Now What?

Okay.  Let's say, "hypothetically" you are following along the AMB Blog tour and you like what you see.  It's Just.  Well, it's just you don't really want to make 50 blocks.  Say you want to make just one block. Your state's block.  Great.  A block.  What are you going to do with that?  Added it to the 100's of others you have saved, stored or stashed away.

Most certainly not.  Today I am going to show you what I have done with my 'test' block.  I get a little OCD, on occasion.  This project happened to be just such an occasion.  I made a test block from fabric I had laying around, just to make sure everything was going to turn out as planned.  Just be thankful.  It could have been a real disaster.  I digress.  So this test block.  I had it sitting on my cutting table, staring at me.  "look at me! look at me!"  What in the world was I going to do with it? Throw it away? I think not.  Save it in the bin with all the other random blocks I have.  Ah, No. I guess I could make a pillow out of it? or a journal cover?  Then I was struck upon an idea so simple I was amazed I hadn't thought of it sooner.  My Wreath.

If you are scratching your head right now, let me let you in on a little project I worked on 2 or 3 years ago.  If you look at the page titles at the top of the blog UP THERE.

You will see a heading labeled Wreath.  Basically I made a simple wreath design from grapevine and artificial greenery.  On the wreath I attached 2 clothes pins with which to hang quilt blocks.  I made a different block each month representing a holiday, season or special event.  I liken it to those 12' X 18" garden flags people have in their yards, only much more specific to quilters.

I sandwiched my block with batting and backing.  Simply echo quilted the block around the South Carolina State Image and then bound the mini-quilt. Well, it's been 3 years and that wreath was getting pretty tired looking. I swapped out the greenery for something fresh and new.  Added safety pins to the back of the block.  Threaded floral wire through the safety pins and tied the wire to the wreath to hold up the quilt block. (instead of clothes pins)  And TA-DA.  My new and improved wreath.

Be sure to check out todays stops on the AMB Tour.  Up today is Pat Sloan (Virginia) and Park Hill Farm (New Hampshire) It could be your state!  Soon you could have your very own state inspired Wreath.

March Wreath

Happy Spring Ya'll!  I know you folks up north are looking for a little sunshine and green.  Believe me it's just around the corner.  Down here the weather has been getting steadily warmer and warmer.  I looked outside for inspiration for this months Wreath Block.  Look at what I found.
All of these beautiful flowers are popping up in my yard.  It is wonderful to see the color again.

This months block is the Tulip Block found at QuiltBlockGalore.  I had planted tulip bulbs in the hopes of early color.   The squirrels had other ideas and decided they needed them to survive the winter.  It looks as though this is the only tulip that will be sprouting at my house this spring.

Originally, I had used scraps from my Heart Quilt for the background.  The values between the reds and the pinks were too similar.  In the end I used a tea died muslin for the background, much better.  I got a little a lazy and left the pinks at the top of the tulip. The result is a flower my daughter said looks more like a rose than a tulip. (Just one more thing I did wrong that day:)

  I tried to separate the background from the flower and the leaves by changing the quilting.  Sadly this did not give the definition I had hoped.

I used a wide zigzag quilt pattern on the leaves.  I really like the effect, not to mention, I love the green stripe as leaves.

January Wreath (Almost)

I new in November what I wanted  to do for the January wreath. It is now January 8th and the wreath is still sitting on my work table waiting to be finished. Now that the tree is down and the kids are back at school I may actually have it up by February.  I still have some quilting to add and the binding before I can hang it outside.

Something about January always makes me think of Snow. Doesn't it just scream SNOW DAY!  Living in the South now after growing up in the North, snow is the one thing about winter we don't see, much.  Not that I am complaining but, my kids do.  Apart from seeing family and friends we have not seen in months, snow is their favorite reason for driving north.  I'll admit appliqueing snowflakes onto this mini-quilt while my kids played outside in 55 degree temperatures, without jackets, was a bit weird, but I got over it.  (No snow pants, boots, hats, mittens, scarves or wet slush covering my floor.  OH YEAH.  I am so over it.)

This block is actually a combination of two patterns.  The first is the Snow Flake Wall Hanging from Allpeoplequilt.com.  The second is from Quiltmaker Nov/Dec '08 called Hats & Mittens.  And yes the hat and mitten are paper pieced.  I really am very pleased at how well the two went together.  They have been calling out to me to make them into a pillow, so far I've done a really good job of ignoring them.

Ho-Ho-Holiday Wreath

Here's my Jolly Happy Holiday Wreath Santa, just in time for the end of St. Nicholas' Day.  I had every intention of posting this morning and then, life happened.  The wreath has actually been hanging for several days.  Today was the first day I remembered to take a picture while it was still light out!

This is aptly named, Santa Face block from quilterscache.com was simple to put together and the directions are clear.  The eyes are navy buttons.  The nose and the mustache, that doesn't show up well in the picture, are fused.  I even dug up a bell to put on the top of Santa's hat. (I hear Mrs. Claus put one there to keep tabs on Santa:)  My biggest beef with this block was my apparent inability to match just one seam!  I guess some day's you got it, and that day I seriously didn't have it.  Not to worry I have a block for January in mind that I can hang in just 25 days!

Plating a Turkey-November Wreath

I was so sure that I would make a pumpkin quilt block to represent November.  I was so sure, I already had my stash of orange scraps sitting out.  I was so sure I was going to do a pumpkin, that eventually I got sick of the idea and scrapped it.  This explains why it is now November 5th and the wreath is just getting hung up.  That and this seriously wicked cold my children (and their friends) were nice enough to share with me.

As I lost intrest in the pumpkin, I began to investigate other traditional Thanksgiving themed quilts or quilt blocks that I could use for my wreath.  I found, much to my horror, that many if not all of them required applique.  Don't get me wrong, I don't mind applique, in fact on long car trips it is sometimes the only way I know to maintain my sanity.  However, on a day to day basis I would rather not applique.  I am just not that good at it.  Okay, I am getting better.  I am really not comfortable enough with my skills to hang my applique on my FRONT DOOR and announce it to the world.  "Look at what a shitty job she did with her applique!" That being said, I was really getting discouraged.  I started to printed out several applique patterns just to "look" at.  

That is when it happened!  I was watching a pattern come out of the printer when it dawned on me.

  

This looks a lot like a dresden plate pattern!  Hey!  Why not make a turkey block out of a dresden plate!

Don't these little pieces look like the feathers we used to cut out of construction paper!  It does.  I asked the experts. They agree.

Here is what didn't dawn on me until much later. You still have to applique a dresden plate. (a little slow on the uptake.  I blame it on the decongestant)

Fortunately, I already had gone through my orange fabric stash for the pumpkins.  I selected a few and added them to my turkey feather stash.  After more digging I came up with my background, the body and a red for, um what ever that red thing is called. .. a waddle? or is that what penguins do?  Perhaps I am getting my birds confused.  Regardless, I chose a lovely red fabric.  I also chose to add trapunto to the feathers.  And they totally ROCK.   (In my humble opinion.)

I was slightly disappointed in, not only my applique abilities, but on my color choices.  I wanted the "Plate"  to stand out so I purposely picked a neutral color for the body.  However, my body and background colors are too close to the same hue.  

I heavily quilted the background, again, to show off the feathers.  

I think he turned out pretty cute.  Maybe he needs an eye or some feet?  What do you think?

I am definitely going to use this little guy in some future projects!  I am adding this post to Sew and tell fridays, HERE at amylouwho.  Stop in and see the other awesome projects!

October Wreath

I pondered the possibilities of this months Quilt Wreath design as September drew to a close.  Among the things that made my list for October were, pumpkins, leaves, pumpkins, witches, bats, pumpkins, mums, ghosts, pumpkins, full moon, haunted houses, pumpkins. (You can see that pumpkins were high on my list of quilt blocks to make.)  I felt certain that I would indeed make a pumpkin block.  There are certainly 100s of patterns to choose from on the web, not to mention the holiday books I checked out from the library. 

Yet, as is typical of my life and creative process, I just couldn't bring myself to make something so cliche.  I know that sound terrible, there is certainly nothing wrong with pumpkins or Jack-o-lanterns.  I just could  not decide on a pattern.  Or more to the truth, nothing jumped out at me and screamed, "YOU WANT TO MAKE ME!"  Silly I know, but it's how I work.

Then I ran across this FREE cat pattern from Artisania and it said, "You have so got to make me!'  And I thought, "Who ME?"  Really, I wasn't sure it was talking to me personally. You see, there's a catch, it is a paper pieced block.  I have wanted to try paper piecing but, NOW. Are you sure?  I kept searching and searching but kept coming back to the cat.  

Initially, I started out with this Wreath Project to increase my machine quilting skills.  I have to say I have tried many new patterns I might not have otherwise tried on a larger quilt.  It has been a great way to increase machine control and try out new things without committing a new pattern to a larger project. (Or more specifically without being committed personally after trying a new pattern.)  The more I thought about it the better the idea seemed.  Why not try paper piecing this months block.  It's something new.  It certainly helps me increase my quilting skills.  Seriously, how hard can be?  Yeah, Okay, how many times have I been burned by that!

After one bad start, one miss placed piece and one placement of the wrong color,  I completed this months block.

October Wreath

 I even managed to squeeze out a few of the cliche things on my list. Let's just pretend it's an eye-spy game. Come on and play along.

I spy with my little eye.

A ghost, a moon, a tree and bat

And one totally awesome paper pieced black cat.

September Wreath

When I started thinking up ideas for my September Wreath fall colors immediately popped into my head.  Along with that came leaves changing colors, mums and cooler weather.  With temperatures here still in the mid-90's and the humidity still hanging high, not to mention the fact that everything here is still green,  I just couldn't picture putting up a fall leaf.  Not that it wouldn't look pretty, but the leaves here don't start changing for at least another 2 months.

With that idea labeled, "NO I pressed on.  I thought about a school house but I had no luck finding a block pattern last month, besides school started two weeks ago.  I contemplated making up a pattern, you know in my spare time, but realized that it would be at least October before that ever happened.  On to the next idea.

Then when I was up at the fruit stand it hit me, APPLES!  I love apple picking in the fall.  Not that there is any place to pick apples near us, but when we lived north it was one of my favorite fall activities.  The kids and I would venture up to an orchard or two in the fall.  We would fill our bags and our bellies with all the apples we could.  Once home we would make apple pies, muffins, smoothies and applesauce.

Thus the search for the September block was on.  I searched many patterns and stumbled upon the Apple Harvest Wall Quilt by  Marian Shenk.  It was printed in the Sept. 2002 edition of Quilt World magazine.  It had just the right block!  

The basket is pieced while the apples are machine appliqued.  I machine quilted a very minimal amount on this block but I think it works.

What a crooked picture!  Apparently I was still stiff and sore from all of the long arm quilting the day before and couldn't hold my camera straight.  I assure you it is hanging straight on the door. Hmmm. I better check that.

August Wreath

Ah! August is here!  Which means school starts in just a few weeks.  In anticipation of school starting I wanted to find a school house block to hang on my wreath.  My short Internet search provided me with nothing I really wanted to assemble.  (mostly paper piecing)  While I'm continuing to wait for the perfect school house block for the first day of school; I went ahead and quilted up this little sailboat for my August wreath.  We have a boat, although it is not a sailboat.  We do have a boat and spend most weekends during the summer out on the lake.

For this little number I switched over to my old machine to do the quilting.  I used a wood-grain type stitch for the main body of the boat.  I quilted around the sails to give them the impression of filling with wind.  If I would have planned ahead, sigh, I would have added a little trapunto to the sails.  I think this would have really added to the effect.  next time.

 For the sky I tried a pattern that I have played around with on my long arm machine.  It is a cloud type stitch which I have difficulty performing on my long arm machine.  Somehow I thought it might be easier to perform on my White.  Boy was I wrong!  If anything it was harder.  I love, love, love to to curvy designs on my long arm.  It really feels natural and almost calming in a rhythmic sort of way.  Curves are much harder for me on my White.  I immediately plucked out all the clouds, as they looked more like sagging breasts then clouds, and used this stitch from Leah Day's 365 Days of Free Motion Quilting Fillers.  If you haven't been to her blog I highly recommend it.  This design is her Trailing Spirals filler.  As I said curves are new and difficult for me but I really am happy with the way these turned out.

The ocean on the other hand is I am less than happy with.   I tried to quilt in a rolling wave pattern I also use on my long arm machine.  It looks much better when I perform it on my long arm. But as I've said before, the purpose of the wreath project is to practice and learn new designs, not to be perfect.  Happy August everyone!

Seriously?

Seriously? It's almost July. I am not sure what we did to make June go so quickly but, it's almost gone!? With July around the corner I have been working on my latest wreath quilt block. I, along with the rest of the nation, think "Independence Day" when I think of July. Therefore, a flag immediately popped into my head as the design of the month. I actually found so many wonderful patriotic patterns I made two.

The flag block was an adaptation of the from a pattern I found on Compuquilt.com. The pattern calls for an Ohio star inserted where the blue of the flag belongs. Being short on time this summer and having a severe distaste for flying geese, I opted for blue fabric with stars already on it.

The second pattern is Land of Liberty by Debbie Mumm. I also adapted this pattern to my tastes. Before you ask, yes that is hand stitching for the letters. We had a trip to Charleston planned to meet up with friends from High School. It made a great project to work on in the car.

Both mini-quilts were made entirely out of fabric from my stash. Woohoo.

New Wreath for the Holiday Weekend!

Do you remember this wreath I made?

Well my plan is to sew a new block every month. I want to have 12 blocks to switch out and update the wreath as the year goes on.

When it came to June I was unsure what to make for that month. Then I started quilting the next quilt in my practice stash, a flip-flop quilt! Brilliant! So I whipped up this little cutie for June.

I used some leftover fabric from Emma's Garden quilt for the flip-flops. Sewed some rick-rack over some ribbon. Added the cute little flower button and TA-DA. The quilting isn't my best, sigh. Moving from a long-arm machine to my little white couldn't be more difficult.

I know it not officially June until Tuesday but I thought this holiday weekend was a perfect debut for the flip-flops!

Wreath

Have you ever been obsessed with something. Not so much obsessed, as been driven to do or create something. Well, my newest Quilted Project is just such an obsession. I Don't remember exactly were I saw the idea, a quilting magazine probably, but I do remember thinking, "I need to make that!" At the time we were in a rental home and my sewing/office/bedroom space was in utter chaos. Then we moved in late October, the Holidays came on at full speed and before I knew it it was April! How that happened I have no idea. This wreath all the while haunted me and kept begging me to make it.

It is really a simple thing. I am not exactly sure why I NEEDED, at this very moment, to stop everything and make it. Nevertheless, I did and she is done. What else would a quilter need on her front door but a quilted wreath! Since it was spring I used this cute pansy design for the center. I plan to make other "Holiday/Seasonal" designs this year. I used a 12 in block pattern for the center.

This one is Pansy Block by jeannesquilting.com. Originally I started with and 18 inch wreath but had to move to a 24 inch grapevine wreath to accommodate the block.

I added 4 sprigs of greenery, trying not to get anything that would out shine my block. After wiring the greenery on I contemplated hot gluing the clothes pins onto the wreath. Ultimately, I decided not to hot glue them on until I decide on the size and patterns for the other blocks. Right now the clothes pins are pined to a grapevine and then to the quilt block and they seem to be holding. I haven't decided if I need a bow or ribbon of some sort or if it can stand on it's own as is.

I was also excited to do some, a very tiny bit, of free-motion quilting on my newly repaired sewing machine. I actually tried to load this block on my long arm machine. It was a bit insane, trying to load a 12 inch block on a 12 foot machine. Overkill.