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Monday, February 28, 2011

Marie's Block #4 Teaser

I had the same idea as Ann Marie of Granny Annie's Garden.  I took this picture while I was in the process of drawing my block last week.  These are the tools I used to draw it.  I have the block partially complete, but thought this might be a fun teaser. 

Now that I've got my teaser posted I guess I'd better get busy and finish the sewing.  

Carrie's Rule #4 Sneak Peak

Hello! Here is my sneak peak for rule #4....have to admit, at first the size threw me a bit. And then I kept thinking, "how in the world am I going to do this using scraps?"



Well, once I got started, there was no stopping me! I got it all done surprisingly quickly.

Can't wait to see everyone else little peaks....

~Carrie

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Granny Annie's Garden Rule 4 Tease


Finally decided on my Rule 4 block today & sketched it on paper. Here is my tease - HA! HA!

Kay's Dorinda Geese

Thanks for your patience. I got rescheduled due to several snow storms in our area, but I've finally finished the first block.
Started with a flying geese unit, then moved to a house (below the roof line), then a tree. Finally, these were blended to the final block. My challenge to myself had a number of points: no pattern, use only from the scrap bin, and follow your rules.
Kay in NJ

Pam's Woods Mystery Rule #4 Tease


I really had to think hard about this. I really didn't have appique or handwork in my mind when we first started out. I may have made my first block a little different if I had really thought about it. Now, I just need to make sure to keep the color scheme going so everything will go together in the end. I don't want one block to stick out more than the other. So here is my tease.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

"Strip" tease Rule 4

Using Marie's technique of cropping, here is a sneak peek at my Autumn Mystery #4
You can see that I use a blanket stitch to hand applique

A couple of polls for fun...

I have added a couple of polls to the side bar just for fun. 

Here is a link to explain the needle-turn techniques http://dodmystery.blogspot.com/2011/02/needle-turn-techniques-and-tutorials.html

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Bird Teaser for Rule #4


Here is my teaser for block 4. Any guesses?
I had a difficult time with rule # 3. First of all my good sewing machine decided to quit and I had to take it in for surgery. (motherboard had to be replaced) Then I had to teach myself some machine embroidery stitches, which really don't show up in this picture, but they are going diagonally across the squares in the left-hand strip. After that I had to find a fabric I don't usually use because I do tend to use all colors. Well, what I don't like is pastel and especially florals, so that is the background.
And now having finished all that you want me to do what? Applique? I hate applique...but I will give it a try. The positive/negative idea has me interested.
Birdie in MD

Monday, February 21, 2011

My Oopsie post!

I am so sorry that post was so messed up and it published before I could finish my narravtive. So, trying to explain the blocks:
My clue #2 or the great hexie snafoo LOL, the hexie is of course appliqued on and them embroidery added to create the "snowflake effect". As I said in my prior post, hexies are not my thing, but I did try :)
Clue#3 was more to my 'taste' as it were :) I love embroidery and the block is supposed to portray some of my favorite things such as the "wildwood rose" which I worked in my most unused color of yellow with brown accents. The second block is my love of the little dutch girl and embroidery all in one :) I tried to stay away from pink but it needed a little to accent the embroidery on her hoop :) and lastly, my love of tea and fireweed. I have had a facsimilie of fireweed tea, as I have heard so many stories of it being not ones' cup of tea, but it is Alaskan which is another of my favorite things :) Okay so that should cover all the bases and explanations. I will definitely try to not do this disappearing act again during this mystery! thank you all for being so patient with me :)
Carmen (foxiegrannie)





Hi there Everyone! Remember me??? Lydia's Garden is blog that google won't let me get rid of, so to most I am known as foxiegrannie, or Carmen :) I do apologize for my absenteeism. Life gets its ups and downs and busy as all get out and that is what I have been! Busy as all get out. I have many responsibilities with my family and babysitting (which just increased from 3 to 5 days a week!), so I have to set priorities with all.



Okay, that being said, I tried to catch up on all the posts and make comments, but I know I didn't get to them all. But I have read most of the posts and ogled the great pics of how inventive everyone has been! You all put me to shame :(



I am NOT a hexie person at all. Never wanted to, didn't try and didnt challenge myself until this mystery. So here is my clue #2




It is supposed to be my version of a hexie snowflake???? LOL I tried, okay! And acutally for me that is quite good! Should have seen my ooboos!




Now since I have been elusive, clue #3 came and most had it finished before I even started, but alas, here it is:
Okay, not sure what happened there but the pic did not go where I wanted it to go so here is my last pic

Rule Release #4 (Feb 21)

Rule Release #4:

SIZE: Make a section that is 17” wide by 7” tall finished (you will make it 17 ½ x 7 ½ now before it is added to the main quilt).  This piece needs to be made to fit on the TOP or BOTTOM of your quilt.

Note to Betty:  If you would like to get yours back on size with us you could make yours 20” wide by 10” tall finished ( I believe yours is 20 ½” wide by 17 ½” tall right now).  You can make the side adjustment to fit on the next round but this would make it as tall as ours for now.

TECHNIQUE:  needle-turn appliqué (no machine)
Again, you don’t have to make the entire block using the needle-turn technique – only some of it.

RULE:  Make positive/negative blocks. 

This is generally accomplished with the use of only two fabrics, one light and one dark.  After the first block is made, the second is made by reversing the placement of the two fabrics.  Here are several example links:

TEASER DATE:  on or before Monday, Feb 28 please post a teaser (but not the full block).   If you have not begun your block perhaps you could post your fabrics or a drawing of your pattern - anything.

FULL-REVEAL DATE:  On Monday Mar 7 we will do a FULL-REVEAL of any blocks that are completed at that time.

FINAL DUE DATE:  Thursday Mar 10th.  I will post Rule Release #5 on this date.

HOld on tight and have fun!

 

Needle-Turn techniques and tutorials

I have tried ALL of the methods listed below.  My favorite is the freezer paper on bottom method for some projects.  For a travel project (ballgames etc...) – no iron needed – I  prefer an entirely different method than any listed below.  It is a basting method and you can see it below if you zoom in on the photo. 


You draw the appliqué pattern on the WRONG side of the fabric background, place the appliqué fabric over that spot on the front side, and hand baste the fabrics together directly on the drawn line from the back.   Next, you flip your project over to the front and trim ¼” away from the stitched line.  You take out the basting stitches as you go and the fabric seems to remember the basted line and turns easily to it.  I like this method because there are no marks to be removed later and the project doesn’t move while you work on it.
Freezer paper on top method and how to do points: 

Roxanne Glue method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhemqBqGPqo&feature=related

Freezer paper on bottom method: 
NOTE:  when I use this method I fuse 3 layers of freezer paper together to make a STIFFER template to press over.  I use Magic Sizing in the blue arasol bottle for my starch and I spray it into the lid so I have a liquid to paint on.  I use Elmer’s washable glue stick (blue is good - pink is bad) to stick down the pieces temporarily, but you have to heat set them with the iron to get them to stay.
http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/2011/02/applique-by-freezer-paper.html

Draw line method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSjDzfrdRRE

I also wanted to add a word of advice about ANY quilting technique or method.  I have learned to TRY EVERYTHING before I put it on the bad list.  I have found many crazy ideas become my favorite choice simply by giving them a try instead of just watching someone else do it.  (Ofcourse I wouldn't try all of these techniques in one sitting or even on this one rule.)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Pam's Woods Mystery Rule #3



It took me all this time to come up with something that would meet the rule and go with my blocks. I'm kinda slow sometimes! LOL The part that I would not normally use is a very small piece of blue and red material. For embroidery, I used rust and green vines going throughout the piece. I don't know how well you can see it.



I am going to try to post my picture of all rules together. I am not too good at this yet, so please bear with me. I seem to be the only one who doesn't know how to put tw pitures in the same post. LOL

Friday, February 18, 2011

Desertsky Susan - Rule 3

It took forever, but the last stitches are in!  The entire strip is embroidery.  The color I don't use often is the gold.  I found just *one* skein of 20 lengths of this thread, and that's it!


Because the theme of my block is Civil War, I wanted to do something that might have been done in the time.  I had decided on a bit of William Morris fabric to copy when someone (I, sadly, was so excited about the pattern, I forgot to notice whose blog I was on.  If anyone else finds it in their looking, please let me know!) posted this design in their blog to download.  It was perfect!  I lengthened and broadened it to fit the space.  I love the way it looks.  It was done in perle 8 Sassa Lynne thread, using backstitching, which is not my best stitch.

Note:  Thanks to Lynne for finding the source for me!  It's http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/09/free-embroidery-pattern-scrolly-border.html  Mary Corbet's video stitches site.  I remember being on there now, and noticing that she has patterns as well as the videos of stitches.  Yay!  Mystery solved.

Here's what the three blocks look like together.  They are NOT sewn together, because I still have only one seam embroidered on the crazy quilt part.  I want it to be wonderful, and that takes time!  It looks like there's something on it, but there isn't.  Just the photograph, I guess.

Granny Annie's Garden rule 3


The 5x20 size was challenging but here it is. I used velvet for the birdhouse opening & embroidered all the flowers & vines.

Granny Annie's Garden with Block 3


And here it is all together

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Deana's Rule #3

I began by piecing a background to applique on.  I placed two fabrics on top of each other, right side up, and cut a free handed curve with the rotary cutter.

Next, I removed the excess layers and seamed the curve together.

This is what I ended up with.  I tried to follow similar lines on the paper next to it.

Next I pieced the little barn's roof in strips that were cut different widths then seamed back together with offset rows.   I was trying to go for a patchy "tin" roof look. 

The roof is small and kind of hard to see the pieced sections in it.  At this point I used the embroidery technique by doing hand work for the fence, window, door, grass, and flag pole.  The flag is cut from a piece of fabric "that I wouldn't normally use" as described in the rule.  I tried to match the background of the flag the best I could so I was able to piece it in (too small to do much else).
Below is a selection of fabrics I found in my stash to help me fulfill the #3 rule.  They are all novelty prints I wouldn't normally use.   Below I have tropical birds, Star Spangled Banner music, pink (I don't like pink), frogs, and the very ugly fruit & vegetable print.  Next to that is a netting type fabric (I pondered making a chain link fence out of it), and then a silky grey.  Hmmm.  I really had to study these ideas for a couple of days.  You can see where I got the tiny flag from.



I really liked it at this point but wanted to show more depth so I put fusible webbing on the back of this VERY UGLY piece of fabric and cut out some useful pieces.

I arranged the melons, scarecrow, and sunflowers as desired.  All but the sunflowers were machine blanket stitched on with invisible thread to fused applique pieces.  Normally I like to cover the raw edges, but I didn't want an applique look.  I was going for more of a realistic look. 
The sunflowers are 3-D.  You can actually stick your fingers under them.  They are stitched on only at the centers.  This works because I fused another fabric to the back of them, making it stiffer and pretty much finished. 

My intent with the large sunflowers was to create a sense of depth pushing the fields and little barn into the background.

I realize that the sunflowers are not proportionate in size to the silo, but I'm not going for that realistic of a look in this quilt.

I am so very pleased!!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011



From the beginning of this rule, I knew I wanted to add hearts for Valentines day. I really like this holiday and so I try to do something for my boys each year to celebrate it. I wasn't sure what I would do, until a quilt magazine came in the mail. It has these paper pieced scrappy hearts and pinwheels.
At first, I made a frame around the big hearts, but due to the size requirements, I thought it was too crowded so I took the border off on the left side and will have to wait for another time to see how the block is finished.

I enjoy hand work so the embroidery technique is great. I accented the hearts in black to match the embroidery work on the snowman.

Putting it together


Red is my least favorite color so I didn't expect to put it on this quilt. However, I coming to learn that adding a different color can add "pop" that the quilt might need. The red suits me now to highlight the little Valentine traditions our family has.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011


Lyn's least favorite color is red so she chose to make a red truck. She embroidered the wire on the fence and the lines in the road. She appliqued the road, truck, and fence.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Moira's Rule3 block


Took me a while to figure out what I wanted to add for this rule. I was already working with fabric that is not what I would normally use because it is pastel colors....so that was a given....but what to add that would use embroidery....hmmm..... Thought i would add a vine with flowers made from hearts that i'd seen because that would be cute for a baby girl and this quilt will most likely end up as a baby gift for someone..... So i made the block, and then went to attach it with what I'd already finished...and decided that it just didn't fit with the rest of the quilt. the green I used for the stem was just too dark. So off came the block and it's headed to the orphan pile. will used it somewhere else.
Round two came about after more debating with myself. Decided on two flowers and a heart. Both made from fabric that I'd long ago ironed fusible web onto, but hadn't used all of them. Much happier with the look of the block now. =) Eventually will be adding button centers to the flowers, but I don't have anything big enough for the size of the flowers. So will be getting 1 inch buttons in probably yellow and sewing them on at some point. I machined embroidered them with a machine buttonhole stitch. =) Added the strip to the block and like how it looks. =) Looking forward to the next rule being posted.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Marie's Optical Illusions Block 3

It's finished!  I have to say this project is very fun for me.  I'm being challenged and learning lots.  Here is the process for my Block 3.

First I drew up my pattern with inspiration from "Isometric Perspective" by Katie Pasquini-Masopust using my Super 60 ruler.  I decided to paper piece this one because the pieces are so small since it could only be 3" wide so that I could add 1" borders to each side to keep it floating in space. 


Here are my paper piecing patterns.

 Then, I went to my stash and found this piece of fabric.  It is the only piece of fabric in my stash that was this color and it's been there a while, and is not a color I would normally use.  I had to do some fussy cutting to end up with dark and light colors for my posts, but it worked well.
Then I did the paper piecing.  At one of our quilt retreats Deana taught us how to paper piece tumbling blocks so that there is a seam down the middle of the block, making it so there are no  y seams.  That method saved me a ton of time and frustration.  Thanks Deana!  Next, I did a machine embroidery stitch and then I was ready to sew it together. 

The pictures at the right are the two strips sewn together (minus seam allowances, because I got so focused on seeing the end result that I forgot to take pictures at that point and so did a little cropping of pictures so that you could see what I did). 

               

 Next I sewed the 2 strips together being very careful to match up seams and points.



Here is the finished block.


This is my finished creation.  I have to say I'm pleased with it, and still in awe that I have been able to pull this off.  I can't wait for the next rule.


Monday, February 7, 2011

wow! this #3 was a doozey for me!




i was thrilled with the assignment!  thrilled i say......thrilled. 

until i tried working with the space....5 inches finished that was 20 inches long....hhhmmmm....would have made a really cool tall tree, and that was what i wanted to do, but just could not find a good tree that was tall enough yet narrow enough....that five inches was gonna be the death of me.

saw the cute little bird in it's nest from those wonderful gumtree designers new "things we like" BOM.  jenny of elefantz designed the first block....i HAD to put it in....it was stitching afterall....then, i decided on some pine cones....couldn't find any good stitched pinecone pattern either, but DID find a nice little prim paper pieced one. 

i am retarded when it comes to paper piecing....what would have taken 5 minutes for a normal person that can think in reverse (i just can't for paper piecing--can for other things but NOT this!)  took me hours.  really.  to make 2, yes, 2 pinecones.  they are below.

  not completely finished, but still...and, they had used the fabric that i would not use...it is in each cone, on the top one it is the 3rd from the bottom.  on the bottom cone, it is the wide strip of black and brown where the black looks like cannon bombs.  i think they are actually supposed to be berries, but they look like bombs to me, so it ALWAYS gets passed over for ANYTHING i am making....

i thought they looked pretty darned good for prim pinecones, but then, i knew what they were.  when i showed them to (NON-quilty) friends later that night, they were NOT impressed, and did not even know that they were pinecones....back to the drawing board


still wanted that bird in there, and  finally found a nice little pine cone to applique and stitch, so i did....3 of them..


so, that was my block.  it was more time consuming than i thought it would be, i love stitching, but all the design changes, different background for the bird block itself, then, swapped out the nest fabric too...and, it just took forever to stitch all those scales on the pinecones for some reason....and, i am not actually really very happy with it.  i still have to blanket stitch the little branches, but i used french knot eye, satin stitch beak, and then outline and blanket stitch....my fabric i would not normally use in a quilt ended up being the nest fabric....only because it has never actually gone into one but it has been used for many other things...it is celtic knotwork.....


here they are together....dark picture,  but it will have to suffice.....and, when we have to do a paper-pieced technique, i am ready!!!  actually, i am hoping that it will be next clue, and we will build another 5 x 20 strip coz i actually like my first work-up better than this block i ended up with....and, i wanna make a new bird and nest and put it with those cones on the right side......whadda ya think powers that be??? a paper pieced technique on a 5 x 20for number 4???? pretty please with sugar on top??






Block #3

I also had a time thinking of a color I wouldn't normally use, well I found that I love all colors, but I normally don't use bright green. I also hand embroidered the pots with some design.


I had a time trying to figure out what to do with such an odd space.. I first tried to fit a tall giraffe into the space and well lets just say I didn't like how my giraffe looked so I went back to the drawing board. I did some research and decided to make some African Pottery.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Steph's forest block #3

This block was really fun for me.  I have been doing hand embroidery since I was four or five.  So I really enjoy doing it.  I decided that for my color I would normally never use, I would outline my little critter in hot pink.  Oddly enough, I REALLY like how it turned out!
here is the little fawn...

I picked out a few pictures of bambi for refference, and then drew it in chalk.  I really like how it looks.  Then, here is the entire unit:

and then the whole thing so far:




I am really really enjoying this!