A little piecing for practice

It's been a while since I followed a pattern and made a pieced top so I thought I would give it a try, just to see if I remember how to do it. It's turned out pretty good, had to change the block layout but that's how it goes. I am liking the disappearing nine block and how fast and easy it was


to get a scrappy 30" x 40" pieced top together. The fabrics are a layer cake with some extra squares from the border and binding fabrics that I had. I like the rich, bright color pallet. Now for some borders and you guessed it APPLIQUES!! I have a flower idea, with some small bias vines and a bee hive or bird feeder ideas - I feel a new pattern coming on :)




I had the chance to visit a friend yesterday and take a few pictures of her finished table runner. It is a Scrappy Irish Chain project, adapted with applique. It is a beautiful pattern and is so much easier that a completely pieced, more traditional block. We started it a a while back now but it is done, a first quilting project. I think it looks lovely and suits her table very well. Such great color choices as well. She even enjoyed the hand stitching to secure the binding. Overall a quilting success, congratulations!

My girls and I had some fun in the front yard yesterday, the lighting was magical and the girls are cute even in the dark, no bias I am just their mom.




Happy Quilting.

Home is... applique wall hanging

It took most of the day and a few cartoons for the kiddies but I managed to get a new pattern on The Pattern Place web site today. Home is... happiness and harmony is ready for download along with the first of many mini quilts, Happy Birthday. I am excited to see this idea now in real life, touchable and hanging in the living room of our home. Check out our Facebook page for a photo of the next mini, Gulf Beach. Here is a photo from our trip with which the pattern is based, so pretty.



I was soo tempted to add the palms trees, I just kept thinking "less is more, less is more" anyways. It is next on deck, just need to finish the pattern. I have had quilter's block and I am spending more time at my computer than in front of the sewing machine, it's not that bad I guess. I will try to get it up in the next few days, or nights ;)

So in the never ending Princess Patricia, the binding is on and just needs a few more hours of hand stitching, and on and on.

Opened a great package from my new favorite applique pattern designer, eat cake graphics. Love them so much I ordered two. They are brilliant. More about that later. Bed time, Happy Quilting.

Applique Quilting with out any Fabric

There are some really cool things out there in the world wide web and I have had some fun applique quilting with out any fabric tonight.
I have mentioned a few times my love for all things applique, so I will attempt to control my enthusiasm. I really like applique quilting. I could look at pictures of quilts for hours, search for new patterns for days and hide myself away in my studio for weeks or months. So tonight I had a bunch of fun adding me to the Connecting Threads on-line community.

Its fun idea and I am so excited to find an applique techniques group. I am a girl who likes to know what she is doing, so an applique tutorial sounds good to me. Plus you never know what you might learn. ~I have thought of writing about all the mistakes I have made, complete confessions of rookie quilter and not so rookie, unfortunately. I have included a few here in the Quilting Steps section of our website, The Pattern Place. Most just roll around in my head, bringing a smile to my face every time I remember them. ~ Then there are those that make my blood pressure rise or a few not so nice words ... lets just say I am not always smiling. Either way it is a learning experience and I love to learn and quilt! And sleep.
So yes its late, or early if you were up talking to your hubby whilst (He picks up accents so easy.) in jolly old England - dang business trips. Anyways, it's late and I am finally sleepy. Happy Quilting