you?

Of course I did! What else is a quilter with over 100 WIPS going to do with her evenings in winter?
I know what you're thinking and believe me, I'm thinking it too.. but the creative urge strikes and off I go..

What's Your WOW?

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Click here to enter