One Piece at a Time

Florabunda Block 12…I Can Hardly Believe It

This is making me a little sad but here is Block 12. I hope everyone joins along next year for My Tweets, my 2011 BOM. Next week I will have the center block and the finishing directions all ready for you.

The pattern has two formats. The first is a full size pattern (12” square you can download here) that you can save to a USB drive and take to a copy place to have printed. The other is a ¼ size drawing (download here) that should print on a regular printer. You can make 4 copies of this one and tape it together for a full size pattern.

For all you who like to share pictures you can join our FLICKR group at

http://www.flickr.com/groups/florabuddies

Have Fun and Happy Friday…now I am off to sew my fingers to bloody stumps.

 

BIG News

Here is some really really big news! I've been running around smiling like a goof ball all week. United Notions/Moda Fabrics is now carrying my patterns. Anyone who is interested in buying my patterns and doesn't like to buy online can now order them from thier local quilt shops. They are listed under my vendor name:

One Piece at a Time Quilts

I am so grateful! I have just shipped them two boxes full.

Tell you local quilt shop owners...please...

Oh, by the way, Florabunda Block 12 is coming this Friday. Next week I will have Florabunda finishing directions and later next week ....ta da...the center block that you all have waited so patiently for.

Applique Video: Tucking in your points

How do you know when it's time to stop stitching and start blogging?

When you prick you finger so bad that you bleed all over your quilt! I'm hoping that I got the stain out...YIKES.

Anyway, I made this video to demonstrate how I tuck my points in on leaves and petals and such. I find doing this during the starching process really speeds up the stitching time. Enjoy.

 

The WINNER is

Shirley, who wrote,

"My favorite memory is actually pre-quilting itself. It was when I walked into my first real quilt shop. I stood there in the doorway and thought "This is what I've been looking for my entire life." All the years of going to craft shows and thinking "I wish I could do this" suddenly became reality. It's been 30+ years and I haven't stopped yet."

Shirley youe e-mail is on the way.

It was sure fun reading everyones stories this weekend!

Design Wall Monday and Challenge 3 Sneak Peak

My friend Amy said I'm not allowed to show the entire quilt until the voting starts so I'm just doing a sneak peak today. All I can say is that I had to go to the store and buy a new bottle of Advil because my neck is getting sore. Since this quilt is larger than my usual applique blocks I can't use my handy easel to prop things up.

Here is a picture of my set up for doing the final basting. I had to move my big table into the middle of the room.

Head on over to Judy's blog to see what everyone else is up to.

Quilt Show GIVE-AWAY

Happy Friday Everyone.

Today I am giving away a FREE 6-month subscription to The Quilt Show with Ricky Timms and Alex Anderson. I have been a member since the very begining of this wonderful on-line quilt guild and I have always learned amazing amounts everytime I watch a show. To enter leave a comment telling us your favorite learning to quilt memory and I will pick a winner on Monday.

Have a nice weekend!

High Curvature Petals

Since we are getting close to finishing Florabunda I thought it was time for a little tutorial on how I do petals with a LOT of curvature. I was going to try and video this but I found that the pictures did a much better job showing the nitty gritty of how I do this.

First, cut out your petal and clip the inner curves.

Place the petal on your pressing surface and place the template on top.

You can press the straight-ish part of the petal fairly quickly by turn large amounts under. Once you get to the curvy part of the petal turn and press SMALL AMOUNTS at a time. Here are a few shots of exactly how little I am pressing each time. To make this easier just use the very point of your iron.

Pressing small amounts at a time will prevent little points developing and give you a nice smooth curve.

You Know You Got It Bad When…

So, one of the perks of being in the McCall’s Design Star challenge is the goodie boxes that they send you. After I found out last week that I was on to Challenge 3 they also informed me that there would be a goodie box. I started waiting by the door right then and there. Well, I did actually leave the house from time to time to do necessary things like grocery shopping and kid transportation. This was how I learned just what a MESS I am when it comes to fabric and quilting supplies.

One day I was returning home from one of these outings when I noticed a package sitting on the front porch. I started doing the happy dance right then and there, which made it a little tricky to park the car since I was still driving it. When I came into the house and unpacked I found HUGE Godiva Chocolate gift basket from my aunt. This one to be exact.

 

Now here’s the embarrassing part. I was a little sad that it wasn’t quilting stuff. Seriously, that much chocolate and I was bummed. Shameful to admit, I know. Pretty much the only way I can post this is knowing that my aunt doesn’t have a computer. Don’t get me wrong, I love my aunt and I loved the chocolate….but alas it wasn’t fabric. All I can say is I must be spoiled and I also have a quilting addiction pretty bad.  I think I will go eat some chocolate.

By the way, this arrived the very next day…yum... in a different way

Aunt Betty, if you finally went to that computer store I told you about and bought the computer I told you to buy, just know that I loved the chocolate. Seriously, I ate almost the whole basket.

Staying Organized for Big Projects

I know there are many neat ways to organize quilting projects on the market these days. I sometimes find myself gazing wistfully at all these neat things, longing for some perfect system to keep me organized and productive. It has been my experience, however, that the best method for organizing is usually the simplest. That why when I heard this one I went right out to the grocery store and bought a pack of paper plates…yep...plain old paper plates.

As I shared yesterday I’m attempting a multi-block “re-invention” of my Miss Hannah quilt to submit for my McCall’s challenge 3 project. Now as you all know, that’s A LOT of flowers and petals and leaves to keep straight. I’m organizing all these bits and pieces on, you guessed it, paper plates.

Here’s a shot of all the parts for one of the flowers.

Once I’m done with all the parts I pre-assemble the flowers and put them back on the plate. Now isn’t that the prettiest plate of flowers you have ever seen?

As I work through my list of “parts” I store each piece on it’s own plate.

If I need to tidy up a bit, let’s say so my son can build a scale model of the Empire State Building in my sewing room for a school project (don’t laugh this is actually happening as we speak) then I just stack them up and put them in the cupboard.

Damage so far:24 tulips,24 pink posies, 128 petals and 48 flowers centers.

The Winners Are

Anna, who wrote,"My favourite Christmas tradition is making the gingerbread house - and then eating it. :)"

Cynthia, who wrote,"We have been blessed in 2010 with our first Granddaughter. Time for us to continue old traditions as well as making new ones. Quilting will sure be a part of 2011 as it has been for many years."

And Peggi, who wrote,"Oooh goody! What a great idea! I love your wall hangings, especially the pink ones, so being given a chance to win one is a treat! Hmmm my favorite tradition has to be our annual Christmas Tree Ornament Bonanza. Every year my boys, my husband, and I sit down and make ornaments. One year it was cinnamon snowflakes, another year it was nutcracker foamies. There was one disastrous year that involved quilt basting spray and ultrafine glitter... My intent is to create memories for my kids, and when they're grown and have their own house, they can take the ornaments they've made over the years and decorate their tree with childhood memories."

Ladies, you e-mail is on the way.

Thanks to everyone for sharing all the lovely traditions. Apparently we all like cookies....A LOT so look for some cookie posts in the next two weeks.