WOW 28st AUG

Hi Everyone,
Back at work last week, we have a new manager and it is all very different so have been enjoying my 3 days off and playing with Part 4 of LE.
No, I don't have an advance look,  I printed the color photo of the center as reference at the very beginning of LE  and many years ago my DH taught me how to use a scale rule for designing our house.
For the corner hearts and flowers I want to use my inspiration fabric, maybe for the last time as I am not sure how it will work in the borders to come.
So here is how I judged my sizes, size is all I need as this Broderie perse applique will not match Esther's pattern. but the size needs to be similar or slightly smaller.

Scale rule across a heart circle on printout of photo.

Scale rule across the pattern of hearts circle

Simple division to find a multiplication factor

Scale rule measurement of the small hearts, multiplied by my factor gives me my small heart size within a circle, one drawn for checking, one cut out for positioning. The 1.6 x 2 is my blanket stitch setting after stitching a practice heart

My Medallion of choice fused to steam a seam, have already used the center of this medallion as my flowers around the compass.

Hearts fussy cut and left with an 8 point flower which I thought would be perfect but it is too big!!

Fussy cut just the petals and they are slightly small but with 6 petals instead of the patterns 4

Yes I can use my inspiration fabric for the corners.

I again used the scale rule to ensure I have the same space for the vases as in the photo.
This photo is also showing how the pink in my background fabric is coming to life.

With everything fused in place I am very happy with the continuation of blue's around the outer edge.
So today I can start stitching.

One last photo, my inspiration fabric.

Hmmm don't seem to have as much damage as I thought.

Will be taking my LE to Christchurch next month to show my Mum and other quilting friends.

Back at work tomorrow for the rest of the week.

Enjoy your Wednesday everyone, whatever you are doing.

Cheers Jenny

Work on Wed 21st Aug

Hi Everyone, has been a relaxing week.
Went to Dargaville  last Thursday, helping out for the morning at our exhibition,  wish I lived closer but some things you can't change.
A quick visit to Countrydawn while I was there and got my gold overlaid "pinks" for part 3, shown below with my blues from the same range

Not quite Pink, and I had said No to them when I was first looking for Pinks with only my compass done.
They didn't seem to work at all but once I had done my border and bought my taffeta's my mind kept going back to them, and as you know the result is perfect  - or so I think, Lol.
The deeper one on the left I am hoping works  for deep color in the bouquets.
Next trip I will be looking for gold for the vase, think I have already seen it.

Went to Dargaville again yesterday for our monthly meeting.
We have had a fantastic exhibition, and wonderful comments from everyone who attended.
My Forget Me Not quilts did not win viewers choice, Boo Hoo, but I did not expect them to as there is so much talent in our small group.
They were very much admired, commented on, and did do very well in the voting.
Maybe if I had only shown one I would have done better as both my quilts received similar votes.
Thanks again Esther for a Fabulous BOM.  I love both my quilts to pieces.

Anyway you might like to see the Viewer's choice results.
3rd place went to Pam Taylor for her fabulous hand worked quilt Candlewick

Beautiful handwork.

2nd place to Tonia  for her Whirlygigs, only one piece to the pattern.

Again Beautiful  Handwork.

And finally winner of viewers choice is Ann Langman with this stunning Art Quilt

I struggle with  protocol so before I show the quilt this is Ann's acknowledgement to those who helped her create this quilt.

You cannot see the detail in this photo as
there are so many 3D elements in this quilt 

 That really is lumps of genuine Kauri Tree gum 

Those boots are laced and the laces and  his awl stand free.

The sacks are filled, not sure if it's with Kauri  though.

 Beard and pipe are 3D as is the sack needle.

I think Ann has used overlocker threads to create the darkest background fernery.
It is all 3D

The fabrics and detail is exquisite,

This quilt can only be folded one way.

 Every detail is perfect.

Fabulous work Ann I love it. Congratulations on being our viewers choice.

Two years until our next Exhibition, just maybe Love Entwined will be there.

Back to work tomorrow but this afternoon I am playing with my inspiration fabric, seeing if I can find something to use for those little dark corner flowers.

Have a great Wednesday everyone.

Jenny

Work on Wed 14th Aug

Hi Everyone,

Having a weeks holiday to help out at my quilting groups exhibition on a couple of days.
Monday was set up day so an early start to be in Dargaville by 9am. Some torrential rain showers and wonderful rainbows on the way.
My DH came with me to provide some much needed manpower as there was only one other male to help throughout the day. Hiis handyman skills became much appreciated as the day progressed as some stands needed altering for special quilts.
4 of  Esther's designs that I have made are on display, with acknowledgement on each to Esther for her beautiful design.

Peaceful Forget Me Not

Retro Forget Me Not

Cherry Thieves and Pomegranate

Following are a few other quilts from the exhibition. I have permission from each quilter to show these on my blog. There are others I would like to show you but don't have permission yet, hope to get that on Thursday. I don't have the quilt names so am acknowledging the quilter.

Tonia Nyboer

Hand Pieced and Hand Quilted

June Horobin

Using Vietnamese silks on the left ,and wonderful 3D flowers at right

John Nielson

John is a highly talented professional long arm quilter who does so much for our group

John was the other male helping with set up.

Tina Jensen

Val Woods

Jenny McDermott

Domestic Bliss
Set up just about complete. Our theme is domestic bliss and these aprons were made by the group and the pockets will take entries into various raffles. All proceeds donated to charities within Northland.
Only award to quilters is the viewers choice.
My personal favorite I hope to have permission to show you next week, it is a stunner!!!

That's it for this week,  I am back in Dargaville tomorrow so won't be able to view part 3 of LE until I get home, sure got my volunteer day wrong Lol
Lastly a huge thank you and hugs to Anne Marieke for helping me get Esther's LE button onto my blog.

Enjoy whatever you are doing today.

Cheers everyone Jenny

Work on Wed 7th August

Hi Everyone,

Well my LE is at the stage where I have to wait for the 15th and Part 3
I know most of you have seen it in my album but here it is again.

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I am adding my tips for how I machine stitched my border for those that may want to try this method.
I have trouble handstitching so did not baste  my guide lines but instead drew a line around my background fabric that was 34 inches square with the compass perfectly centered. I had cut my background to 35 inches square.
After carefully measuring against Esther's pattern I drew another pencil line 2 inches inside my first.
This line is my straight center line for placing and fusing  my diamonds individually.

I didn't take photo's at the time so have recreated this on a scrap, think you will get the idea.
I traced Esther's page on to steam a seam and fused  a page to each of my light and dark fabrics. When cutting my diamonds up I realised half of each page was reversed. Lol
However, this meant I ended up with 2 light and 2 dark corner units,  you can see this in the first photo, I like the effect it has given.

I cut this portion from Esther's pattern to use as a template for my corners, have drawn on my center line so you can see how it works for placement. This meant I was  keeping the corner diamonds perfect, but then I could make tiny adjustments as I fitted the others before fusing them to my background fabric. This was the most time consuming part of the border as I did not want a major gap or overlap anywhere.

My corner center unit I cut as one piece. I just taped the two patterns together and added an under lap on the triangle edges, plus an extra quarter inch in length, just in case !!! If it disappears under the next border I won't mind but would hate it to not fit properly.
Stitching was straight forward. I blanket stitched the inner edge first. Blanket stitch again along the outer edge but at each join I straight stitched in along the join and then zigzag stitched out to catch both fabrics.
You could blanket stitch both edges, in and out, but I wanted a lighter look at the join than that would have given.

For my outer flowers I first thought now for pinks, but then I cut a template of a petal and looked at my inspiration fabric., Which thanks to Wendy I now know is called Arabian Nights.

The darker colors I really liked, but looking at this photo I can see a lighter option I could have used as well.
Fusing to the back meant a few petals were slight off perfect but I love the finished flower.

I reduced my satin stitch width by 1 and increased my length by 1 as working with metallic thread it is so easy for it all to turn to custard and  I do not want to be unpicking it. Lol.
Am thinking I will add a cluster of tiny iridescent beads to the very center at a later stage.

My pinks for the next stage have been a problem. I went shopping a few days ago and came home with of all things Shot Taffeta. Quilting  purists will be cringing but I use whatever gives me the look I want - if it works - I don't know that yet,  I have used it in other projects and it is the gold in my compass, but I have not appliqued using it.

The fabric on the  left is a very special gift that arrived a couple of days after I purchased these pinks and mauve's. Thank you so much Glenda, I know I am the right track with my color choices even if I change fabrics.
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I seem to be thinking LE all the time now and a few days ago searched the house for a roll of Kimono fabric I have had for several years, found it well packed away at the back of a wardrobe as I have never known what to do with it.
Was given to me by a girlfriends mother, who also had it for years and  didn't know what to do with it either.

I always thought it seemed synthetic but contacted Glenda who told me how to test it, and it is Silk, a burnt scrap turned to dust not a little hard ball, and even more that it has been hand embroidered / woven at the time the fabric was made.
WOW I am so thrilled and hope that I can use some of these flowers in my LE bouquets as the colors are perfect for my soft shades. Fraying will be the major issue  but I have time to experiment.

Back to work tomorrow for the rest of the week, then next week my quilt groups exhibition.
I only have one edge of a hanging sleeve to finish stitching in place so that is my priority for today, plus making labels for both my FMN's
Will take my camera so can show you all some photo's next week.

Cheer's Jenny