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

Late Night Applique Quilting

Well I made the attempt not to write here after midnight for everyone's sake, but apparently I can't make the time to sit down at my computer much before then so sorry all,
wish me luck ;)

Things are busy as normal around here but progress is made in small steps. I am running solo right now and wish single parenthood on no one, its tough. I am getting some quilting house keeping done, that's quilting house keeping, don't worry no real house keeping yet this week. The flash slide show for The Pattern Place website project is now complete, yikes that took a while. The photos need a little tweak and maybe an update or two but for now I am enjoying their beauty. They evenly and continuously run one into another and I didn't shell out a dime for the software, love it. Check out the last photo for a link or here for the free download. It is a great program and worked quite well, tons of layouts to choose from.

I spent some time today on a WIP, its actually from my mom but I told her I would bind it. It is a cute lamb and rabbit, each in their own wall hanging. So Springy, I can't wait to hang them up next year. I must get the princess trimmed and bound, avoiding such a big job is not a good idea. My excuse, it's hot and I only cut such big quilts on my tiled kitchen floor after giving my carpet a haircut last time. Too hot to take a big quilt upstairs and literally sweat over it, is that the sound of a violin? Right so tomorrow morning, before it gets too hot ... while the girls are eating breakfast, liking that idea. Off to bed or maybe a little tv and a more binding, night.

Your thoughts, questions or suggestions.
I love to hear from you.
Happy Quilting

Applique Quilting Shopping

So I love applique, it is really a sickness. Love it. I think about patterns and projects day and night. So today was, lets say, a prep day - ya that's right, a prep day. Shopping is honestly one of my children favorite things to do, within reason, of course. Apparently we may have pushed the limits today but boy we had fun. I found a quilting magazine, McCall's How to Quilt it!, from the year I was born, it is in great shape for its 32 years of existence. The coolest thing, not a single ad. Just page after page of the greatest quilting 1978 had to offer. Sew fun, pun intended.
Bought some fabric for blankets for my girls today, just regular flannel and some great textured fleece stuff, all I know is it isn't cotton :) I am very excited to get it sewn together, gotta love the quick projects. I must get Princess Patricia bound tomorrow, or Thursday most likely. Busy times around our house. We are scheduling into July, even August for some things. Must get a ballet recital and a 2nd birthday in there too, oh and ya dad is on a business trip. Maybe while he is gone I can get some sewing done? Who knows, must sleep... Happy Quilting.

Princess Patricia gets her Quilting.

The quilt frame is set to queen size, her highness is loaded, I even have five bobbins full of thread so I can easily swap out the empties. Deep breath, shoulders down - here we go....

Forgive me a little rant :)
I love machine quilting, it is an art with a little science. I find the right technique is a groove for which it takes a few minutes to find and stay in but once that happens, all is good. My machine quilting skills are perishable, I loose more than I like in between quilts. Now, if you think the way I do, then all I need to do is quilt more quilts!Then I wish I could step away from the frame once it is ready to go and, you know, sleep. Its a personality flaw I suppose, but all I want to do is the thing I am ready to do. Oh life is rough - I love quilting! Whew got that out of my system.

So the quilting is going well, I am quite proud of myself that I remembered to take a few pictures, enjoy.
Princess Patricia is a machine applique original design from The Pattern Place. The pattern will be available for purchase and download from our on-line store once I have the example quilt finished and photographed. There are just a few more details to finish up; trim the batting and backing, bind and add the label. The whole quilt should be finished in about a week. I look forward to posting pictures and adding the pattern to the website.

I love your comments and thoughts. It makes my day to see someone has commented on my blog so don't be shy, say Hi! Happy Quilting

Late Night Quilting

It's late, I am tired. I should go to bed but I have a quilt almost loaded. Extending my Grace frame to queen size today wasn't that bad, with my Mom's help :) I am so excited to have our 'princess' quilt nearly finished that I must get it on the frame and ready to quilt tomorrow, or today, depending on how you look at it. I promise to take pictures and post a real post, not like these midnight rambles.
Happy sleeping or quilting, you choose ;)