One Piece at a Time

Design Wall Monday

Good morning everyone! Here is a shot of my design wall this fine morning. Just because I am feeling truthsome today, I must admit that not one of those border flowers is sewn down..yet. I decided to leave the white space...well...white and am planning on filling it with fancy quilting. I usually don't plan the quilting part until I am done with the top but this time I'm trying something new (Plus I didn't like it when I stuck things in the white part)

Head on over to Judy's blog to see what everyone else is up to. If you still haven't entered the book give-away there is still time...just scroll down.

My little stop on the Ties That Bind blog tour….yippee!!!

I am so excited to be a stop on this super fun blog tour. Thanks Michelle and Thanks Marie!

In addition to being a quilter I also consider myself to be an inveterate reader. Just ask my family. If I don’t have something to read I get a little stir crazy. Whenever I go on vacation I almost always have a giant pile of books to bring with. Once I went to Ireland for a few weeks and I read everything I brought so I had to keep going to the village book shop and restocking. I ended up leaving all those books behind because there was no room in my suitcase. Sounds a little like my fabric addiction…

Anyway, Maria’s book is just wonderful. I was so absorbed that I keep burning food because I would forget I was cooking. Here’s a little synopsis:

Christmas is fast approaching, and New Bern, Connecticut, is about to receive the gift of a new pastor, hired sight unseen to fill in while Reverend Tucker is on sabbatical. Meanwhile, Margot Matthews' friend, Abigail, is trying to match-make even though Margot has all but given up on romance. She loves her job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and the life and friendships she's made in New Bern; she just never thought she'd still be single on her fortieth birthday.

It's a shock to the entire town when Phillip A. Clarkson turns out to be Philippa. Truth be told, not everyone is happy about having a female pastor. Yet despite a rocky start, Philippa begins to settle in—finding ways to ease the townspeople's burdens, joining the quilting circle, and forging a fast friendship with Margot. When tragedy threatens to tear Margot's family apart, that bond—and the help of her quilting sisterhood—will prove a saving grace. And as she untangles her feelings for another new arrival in town, Margot begins to realize that it is the surprising detours woven into life's fabric that provide its richest hues and deepest meaning…

1. What drew you into the book?

Well, there’s a bit of a love story and I am a sucker for that.

2. Which character did you identify with?

 I really related to Margot because she is the older responsible daughter.

3. If this is the first book of the series that you have read - will you be reading the rest now?  

Yep, definitely.    

4. In 5 words or less state why someone NEEDS to read this novel.

The story is very compelling.

5. Did you take a beginner quilting class when you first started out?

Nope, I was a starving student when I learned so I had to teach myself.

6. Phillipa signs up to make a baby quilt as her first quilt. Have you made a baby or toddler quilt?

I have made loads of baby and toddler quilts over the years. The one on Michelle’s website from me I made 5 times. There’s a kind of instant gratification in making a baby quilt.

To find out more about Marie you go to her website at:

http://mariebostwick.com/

AND here is a list of the other bloggers you can go visit on the tour:

Tuesday, April 24
Michele - Quilting Gallery - http://quiltinggallery.com/
Jackie - Canton Village Quilt Works - http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/
Wendy - Ivory Spring - http://ivoryspring.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, April 25
Jennifer - SewHooked - http://sewhooked.com/
Erin - One Piece at a Time - http://erinrussek.typepad.com/

Thursday, April 26
Victoria - Bumble Beans Inc. - http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/
Sandi - A Legacy of Stitches - http://alegacyofstitches.blogspot.com/

Friday, April 27
Michele - With Heart and Hands - http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/
Melissa - Lilac Lane -  http://www.blog.melissastramel.com/

Saturday, April 28
Melissa - Sew Bitter Sweet Designs - http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/
Kim - Crafty Apple - http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/

Now for the best part…I have a copy to give away! Just leave a comment telling us your favorite genre and place to read and I will pick a winner on May 2.

Marie Bostwick Blog Tour

 

Hi everyone. Today is the first day of the Blog Tour for Marie's new book Ties That Bind .Be sure to check back tomorrow for my stop.

Design Wall Monday...extremely slow progress

Hi everyone. Here is a shot at my extremely slow progress on my latest design. Here is a shot with some photoshop jiggery pokery to show you what I am kinda sorta heading for.

The last time I posted this quilt people made the suggestion of lovely feather quilting in thos white spaces and I'm thinking I agree. This one has been hard to figure out.

Check out Judy's blog for your weekly dose of inspiration.

 

Getting Nothing Done....

Because I am reading this really LOVELY book. Good news for you is that there is a blog hop for this and a chance to win you veryown copy...next week.

Poofy Quilting

I have a secret weapon for nice, not overly poofy quilting. I don’t trim away the background fabric when I appliqué unless I am having major show through problems. I can still get nice poof by using this:

Now you know…wink.

Microsoft is telling me that poof and poofy are not words...silly.

Applique Filler Quilting

One of the first things I tend to gravitate to when viewing a quilt show is, of course, the appliqué quilts. Besides the overall design and execution I also try to see how the design was quilted and did that quilting work with the pattern. I am by no means an expert at this, but I have come up with a few tried and true appliqué filler patterns that really help my appliqué blocks poof out and are pretty easy to do. I also have a confession to make…I absolutely STINK at stippling…truly. That being said, I’ve found that I need some specific shape to have in my head when I quilt. So, here is my latest favorite appliqué filler… the SWIRL (no imagination I know).

Here are some up close shots:

The basic idea is to keep repeating spirals throughout the background. To practice, it can be fun to doodle the pattern out with paper and pencil before quilting. It kind of gets the pattern going in your brain and hands. I like to start in the center-ish and work outward. Here are some shots of my practice doodle.

Here is a little diagram to help.

Also, I do try to outline my appliqué shapes in the quilting as well. Sometimes I am really in the groove and can get around without “accidentally” quilting the leaves and flowers…sometimes I need to “un-sew”…all I can say is practice, practice, practice.

Design Wall Monday

Is this not the cutest fabric? I've been feeling a little stuck lately design wise. Whenever this happens to me I find fabric shopping can be an instant cure.

Head on over to Judy's blog to see what other people are up to.

Mimi's Bloomers Block 3

Happy Friday Everyone! Here is Bloomer Block 3.

Download Block 3

While I work on Block 3

some video love for you...you might have to hit the "play it on youtube" button...totally worth it