Raw Edge Applique

This pretty quilt is the result of a raw edge block swap. You just stitch down three  different sized circles. The blocks are cut in quarters and then swapped and re sewn. These are fun blocks with lots of color and very useful. I have a collection that I use to fill out rows in a design. It seems I can always find a color in these blocks that blends with what I'm working on.

Here the quilter put them all together to make this cheerful quilt.

The challenge when quilting this is not to catch the hopping foot of the machine on the edges. Some of the circles are stitched right at the edge and some as much as a 1/4 inch in. I went slower and quilted with one hand on the blocks, tucking down edges. The quilting design needed to catch most of the edges and provide a uniform coverage,because when this is laundered, this quilt will bloom! We chose Twirly Roses with Glide thread in Linen.

                                                                    Off to put the turkey in.
                                                                     Happy Thanksgiving!

Yellow Brick Road of Flowers!

This quilt is a popular pattern, Yellow Brick Road. My client did it in happy upbeat flower fabric. It is like quilting on a flower garden! We picked a variegated thread that had the colors of the flowers. Jester/Rainbow by Superior Threads fit the bill and looks just beautiful . It seems to capture the flower colors in each fabric. This thread has a bit of poly in it and so has a little sheen to highlight the colors and the quilting.
 Looking  at the quilt pattern, all of the pieces are either square or rectangle shapes. It is often a nice idea to choose a quilting design that has swirls and curves to add interest and  contrast. Makes it fresh and not so boring. The design chosen, Oodles of Doodles, is perfect.

The backing fabric is a light pink so I matched the bobbin color to that.  I really am liking this design and think it has lots of potential. It could be stitched vertically on the quilt, so it would look like a vine growing. (This could be done by loading the quilt differently on the frame.)

Here's a close up with little flash. You can see the design better.  I will finish this up today and then on to the next. I am trying to get all my "must have by Christmas" done. It dawned on me that next week is Thanksgiving and the holidays around the corner ! Yikes.

Layer Cake ,Block @, I mean Block 2

Okay, here is block 2 in my version of the Layer Cake Quilt a Long over at Moose on the Porch Quilts (link on right). This is a pretty Layer Cake and a different look for me. Each block is going to have a narrow border around it in an accent fabric. What should it be???? Anyone have some ideas.

Here are the fabrics and the first block. It is mostly red/white/blue with tan/kakhi and a bit of green in a couple of the fabrics. I think I will have to venture on and get a few more blocks done and put them on a design wall and see what they say...I hope they speak!
 Guess it's time to go load a quilt and think of something else!