APPLIQUE PROGRESS, SCRAP INSANITY, AND A DOG'S LIFE

 It has been a couple weeks now of VERY HOT weather.  The only thing to do is stay in the house with the air conditioner on.  However, it makes for some progress in the sewing room.  Not much one can do about it except for walk the dog in the early morning, before 8am for sure, while it is still below 80, and suffer through with a bit of housework here and there.  

The last blossom is going on my hand appliqué runner.  One more center piece and another leaf and it is ready to get on some batting and a back and start quilting it.

I am not sure how to quilt it.  I do expect to put some veins on the leaves, other than that I don't know yet.  The binding will be the same green as the bias vines. 

This pile of 6.5 by 1.5 inch strips are all ready to add to the last 40 blocks in a very scrappy quilt.  I am bound and determined to rid myself of a good deal of small scrap fabrics.  This seems to be doing the trick, well maybe.  I will admit that no matter how much you cut fabric up and attempt to use it up somehow it multiplies and you end of with just as much as you stared with.  

Here are the finished blocks.  They measure 6.5 inches square.  I have 60 blocks done so just another 40 to go to finish a 60 by 60 inch scrap quilt.  And no I have no idea what why I am doing this. 

This is Zoey now, our 4 1/2 month old Yorkshire Terrier puppy.  She has grown a good deal since we got her in June at 8 weeks old.  She is very much in the need for a haircut.  

As you can see, she makes herself right at home.  An afternoon nap on the sofa with the ceiling fan on high, and the air conditioner running is truly a dog's life.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT

 
 

 

 

August Challenge and Praying Mantis Babies

At our August guild meetings we have a pot luck dinner for members and their families and a challange with prizes that go to the ones voted the best.  This year it was a 16 inch square mini quilt, that would be used on our mini quilt display that is displayed monthly through out the area to retirement homes and other facilities.

I decided to make this little piece I had taken a picture of it and stashed it away in my binder of future to make ideas.  Simple appliqués and some hand stitching on their little bodies and button eyes.  

Next some grasses.  I found that 12 wt thread and a small zigzag works really well.  

I like the results, just some pulling the thread ends to the back tying them and hiding them in the batting.  I do not like machine knotting them as it leaves a big lump on the back.

Then green stems, flowers and leaves.  Great use of all those fancy stitches on my machine that one rarely uses.  I was really impressed with how well they worked for me.  

And a finish!   Well not completely, but just a bit of quilting on the borders and binding it, adding a sleeve and label.  But, lots of fun to make.

Our praying mantis babies are growing up.  A few weeks ago we had one little guy just barely an inch.  Yesterday my husband found another, but double or more in size.  This guy looks to be maybe three inches long.  It dropped by to visit, so we quickly snapped a photo and transferred it to one of our mini citrus trees.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT   

 

FLORIANI STITCH N WASH APPLIQUE AND NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY

 I have spend this last week perfecting my appliqué skills.  Things are going well.  I have found Floriani Stitch N Wash to be the solution to my woes when it comes to turning the edges under on appliqué pieces.

My first two completed blooms, leaf, and bias vine look great.  Vines have never been an issue for me.  I use the Clover bias tools for the bias vines.  

On to the next bloom.  I am very pleased with all those nice curved edges.  Every once in a while I spy a bit of a not quite rounded area, but I have come to the decision that not everything will be absolutely perfect.  Also if one steps back just a foot or two your minor flaws seem to disappear.  

This one will have to extend out into the border, so this week time to get that border on to work on it.  

So it is on to adding a border, the last two flowers and adding lots of leaves.  I think I might just have managed to get some new skills down with this project.

A new surprise addition to the clan!  Normally my daughter gathers eggs up daily to avoid any surprise additions to her 20 plus chicken families.  However, some how this hen slipped one in this past week.  This particular hen has been escaping from the large fenced in pen and hiding eggs under various bushes and trees in the yard.  My daughter thought she had found all her hiding places but somehow missed this one, only to discover this little chick strolling out with mother this past week.   

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT 

APPLIQUE JOURNEY & THE SUMMER GARDEN HAUL

I have spent the last couple of weeks working on perfecting my appliqué skills.  Most often I do raw edge fusible appliqué by machine.  I have done some hand appliqué that requires you to turn under the edges but kept to very simple pieces.  I just was not very good at more complicated appliqués with curves and points.  Why, was the question.  So this past couple of weeks I decided to really work on that and see if I could not manage that skills better.  

I decided to use Floriani Stitch N Wash Fusible a water soluble tearaway.  It seemed easier than using freezer paper that has to be pulled out.  It can be left in and over time it softens.  I am making a table runner, so I am not concerned with the pieces being a little bit stiffer.  Plus I did cut away the center of the flowers fusible as additional pieces would be added on top of it.

Well, I found I was pretty successful.  So I am off to see how all this goes. 

Things are moving along really well.  Tools of the trade, especially those two Appliquick Dual-Ended Rods and the trusty glue stick.

I finished dealing with the remaining 12 Spinning Spool blocks this past week.  These did not have the dot wedges on them.  So I just sewed them into this table topper and did a fast quilting job.  It is now on my dining table. 

 

The garden is overflowing with quash.  Eating, freezing, and give away to neighbors.  They literally grow overnight.  So far the neighbors are still willing to take some off our hands.  They really do look pretty.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

MID WEEK MAKERS

CONFESSIONS OF A FABRIC ADDICT