On the flip side, I'm already looking for my next applique project. I love this one that Nicolette is working on, but it's WAY more ambitious than I am looking for. Any ideas?
Happy Monday to you!
Monday, March 21, 2011
home stretch
When I was a kid, when we had to pick rocks, (which was NOBODY'S favorite job) my dad would try to encourage us to keep going strong until the end. When we turned the last corner he would often announce, "This is the home stretch". Those were always welcome words to hear, let me tell you!
I'm feeling that way with this quilt. I'm so excited to be on the home stretch. Only 25 more leaves to go! I do love this project. I've learned a TON about applique by just jumping in and doing it. But I am so ready to start assembling it into a quilt top.
On the flip side, I'm already looking for my next applique project. I love this one that Nicolette is working on, but it's WAY more ambitious than I am looking for. Any ideas?
Happy Monday to you!
On the flip side, I'm already looking for my next applique project. I love this one that Nicolette is working on, but it's WAY more ambitious than I am looking for. Any ideas?
Happy Monday to you!
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51 comments:
Hi There,
Would you consider machine applique next time?
I am a HUGE fan of Kellie of Don't Look Now fame (http://www.dontlooknow.typepad.com/). Her designs are so much fun!
I had never done applique before and I started with her designs which you can see here (http://lazylabquiltcompany.blogspot.com/). Now I am completely addicted!
Have fun!!!
Melanie
why not do a simple block scrap quilt and do an applique like the lollipop trees or a smaller version in the borders (with the base of the trees on the edge of the quilt)
can't wait to see this quilt. You are amazing, there are so many blocks there!
I love being on the home stretch of a project like this. I bet it feels great! Holy cow, your next project idea looks daunting to me! But I know you could tackle it with ease.
applique by hand?? I can see how you are ready to assemble. I don't do much applique but when I do, I do it by machine. Yours is going to look great!
Love the photo! I have no ideas for you...I am going to learn more about hand applique in a few weeks at a class with Becky Goldsmith :)
I have to ask - what on earth is picking rocks?
Have you looked at piece o cake designs? They have a really cute one called whimsical gardens. I also like some of Bunny Hill's patterns.
Also, there are other Kim McLean patterns that are less complicated. I'm thinking of the stars and sprigs quilt pattern. Have you been to gloriousapplique.blogspot.com?
If you just want to applique, you could do just one block and make a pillow or wall hanging. Also, Lori Holt has really cute patterns that can easily be just a small project or a really fab larger quilt.
Here is one small one I really like.
http://beeinmybonnetcopatterns.blogspot.com/2010/03/eat-cake.html
There are links in the sidebar where you can order them.
picking rock- get rocks out of the field before planting and during the season. My mom used to have to do it in the beet fields and potato fields.
My suggestion for applique- find an image that you LOVE- like in a child's story book or a painting, make a pattern and applique it! It's so fun to do. I've done a "Wicked" quilt and a tree with birds that I saw in a story book. Some of my favorite projects.
Hi Amanda Jean,
Love your many "rock" blocks! Such an accomplishment!
I am working on this onehttp://appleblossomquilts.danemcoweb.com/shop/product/pushin-up-spring/
and I use a back basting method that I love!
I have been eyeing that Lollipop tree for awhile now.
I love it too!
Jane
This top is going to be terrific and I may have to try one too.
Have you seen the hand turned "tile" blocks folks are doing? It looks endless fun and nicely freestyle.
I'm doing a few raw edge like you do some of your tops but the ones I have seen needle turned are just lovely.
Happy Sewing
I have never done applique on a quilt before! I'm excited to see the finished project.
Wow! Can't wait to see those lovelies put together! You did that all by hand?!?! WOW!!!
That lollipop quilt is amazing, huge project so it's probably all in the pacing, right!?! Amazing stuff that applique work!
I thought my siblings and I were the only ones on the planet who had to "pick rocks." I didn't even really understand why we had to do it, I was only about 8 yrs. old, something to do with building a house foundation, but we all hated it and my dad was "encouraging" but not in the way your dad was! :-) (I'm over it now, thank you, God (at least, I think I am!)) Love your quilts!
Your applique' is beautiful. If you like the Kim McLean patterns, there is a fairly new one called Flower Garden. I love your petal blocks.
Many years ago Sun Bonnet Sue was very popular. What was so nice about her was the variety of fabrics used for the dresses; which is good for small scraps we like to hold on to.
A Sun Bonnet Sue quilt is a very traditional quilt so I do not know if you would be interested in it, but I will say Sun Bonnet Sue is very addicting!
Hi Amanda
Here are a couple of cute BOM tutorials going on
http://erinrussek.typepad.com/one-piece-at-a-time/my-tweets/
for flower and birds block of the month
http://bunnyhillblog.com/free-patterns/
for Henrietta Whiskers block of the month
Good luck on choosing one
both are really cute designs.
Have a Happy Sewing day
Marta
So close! How big is it going to be? That applique project is insane! Maybe you should start with a pillow, lol.
Picking rocks! How well I remember those days! Yes, it's always great to see the end in sight.
Would it be really annoying if I asked you kindly to please hurry up and finish this quilt so my curiosity could be satisfied?! :) This looks like a great portable project - which I need.
Thanks for the link to my blog, you’re such a sweetheart. I received some lovely comments from bloggers I didn’t meet before!
I have some patterns from Kellie of Don’t look now. They can be appliqued by hand or machine and I think you’ll love them. She also has some lovely tutorials and a quilt-along quilt!
Hi, I just found your blog on Sat. I sat and looked at everything. I can't wait to start quilting along with you. I think I will start with the Star Quilt. I started quilting last March and fell in love. I went to a guild sit-n-sew and completed my first top in a day. Needless to say I was hooked. Thanks for sharing all you do.
I KNOW what you feel, I have just finished a block with needle turn applique, sewing 53 leaves, but the size was a tiny bit smaller than yours... :-)
have a look: http://priscillacraft.blogspot.com/2011/03/meretaranysize.html
I love your blocks :-)
Have you ever tried a Sun Bonnet Sue quilt. They are quite a bit of fun!
On my blog I have an example of Bonnie's tiles from Victoria's retreat and I have seen several other examples on blogs....
Happy sewing
my husband picked rocks every year. Because they always come back, right?
I love the lollipop trees but I don't think I could do more than one of those.
I agree with whoever recommended Don't Look Now. I LOVE her stuff but I would have to work up some courage for sure!
I don't understand the picking rocks reference? Why would your dad have you pick up rocks?
Anyway, Lovely works on the quilt, as always!
Your blocks are beautiful. I was feeling kind of blue because my sewing machine was giving me fits today (bad thread tension, thread breaking, yucky free-motion quilting mess). Your project just cheered me up with the bright colors.
Can't wait to see the finished quilt. Hugs
Ohhh I love your leaves. I finished one recently that was all leaves. How are you thinking of setting them?
My dad used to make us pick up rocks too, we made our kids do it also, tadition you know!
Oooh, I can't wait to see this quilt -- I've always wanted to do one. How 'bout some sort of dresden plate that gets appliqued to the background fabric? Hmmm...I'll keep my eyes open for you!
All I can say is you have more patience than I do. I wouldn't even dream of doing an applique quilt. Yours will be gorgeous, though, I'm sure of that!
My initial suggestion is to make one block, in a large scale, for a lap quilt. You are good at modifying quilts to make them your own.
There were 10 in my family and I remember hours and hours of picking rocks after school and on Saturday. Sometimes we argued so much my dad would forbid us from talking until we were done. How he put up with us without killing one of us is beyond me.
Circles! Circles, circles and more circles! They are so incredibly relaxing... and they are so EASY to prepare for applique. Circle applique is my go-to lap project for long trips... since I cannot bear to have idle, project-less hands for more than a day! :o)
I have never appliqued, and I am no where near a comfort level to start! But I have always been taken with the Sun Bonnet Sue, and Dapper Dan. lol I think they are old fashioned, but very appealing.
Great job on your applique! Can't wait to see the final project!
Hi Amanda Jean,
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. Thanx so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.
Honestly, I have to say that applique doesn’t appeal to me. Maybe I’m just afraid of it. But, that Lollypop quilt is incredible! If I’ve ever been tempted.... though I would make it much simpler by doing fewer blocks in applique, then “showcasing” those blocks with a lot of patchwork sashes and borders.
But, if you want the total Lollypop experience, I’m afraid you’ll just have to ‘hunker down for the long haul.’ You seem to be an ambitious quilter, so I believe you could do it. This quilt would make a good applique-of-the-month (or in your case applique-of-the-week ;-) ) type project. The hard part would be knowing that it’ll take some time before it gets done. It’s not going to be a quick project. But, imagine what your finished quilt would look like and what a huge accomplishment it would be!
Can’t wait to see what you do! Happy applique-ing!
Regards,
Heather B.
I love applique, but I just started a few months ago. My LQS is doing a block of the month with "My Whimical Quilt Garden" and I agree with the gal who said anything by "Piece of Cake" is great! Some various levels. Also, there are some applique projects that you might like in the Material Obsession book -- one that I'm working on now has trees, leaves and birds. I'm so eager to see how you finish out these leaves. I might need to start this project next! I love having hand-work to do in the car and at night when I am sitting in the family room with the kids watching a show.......I feel like I'm a part of the family, but I could care less about the TV show :)
I just sit and stitch and we are all one big happy family!
Love your blog and all the posts! Get busy and finish this one up so we can see :)
One more comment........if you haven't tried the "freezer paper method", I highly recommend it!!! It is amazingly easier and faster in my opinion!
I am busy making little hearts for a wall hanging at the moment. It is a thursday night project so a little slow going but pretty effective!
The way I remember the home stretch for rocks is that it took FOREVER!
I'm excited to see this one!
I was a quilter in a past life... I miss it so much-- your work is beautiful...
The International Laundress
http://imamomgetmeoutofhere.blogspot.com/
Leaves are looking good!
But Lollipop? She so crazy!! That's like a lifetime achievement quilt right there.
I dig the Grandmother's Fans pattern. You might, too! :)
Hi!
I love mixing applique blocks with classic quilt designs, like irish chain. I posted a pic on my website:
http://needtoneedle.blogspot.com/
I've been making little car quilts for friends and family. Sometimes I also do one or two embroidery blocks.
My photos are awful, but the quilts really do come out nicely.
wow, Amandajean, your scrappy leaves are going to be soooo awesome all sewn together!! how many leaf squares did you applique??? And what does "pick rocks" mean? lol!
estoy en pereira-COLOMBIA. hoy conoci este hermoso sitio y quedé sorprendida, cada entrada es una clase, mil gracias por tus enseñanzas, lo que haces te queda divino, no me parece para nada complicado, todo se ve muy fácil y sencillo. un gran saludo y gracias nuevamente. lástima que ni hablo, ni escribo ni entiendo ingles. hasta la próxima.
Super bright colored fabrics! Can't wait to see this quilt.
i read thru all the comments and tried to find the name of the pattern for the "leaves" or "peels"...i love it and would love to start on some during quiet days...did you use a pattern?
Oh I know that feeling I'm working on a double bed quilt for a friend BY HAND and I'm finally on my home stretch! The theme is sunflowers (which is our our 'thing' in memory of a dear friend)and I never thought that I would be sick of the sight of them, can't wait to get finished and start something that is not yellow and green.
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