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I hope you all had a nice Father’s Day weekend and enjoyed your Block 6 patterns!
Here’s what my design wall is looking like this morning. I’m planning an appliqué border for this quilt and after I get that done it will be a pattern. I’m calling it Pop Up Posies. It makes me smile whenever I see it.
Head on over to Judy’s blog to see what everyone else is up to.
Happy Friday Everyone.
As promised here is block 6 of the 2011 Block of the Month My Tweets.
Since these blocks finish at 14” and many of the blocks are asymmetrical I want to talk about printing your patterns. Each pattern has four downloads. Print each of these and tape them together to make your full sized pattern. Here is a diagram for doing this.
We will do this the same way for all the patterns since it allows the patterns to be easily printed on a home printer.
For those who like to share please go to the FLCKR group at
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1604241@N21/
or the yahoo group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/erinsquilters/
and join the fun.
Enjoy!
Full Sized Pattern:
Printer Sized Patterns:
I’m busy working on Block 6 for My Tweets and I wanted to share a little time-saver with you. The flower petals in the pink flower are the same as the leaves! To make the leaves into petals just clip off one end of the leaf!
I will be back on Friday with the Block!
Back when we were starting My Tweets I did some tutorials on how I did bird feathers. I think ( my memory isn’t what it once was) that I was using Templar in these. While I was making the bird for Block 6 I decided to try my double freezer paper technique and I have to say I liked it much better. When you use a double piece of freezer paper the template sticks to the back side of the fabric and it is very easy to press around all those tight curves. The downside is that these templates only hold up to a few presses before they get a little mushy ( they last longer if you use starch sparingly) Since these blocks have only one or two birds it works great however.
Just remember to reverse the pattern so your bird faces in the right direction. I did this by turning the pattern over and tracing that way.
Here are some shots. The pattern is stuck to the backside of the fabric.
It doesn’t move around so much when you are working on very tight curves. I like this because then I don’t have to use the “death grip” and my hands get less tired.
See, it comes out just fine!
Ooops! Here is a picture of the freezer paper I use. Just iron two sides together and trace away. I get it here.
Here’s a shot of my design table this fine Monday morning. As you can tell from that big purple bird I am working on Block 6 for My Tweets. I’m revising my first drawing a little bit and I’m hoping to have this up on Friday.Hmmm...I might be MIA for a few days while I get that going.
Anyway, head on over to Judy’s blog to see what everyone else is up to.
I will be back in a little while to announce the yo-yo maker winner but right now I seriously need coffee...lots of coffee.
I have got to hand it to Clover. They make the most amazing notions. Things that you had no idea you even needed but once you try you cannot live without. Things like needle automatic needle threaders and such. Here is my latest find.
Here’s a true confession….I had never until last week made a yo-yo out of fabric. NEVER!
Shocking I know, especially for someone as into appliqué as myself. With my new interest (my family calls it obsession) in dimensional flowers I thought I’d better give one a try…I mean really…how hard could it be? Surprisingly hard for me it turns out. I don’t know what I was doing wrong but all my attempts came out looking like something the cat coughed up. It was frustrating.
So, later in the week I found myself in a new quilt shop where I found this little gadget. I thought I’d better give it a try. WOW…it’s so easy and it works every time!
Here’s my very first attempt. The gadget come with two disks. Take the outer disk.
Place your fabric back side up over the disk.
Snap the inner disc into place.
Trim the excess fabric.
Sew around the whole thing using these handy dandy holes.
Pop the inner disk out.
Pop your fabric out.
Pull the thread and arrange your gathers.
And now you have a perfect little yo-yo. Amazing.
Don't worry about remembering that because they come with really great instructions!
I have one of these to give-away today. Just leave a comment telling us what the best little notion you never knew you needed is. Oh dear, if there are too many good ones I am going to have to go shopping again.
Since I have been quilting for a while now (23 + years but who’s counting) I have bought my fair share of quilting books. Some of these are real tried and true and I have actually worn some of them out. Recently I picked up a copy of this book by Sandra Leichner because she is one of my favorite favorite appliquers. What an incredible treat! First, this is one of the most gorgeous quilting books I own. The quality of Sandra’s work and the beautiful up close pictures are worth the price alone. Better yet, there are four projects that teach you some of her really cool techniques. Even better, the instructions for her awarding winning quilt Tea with Miss D are in here! Sandra is a true inspiration to all us appliqué addicts and the level of detail in her quilts is so completely inspiring that you will want to make all these project and try all her ideas. This has definitely become one of my must haves.
I still get a little freaked out when I refer to my sewing room as a studio. I guess because that might mean I would have to call myself an artist and I am just not sure I can handle the pressure of that word on most days.
Anyway, here is a little peak behind the door to my sewing room. If you look a little closer
you see the preliminary drawing for next year’s BOM. Here is a picture of the fabric that is acting as my inspiration.
What about this fabric for a background?
Christina, who loves Emma.
Christina, your e-mail is on the way.
Thanks to everyone for playing and for all the lovely comments. I haven't done an official count yet but it looks like P and P is the favorite and people are in a swoon over Darcy.
