Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Center Applique block of Medallion

Thank you for being patient with me yesterday. I've never put a pdf on my blog so  thank you  Kaaren for her help. Now let's hope it works!


Remember, my blog is called Humble Quilts for a reason. There isn't anything very precise about  the center block, other then it finishes at 12". Relax, have fun, make changes as you see fit.



 Center basket pattern

You should be able to click on that link to get to the center basket pattern.  If not, let me know and I'll try and fix it.

You should all know in quilting there are 101 different ways to do the same thing. You have to try a few ways and see what works for you. This is one of the ways I do machine applique.  It's a very casual approach so I hope if you've been afraid of applique that you give this a try.

You will need a fusible web. I use Heat N Bond Lite iron-on adhesive.  Any light-weight iron on fusible adhesive will work.

 Trace your pattern pieces on the smooth side of the paper. Unless you want to put the bird on the opposing stem, you will need to draw it in reverse. I do that by copying it on the rough side of the paper, then tracing it on the other side. (which will be the smooth side)
 Before you iron that onto fabric,  I cut away the center so my applique piece isn't stiff. I only do this on larger pieces. As you can see it isn't an exact science. Just cut some away...or not..... Place your pattern, rough side on the wrong side of your fabric and iron. (follow directions for your specific fusible) Do this with all of your pieces, then cut out on the lines. Peel off paper.

If you are wondering about the stems, you can do them the same way as the other pieces (described above)  using the fusible web.  

I don't have a photo, but cut your background 13" and lay your applique pieces on your background in a pleasing manner, following the pattern.....or not. Iron them onto the background. If you've taken all the paper off, everything should stick!! Ta-da!

Admire your work!!!
Ready to sew?


You will be using a small zig zag stitch using matching thread. I use DMC machine embroidery thread, but any matching thread will work. make sure your throat plate is wide and your sewing foot will accommodate a zig zag. Check your sewing machine manual if you need to. I LOVE my open toed foot so I can see what I'm doing. It is a Bernina #20. 


 
 Get a fabric scrap and play with your settings. You want a small zig zag stitch. You do NOT want a satin stitch!! The applique pieces are fairly small so don't use a big honkin' width. Practice a little before doing the "real" thing.
You want the outside of your stitch to run right along the edge of your applique piece, when the foot jumps over it will grab a little fabric. Stitch right around the whole piece. If I can go right around the whole shape, I'll usually go over my beginning stitches a little to lock it.
If I'm starting on a little leaf and won't be back I'll hit reverse for a few stitches and take off again.

Just get comfortable with your machine. This isn't a Baltimore Album quilt. Use this as a learning project if you haven't  machine appliqued before. It really is very forgiving.
If you want you can also use a machine buttonhole stitch. Check your manual for info on that stitch.

Once everything is stitched down, press and trim to 12 1/2" Admire your work again!!

On May 13th we will give you the directions for the first pieced border.

Any questions? Please ask!!

Monday, April 29, 2013

Medallion Sew-a-long

Some time ago Randy at Barrister's Block Blog and I wanted to collaborate on a quilt together and share them on our blog. Here it is!
Don't let the applique scare you. We've done a tutorial to make it easy for you. Mine is done all by machine.
The plan was to share the center pattern with you today, but I got in late last night from Seattle and this was all I had the time to post. Be sure to check out Randy's wonderful quilt, choose your fabric, and get ready for the pattern and directions tomorrow.

What do you think? Will you join us?

Friday, April 26, 2013

Sally Post Month 4

I did 4 blocks this month and decided to go in  the order the original quilt is. Three I did this month are with the pink sashing on the right.  The blocks are set in an unusual way which I like a lot. You can see the original here. I've ironed on scraps of freezer paper with the block numbers written on it. It makes it convenient for me, just not for a good photograph!!

Thanks for your input on Google reader. I've added a few options and I hope that helps.

Have a terrific weekend! I'm going on a road trip with my son to celebrate our Scandinavian heritage. Should be fun.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Blogger Housekeeping Issues


Good Wednesday morning to you all! Thank you for all your kind and interesting comments about skydiving. My feet have hardly hit the ground this week at all! I'm even having a hard time sleeping.

I've got a few questions and hopefully someone can help or steer me in the right direction. I've merged the blogs I was following using Google Reader to Bloglovin'. I can't say I love it, but it is working. If you read blogs using Google Reader it will be going away in July.

Should I add the  "Follow me on BlogLovin" icon to make it easier for you to add Humble Quilts to your reader?
I'm under the impression you can still use the regular follower button, is that correct?

Lately I've been getting more and more of this when I click on a name to see your profile or reply back to you when you've left a comment.


 Hope you don't mind Diann......There is no email address, no blog URL. I'm confused about Google Plus!
Is this coming up on me when I leave a comment? How can I add more info to my Google plus profile, including my email address?

I've done searches online and am getting more confused. I'd appreciate ANY assistance.

Very flattering, huh?!?!


Monday, April 22, 2013

50th Year Finale- SKYDIVING

This was a fantastic year. it started with a wonderful Caribbean Cruise with my hubby and will end my last month of being 50 with skydiving. At the beginning of the year I had no desire to skydive, but as I was considering what to do for April, I knew I wanted to go out big!
Sven was with me, but I kept him as ground crew in case he didn't care for free falling.

Pre-flight and pre-jump instruction included how we were to be situated in the plane. The very small plane, I might add,
We will be attached at this point and crawl forward on our knees.
Then he will step out....
Then I will step out and assume the position! Arms crossed, in tight, ready to fly!

Once we're out the door the most important thing is for me to do what I've been told ahead of time. It is so noisy falling at 100+mph that you can't hear a thing.
Time for the gear.



A quick prayer.....no, not really. Ok, how are we all going to fit? The pilot is wearing the sandals, (he will be the only one in a seat) the guy with the white tennis shoes will be attached to me and the two other guys are going out for fun. Yep, that's 5 of us in that plane.

It was like putting together a puzzle, but they know how everything fits. (very cozy!) I had to put a seat belt on too and that was pretty comical.  The door closed and we were up up and away...

It was cloudier then we really wanted so we had to climb to 11, 500.
Love this photo.
Ta-Da!! Landed safely and it was so awesome!


Friday, April 19, 2013

Harmony Finale & Linky

 I completed the binding last night on my little quilt. it's small but I always get a sense of satisfaction from it. It is still a bit dark this morning so the photo isn't as detailed as I would like.
 I did a simple cross hatch approx 1' apart.  I marked using a Hera marker and if the lighting is poor when trying to quilt my lines can go astray. I was at my dad's and the lighting is not good at all. The quilting keeps in line with the primitive style of this quilt.
This is what I used for the backing.

I wasn't going to add a linky, but why not? If you have made a harmony quilt please add the link to your blog post. If you don't have a blog send me a photo and I'll post it.
Love and hugs
Enjoy your weekend.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Slow News Week at Humble Quilts

I had a lovely short trip with my daughter to visit my dad. The closest I can get to making this quilt related at all is to wonder how many quilt batts we could get from this adorable sheep!I must find one similar on Etsy! If anyone sees one for sale please direct me.

And this fella was protecting the fluffy ewe. His teeth made him look ferocious, in a goofy kind of way.
Here's my dad (88yo) fixing breakfast for my daughter. He loved it! And so did she!

I'm sewing the binding down on Harmony. I love this little quilt!!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Quilt Trail and News from Denmark

I had to have a photo to post and I snapped this when we took a trip to the coast. Tillamook tries to reel in quilters by having quilt blocks throughout the county on various buildings. It's great marketing but that's about it.

I wanted to let you all know that my friend, Lene, from Denmark is responding very well to the chemotherapy. She had her first scan and the tumors have shrunk considerably! Please keep her in your prayers. She has 6 more chemo treatments to go, and we know that is difficult on your body.
Hugs and love


Friday, April 12, 2013

Harmony Finale

Here's my version of Harmony. I hope many of you got to start it and didn't have any problems with my directions. I made sure to add a little blue and used a pink that was a bit coral looking like in the original. This is not a very good photo, but once it's quilted I'll get a better one.

This is how I built my outer border. I just laid out approx 3  1/2" strips in various widths until it looked long enough. I sewed it, then trimmed it to the size of the center.
I sewed it to the top and bottom first, then built the other sides. When all four borders were on, I trimmed the outer border 3 1/4" so overall my quilt measures 15 1/2.

I'm going to get it basted today since I am going to see my dad in a few days. I always like to have a project to work on and this one will be perfect.

Have fun and happy weekend!!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Harmony

Here's the start of my little doll quilt I'm calling Harmony. I really liked the one word title, like Abundance, so I thought I'd try again. I hope you like it.

I had a few people ask about madder. It was popular from 1860-1880 and was the type of dye they used to make this color.

According to Dating Fabric: A color Guide, "The overall appearance of this type of dye gives the print a coppery tone."
 See more at Barbara Brackman's blog.

A google search for images will give you a wide variety to study.

Here's my start to Harmony, which will finish at 15" square.
Use a photo of the original to choose your fabric.
Cut sizes:
center- 3 1/2"
reddish print- cut four (4) 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangle
For corner half square triangles I cut a 3" square, then cut on the diagonal. Pair with another triangle print, sew, then trim to 2 1/2". Sew center section.

For smaller half square triangle, cut 2' squares, then cut on the diagonal to make 2 triangles. Pair with another triangle print, sew, trim to 1 1/2". Sew 7 on two sides, and 9 hst on the top and bottom. I don't have a photo of mine but I added a few small print pieces and tried not to be too "perfect".

As I cut and sewed half square triangles I also cut various sizes of 3 1/2" rectangles for the outer border and sewed them together randomly as I was assembling the smaller hst border.

I hope that makes sense! Have fun with it!! Be back tomorrow to finish it up.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Impromptu Maddering...

The other day after showing the madder humble little doll quilt, I felt the urge to make it!! Instead I worked on the medallion, getting most of the border machine appliqued.
Today I could resist no longer!! Want to join in?  This afternoon I played with Electric Quit and pulled some madder/red/brown from my stash.
Here's the little quilt again..take a look and pull some fabrics and I'll be back tomorrow with the block instructions.

I was not contacted by Jacky or Linda so I've drawn new names for the Elm Creek pins.

Deb- Loves to Quilt 2
and
Fiesta-Fiesta Quilting

are the new winners. Congratulations!
Please send me your email address and I'll get them in the mail.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Birthday Quilt

Look what I got back from the quilters this past week!!! I'm so excited! When I went to Ohio I brought and left three quilts with me. My Jubilee was the priority quilt and my birthday signature blocks was my second. (Just Takes Forever, took a whole year, so why rush the quilting?)
It is lovely! And what a precious memory quilt from all my quilt friends, ones I have never met, and ones I have. I asked for an all-over motif since the blocks were the star of the show. It suits this quilt perfectly.
And this is where I put two lovely blocks that came in too late to make it to the front. As you can see I pieced the backing with a variety of fabric. Thank you again for those who took the time to make a block and send it to Randy for my 50th birthday surprise. And thank you Randy for making this quilt possible and being so sneaky about it!!
 I've got about 1 month before the magic of 50 disappears forever, so I should have plenty of time to get a binding on it.

Love and hugs
Lori

Friday, April 5, 2013

Designing & Elm Creek Book Winners

I've been avoiding my sewing room. I'm suppose to be working on the final border of our medallion project and do not consider myself a designer. The plan was for me to finish it up while Randy is on vacation..... I emailed today and asked when she is coming back. I think it is too soon. LOL I'm afraid my design will look a little like this doll quilt.


I also stalled out for several weeks on my jubilee quilt. I made the mistake of asking people for advice and there were too many suggestions that it only overwhelmed me. I forced myself to just do it!
 So I am, and I hope you like it. And if you don't like it,  please don't tell me! lol


Thank you all for commenting on the books. I'm not quite finished with mine, so that will go out as soon as I read the final words. Without further ado here are the winners:

The winners of a book and a pin:

Carrie- Cricketwood Prim

BeeBee- BeeBees Quilts and More

Beth- Beth's Crafts 

Winners of the quilt pins:

Jacky from Netherlands- no email

Linda Frankiewicz- no email/ blog

Dora- Dora the Quilter

Please send me your mailing address and I'll get them out right away.

Have a fantastic weekend!!






Wednesday, April 3, 2013

March Adventures with Sven

Remember Sven?! He waited until the very end of the month to help me celebrate 50 in the month of March!

Anybody recognize him?
We rock and rolled to Joe Walsh and Bob Seger! It was so much fun! Loved them both!!



One more month to celebrate 50 and it's going to be a good one! Happy Wednesday!

PS If you want to get in on the book giveaway go to this post.  I'll be drawing Friday.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Applique

I'm making a block for a friend with a group of ladies. She doesn't read my blog so I'm not concerned with showing it. It's been awhile since I've hand appliqued and I think once it's quilted you won't be able to see how NOT smooth my petals are.

I had a great weekend and hopefully will have photos to share with you soon. Sven helped me celebrate in March!!

One more month to celebrate 50 and I decided I had to end it big!!