Color Columbines

Here are the first 2 of the color columbine blocks.  The 3rd is about 1/2 done, and I finally have a pattern drafted for the fourth block in both styles.  Interestingly, the butter yellow fabric that I used, looks pink in the photo.  I also ran into challenges b/c it is a somewhat sheer fabric...at least if you have a dark red behind it.  I'm going to have to replace that with a light yellow batik if I follow through with plans to turn these into kits.   This version is really a quilter's delight.  These look OK now, but I have plans for some very detailed quilting that will make all the difference.  I also see doing this one as a scrap/ stash block where I can use multiple shades of red (or blue) to give more depth and detail to the design.  I managed to get the directions put together over the past weekend, and have a couple quilter friends who have offered to take them for a test drive.  I hope to have these sent out by Feb 1.  We're helping friends move this weekend....so may be a while until I'm free to work on these projects again :(

Columbine 3

     I finished the 3rd columbine design Monday night.  Now I remember why they are called prototypes.  Some of the inner design lines that I was so delighted about in the line drawing, turned out to be frustrating to make, and didn't come out as I'd imagined.  On the other hand, I'm delighted with the overall feel of this flower, particularly when viewed from across the room.  The final pattern will have some revisions.
     Spent Wed night in design mode.  Made the adjustments to all 3 of the quilt blocks to adapt the pattern to a back-basting, multi color version.  I was keeping in mind some changes that might make it easier for less experienced appliquers.  Some of those changes may end up in the final silhouette versions as well.  I was able to prep those blocks and start figuring out the yardage...and have the fussier sections of columbine 2 finished.  This weekend's goals are to finish at least one of the multi-color blocks, write the first draft of the directions, and design the 4th (final) block of this series.

A very productive weekend

I got so much done this weekend in the realm of quilting...although not much in the way of finished product to show off.  Spent the weekend with Anna of Victoria Rose Quilts.  We were planning quilt events to be held at Western Heritage Arts Center in West Yellowstone, Montana.  The hard part was narrowing down our thousands of ideas and dozens of designs.  The planned May 2010 event will be dinner & a trunk show Friday night with an all day Saturday workshop (piecing in the morning, applique in the afternoon).  We still need to confirm the dates with the Heritage Arts Center, but we're looking at May 15 which is the opening of fishing season (calling all fishing widows...).  The bear quilt that I made for my hubby years ago is being re-designed into a baby quilt called "Baby Bear".   Anna is moving this one to the top of her project list, and I'm excited to see it made in batiks!!!

I managed to squeeze in a little needle time and got the Columbine 2 prototype done.  The only big challenge I see for others trying this design is keeping the seam allowances down to 1/8 inch so the gaps that are outlines on this design don't get too big and distort the image.  I have Columbine 3 cut out and basted, so hope to have it done by the end of the day.  I've decided that #4 that I designed earlier doesn't fit with the others...so it's literally "back to the drawing board" for me.  In addition to the reverse applique silhouette versions, I also plan to make a multi-color version using back basting.  This project has moved the top of my list with a deadline to have finished quilts to admire and patterns to purchase by the mid-May workshop date.

Whew!  So much to get done....better get off the computer and get to action.

Columbine

Here's the prototype of the first columbine block.  I'm pleased with the way it turned out, however, some minor adjustments will be happening.  This is one, of a series of 4 that are planned.  The pattern will have direction for both this silhouette version that uses a cut then baste approach, and a multi-color version using back basting.  I'm hoping that some of my quilting buddies will help me with beta testing the directions over the next couple months.  The pattern will be available through Victoria Rose Quilts. 

Work...work...work

So frustrating to have work get in the way of play.  Hopefully things will calm down in February once deadlines are met, and I can get some serious hand-work done while watching the Olympics.
I did take time this weekend to design a series of columbine blocks that use two fat quarters and a modified Hawaiian Applique technique.  Anna is planning some handwork workshops in West Yellowstone MT in mid-May to coordinate with the opening of fishing season.  The first of my prototypes is 1/2 appliqued and hope to have something to show by the end of the weekend.

Needle Turn Saga Part 2

Sorry, these posts are out of order, I was having trouble uploading the pictures, so I posted what I had done, upgraded the software and now will finish up. Scroll down the page for the starting steps, then come back here.

Here are some tricks I discovered about stitchinig down those raw edges to the new filler strips.

First off, I found that it works much better to be working on a flat surface.  This allowed me to turn under about 1/3 of the petal then finger-press. 

Pin the finger pressed section in place then stitch. 

As you approach the outer edge of the petal, stop about 1 1/2 inches from the end and tuck under the point.  Give it a good pinch to finger press a sharp point. 

Use the needle to smooth the edge from the point to where you paused...then stitch to the point and secure your stitches on the back. 

Finish the opposing petal from the outside-in. 

Have those center points "kiss". Tack them in place and finish the raw edges on the left and right as with the previous trio.

Josephs Coat Joining - The Needle Turn Saga

Kellie warned me before I started that doing needle-turn was going to be difficult when we started joining the squares together. Subsequently, I've been stressing about this step for months. It actually went well, although fairly slow. Here are some things that I figured out that might be helpful if you are trying this approach. First, I borrowed an idea posted by someone who was using a dark background. I took a blank overhead-projector transparency and copied the pattern with a Sharpie:

I followed Kellie's joining instructions through step 5, but using the clear template on top to make sure that all the finished petals were lined up.

It's a little hard to see, but the pink and blue petals in the center are finished and the 4 raw edges are touching across the horizontal axis. The pink lines from the clear template line up along the finished edges of the blue petal (maybe not quite so well on the black/green petal and pretty well on the finished edge of the purple/pink).

In this picture, I'm holding the raw edges of the green and purple blocks together to snug up the blue finished petals to "kiss".  Pin well.  Then I used standard needle-turn technique to stitch from the center out.