Flower Gardens Show and Tell

Hi Everyone, and a special welcome to those who have found my Blog through the Quilting Gallery website.
I have spelt my blog address correctly this week after leaving out the l in blog last week LOL.
Thanks  Karen for letting me know, and thanks everyone who voted for Mum's special quilt Peaceful Pathways. Mum is so thrilled it won but says she always knew it would!!!

Thanks for wanting to view closeups of my entry this week.

Forget Me Not is a now finished 12 month BOM for Esther Aliu's  group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/estheraliubom/

Two blocks were released each month and we had the choice of which one to make.
I, like a couple of others made all 24 blocks so we have 2 beautiful wall hangings.
This one is my peaceful version, the block backgrounds are a semi sheer curtain fabric which I stabilised with iron on interfacing to keep the stripes straight and the trims are satin also stabilised with interfacing.
the "wallpaper" background is a fabric of my late Aunt's circa 70's / 80's

I am a beginner at FMQ and this has been my first attempt at a quilt this size so I kept it as simple as I could.
Here are closeups of my blocks. I have not done any quilting within the blocks themselves at this stage as my flowers were all padded before being machine appliqued and the blocks have "popped" beautifully from the frames and may not need anything extra.

Iris

Magnolia

Peony

Bleeding Hearts and Daisies

Fuchsia

Forget Me Not

Cosmos

Pansies and Violets

Carnation

Snowdrop

Morning Glory

Wild Rose and Lilac

Have just added my binding, same fabric as frames, still to be hand stitched.

This quilt has been a joy to make and I would so love your vote

For those who might be wondering about my second set of blocks, I wanted a quite different feel and went for a retro 70's  in your face quilt. Again my late Aunt's background fabric was my inspiration.

I am about to start the quilting on this one.

These 12  flowers are  Calla Lily, Hibiscus, Banksia, Columbine, Scotch Thistle, Tulip, Sunflower, Poppy,

Sweet Pea, Jacob's Ladder, Crown of Thorns and Daffodil.

The patterns for these blocks are available for purchase at http://www.estheraliu.com/shop.php
Block sets are available at the moment, but in a few weeks you will be able to purchase the entire pattern set.

Cheer's Everyone, enjoy your day whatever you might be doing and please remember to vote.

Jenny

Work on Wed 1st May

Have had 4 days off so have been making slow but steady progress quilting my FMN.
Ditch stitched all the blocks including the block trim. Decided just to echo stitch around the frames to give mitered corners similar to a wooden picture frame.

With 2 blocks done I was happy but there had been some unpicking as I came to terms with maneuvering the bulk of fabric around, this has got less with practice thank goodness.
I measured my frame width before I started and after stitching a sample discovered that by offsetting my needle as far as possible, my walking foot gave me an almost perfect guide for 5 rows of stitching

I marked my mitered corner with chalk and started at the outside. For 1st 3 rows the outer edge of my walking foot guides me. The last two rows I use the inner edge as I know that is straight and an uneveness shows more against a straight edge. My DH has always said the eye can only take in so much at one time.
Now with 8 Blocks stitched I am  thrilled with how the Blocks themselves are popping out of the fabric.

The middle 2 that I was so worried  about  were the easiest of the lot, the even spread of fabric around me  was a pleasure to work with LOL
Don't think I will be edge stitching all my applique but will just look at each block and see where some stitching will enhance the overall lift.

Many thanks to everyone that voted for my Lilies Wall hanging, I came 3rd  in the viewers choice and I was so thrilled with there being 67 wonderful entries.
It is like being able to visit a gallery of quilts based on a theme so once again I am putting up an entry this week - The theme is applique and possibly the only theme this year that will allow me to show my Oriental Expressions, so here is a detailed preview for those who are new visiting my blog,
Apologies to those who may have seen this before.

Held up by 3 girls from my quilting group it is 77 x 78 inches and once our bedroom is redecorated it will take pride of place on our bed - but not to sleep under LOL
This is probably the most difficult quilt I have attempted. Although the applique is relatively simple there were so many different elements, foundation piecing the great wall around the center, 33 different fabrics all charm squares from Trademe, and working out how to do my calligraphy blocks - not part of the original pattern by Yvonne Morris  over 3 issues of APQ magazine. I tried reverse applique but my gold satin fabric shredded at the edges so I went back to traditional raw edge applique.
The blocks read clockwise from top left Happiness, Peace, Dream, Love, what more can anyone want!!!
The block backgrounds are all fairy frost fabric's, the burgundy borders are Satin and also Burgundy Satin with a black/gold mesh overlay for the sashes.

The fans are backed with gold satin and hang free from the sides of the quilt.

The Kimono's are fabric Origami and this took several practice folds to get right

the Blue border fabric is an oriental brocade of my mother's and this fabric is what inspired me to make the quilt.

Again I give huge thanks to John Neilsen for his outstanding custom quilting for me.

I would love you to vote for me - not for me to win - just to show you like my work.

WOW 6th Feb

Waitangi Day in NZ, a public Holiday to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, between the Maori and the European settlers. Goverment is still settling issues with various Iwi over over land, water and air rights.
We are having a laid back day as I don't have to work and the sun is shining after several drizzly days bringing much needed rain.
Yesterday I finished stitching my binding onto Cherry Thieves table runner.

I have only edge stitched around the applique as I love the texture of the vines on my background fabric, plus my freemotion is terrible. may add some beads yet to the flower centers.
It is square, it's my pinning that wasn't LOL
Have started mug mats this morning to match, reduced the bird pattern for some and used the corner flower for others.

While relaxing in bed with coffee and old copies of APQ magazines theother rainy morning I found this pattern  in Vol 19 No 3 Pomegranate  by  Esther Aliu

First in a traditional  motif inspired Vase Series - Esther, is there a series?
Must be from the time of  Red Delicious. I think I have found an accompniant for my table runner, and I also started this, this morning.

If you voted for Snowdrops on quiltinggallery.com last week, thankyou.
There were some fantastic winter themed entries which you should go and see. I got to double digits in voting so was very happy!!!

This weeks theme is Commemorative Quilts so I just had to enter Hearts Desire - my Christchurch Quilt.

An unfinished quilt, which is always still on my mind, and the 2nd anniversary of the ChCh earthquake on Feb 22nd 2011 which claimed the lives of 185 people, is not far away.
For those of you that don't know why this still remains unfinished, after all my dreams to raffle it internationally and donate the proceeds to the rebuild, we COULD NOT get past red tape.
Steve talked with every possible Govt agency, but to run an  international online raffle from NZ  is seemingly impossible, hence I felt I could not ask anyone to donate their custom quilting time.
For any Raffle "or game of chance" the only payment formats allowed in NZ are cash or eftpos.
A Credit Card payment is illegal!!!
One Day!!!!
Cheers everyone, enjoy your Wednesday.
Jenny

WOW on 28th Nov

Have had a wonderful couple of weeks working on Esther's Nov blocks.
It was so hard to decide which flower on what background, which is why I made my banksia flower first.
Knew the yellow would work on either but it was not until I went with the blue based green for my leaves that I made the decision, witth help from BOM members.

The leaves were very strong on my striped background but this feels more like looking at the flower against the sky. I had also felt that this was a more stylised block - until I googled images  and found that the leaves are really as serrated as the design shows.

 Beeding Hearts and Daisies, I  knew I couldn't do white daises but I had a of very very pale yellow Fairy Frost fabric which I really wanted to use.
My first magnolia block now looks very sad as I used the background fabric for several attempts to make it work - waste not - want not, as if I need to remake a block I only have one piece of striped fabric to spare!!! However it would not work but I am thrilled with the how my final choice worked.
It was also my base fabric for the Banksia Flower.

I put my daisy on stabiliser and  marked the center circle, straight stitched all the petals out and back from inside the center, then trimmed the stabiliser and padded the Daisy. Satin stitched the edges then did one cicle of stitching to flatten the center and added the beads.

The Bleeding Hearts look a little more orange/red in this photo but it is a blue/red which works well with my border fabric. I now have both red and yellow flowers in mainly pink based blocks so am very happy.
Slight errors in fabric movement when satin stitching the "teardrops" frustrated me but had always planned on adding at least one bead. When I opened my bead packet I found many had not seperated into singles.They looked so good in two's and three's I used them as was, but did seperate and catch each one down as  I stitched them.

This was my inspiration photo.

Knew there was a myth  linked to Bleeding Heart's and have always thought of the throat as Teardrops. Think the pearl beads express this, may even add an extra couple of falling teardrops after quilting!!!

And now.

My DH came home last night with the  most winderful Pelergonium,
Almost Black I have never seen anything like it.

repotted it this morning and it will be wonderful on our deck.
Also bought home a Fucshia cutting and I really hope this survives.

What a beauty. Almost cried when I stripped it's flowers this morning and planted stem into pumice.
Hopefully we will enjoyi t's beauty for years to come.
Enjoy you wednesday.
Jenny

WOW for Nov 14th

Only Tuesday but working tomorrow, missed linking to Esther's Blog last week for same reason so decided to start early.
Quick addition on Wed. Got a wonderful view of the eclipse this morning, only about 91% in Whangarei but just before 10.30am soft cloud covered the sun and you could safely look and see the complete moon and  a cresent of pale sun on the edge. Our manager totally convinced because of the shape that the sun was the moon!!!
A few minutes later full cloud moved across and no view at all.

Summer is slowly arriving in Whangarei and my favorite rose is already in full bloom.

Roses don't grow as well here as they do in Christchurch as our winters are not really get cold enough.
This is Crepescule, a old fashioned climber and we have planted two  to hopefully eventually cover our very uninspiring boundary fence

My DH and I just love the wonderful apricot tones as the buds  first open, then the changing shades as the flowers mature.

They are repeat  flowerers so we will have their blooms well into Autumn
Our Agapanthus are just coming into flower and in another couple of weeks will be spectacular.

And  I will be picking this and a few others later today, summer is here!!!

On my last post I said we had found a wonderful wallpaper for the kitchen / dining room that worked so well with our stainless appliances. This is it, metallic silver squares on a white/grey marbled background.

That 70's lime green has finally gone.

Unfortunately ---- we are going to be one roll short to finish the room as we bought all they had but the match was bigger than DH thought!!!

Means the other end wall  which has a sliding door to our Laundry will have to be painted, not a major as most of that wall is the door.

Was a major though that when we moved the fridge freezer to wallpaper behind it - it stopped working!!!

Needs a new electronic's board - and it's only six years old.  $260-00 I can't spend on fabric.

We are watching one on TradeMe that closes next Sunday, it has a damaged door and may be a cheaper option as we can just swap doors.  At present have a friends fridge sitting on other side of kitchen.

And I can't blog without quilting so have looked back to show you an almost totally original design from a couple of years ago.

This is Drumbeat, a quilters group challenge. It now hangs inside our front door
We were given a 5" Fabric square that had to be used within the design, with the Challenge theme of Celebration and it had to be within 36" square.
A very tribal looking  fabric, my DH drew me the main drum pattern,-- to call the tribes for a celebration--and he made me the fabric padded drumsticks for hanging it. I just love his 3D drawing skills.
I bought an extra metre of the challenge fabric so I could fussy cut as I had a secondhand book called Angle Antic's by Mary Hickery and I resized and used various pattern segments from a pattern also called Drumbeat for the foundation pieced areas, then applipieced them to my background fabrics.
The feather fabric horizontal banding is raw edged and hangs loose from the quilt.

You can see the original 5" square I was given on the backing of the quilt as I got concerned I hadn't used the original piece of fabric so designed this variation of a Mariners Compass for the backing, using the 5" square and incorporating my drum fabric scraps.
I was very pleased to be awarded the prize for Best Use of Fabric at our biannual exhibition.

Will post this tomorrow then the following day we will have Esther's wonderful new blocks for November.
Happy Wednesday everyone
Jenny

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Where did my love of Applique start

Hi Everyone, it's Sunday and I have stripped wallpaper for 2 days and need time out from it.
What better way to relax than write a blog.
Steve used to do leadlighting and several years ago was give a book called Sea Fairies by Jillian Sawyer.
He never found the time to make any of the designs, but I fell in love with all the Mermaids.
Steve tried to teach me leadlighting but it was not for me, glass breaks where it wants to when you cut it - fabric doesn't!!!
After we came back to NZ and I discovered quilting, this book kept speaking to me, especially 3 of the designs. I made one other applique - a Dahlia cushion cover- then said to Steve - I want to make the Mermaids!!!
My Mermaid Trilogy has hung in the hallway of 2 houses since, and it always will.

I really didn't know what I was doing then, and yet when I look at them now I still think, how did I do that!!!
It was the start of using what ever fabric would give me the look I wanted. The lower bodies of the mermaids are a synthetic fabric that looks like fish scales in pink, lavender and gold, Dusk's body is a dark muticolour  that suits him well. Batiks which I also love I also found then. Fussy cutting I knew nothing about, but used it for hair and other things.


The Titles and Poetry with each, are the words of Jillian Sawyer.

CILLA AND CECIL       

MY PROTECTOR

We make a great team, you and I Cess

I’d never betray you, I’d never confess.

They’ll never know, they think you’re so tough.

You’re just a big softie and its all a huge bluff.

SERENITY AND SPLASH

MY COMPANION

Together we have traveled for many a year, from sea to shining sea.

And of all the wonders we have seen, the scrapes that we’ve been through.

            Nothing has meant as much to me as the friendship I share with you.

DUSK, DAWN AND FUTURE   

UNTIL TOMORROW

We’ve never seen your like before, or know from whence you come.

You speak to us of wondrous places and the deeds that  you have done.

Now you have to go, that leaves us filled with sorrow.

But you have made a promise, so happily we say.

Goodbye until tomorrow.

the Trilogy finished at Dargaville Quilters show 2010

 in the order they now hang on our wall.

This Trilogy is very special to me as when I came back from Raro, I was suffering from serious depression.

My Protector, My Companion and Our Future were a huge part of my recovery process - and I now realise why these 3 were so important to me, they are all my DH in his many different guises.

Thank you my darling, for being there when I needed you!!!!

For those of you who are interested in my water background fabric it is a sheer Aqua /gold organza that I twisted and tied, boiled and then dryed while it was twisted. 

Then I cut and placed my sheer backgrounds allowing for plenty of folds and water movement and stitched it to a blue/green mottled base water fabric, that had been pressed onto 1/4 " fusible Pellon Batting. 

I then placed my applique on top and machine stitched, them down, adding stitching to thold he fabric folds of the water with metallic thread.

The backing fabric I added when doing the borders, and did no extra quilting in the body of the hangings.

Hopefully they will never need washimg!!!

Cheers for Sunday, Jenny