HAPPY NEW YEAR

I WISH EVERYBODY A FANTASTIC NEW YEAR FULL OF LOTS OF JOY AND HAPPINESS ( AND PATCHWORK AND APPLIQUE).

ALL THE BEST HERE FROM DENMARK

ANNE, COPENHAGEN

my next panel

First of all I wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!.

After spending 23.12 with all the family (15 in total), we had a very nice quiet Chrismas Eve Ole , his son Jonatan and I.

So the next days in Christmas are in our little family pure relaxation, NICE!!  I spend the days  finishing my left panel. I did not realise until I finished , that my colour choise was so diiferent the the original. but now I see it clearly. I actually like that.

Anne , Copenhagen

Creative Jucies flowing today

Wow, I am on a roll.  I choose all the fabrics and cut the patterns for all the birds on this block.  It definitely is going much quicker than the top block.  I will have this one done in no time, Yeah!
Merry Christmas everyone in Blogland

A very happy christmas to all

Hello Everyone,

A very happy and safe Christmas to all, lovely thoughts, some stitching in the midst of cooking and family time, lots of love, Kim McLean

Princess feathers finally getting underway ...

I have finally started on my princess feathers. I received the pattern in March - only 10 months to get things up and running! I had a short delay while I found the perfect background fabric - one of Moda's essential dot patterns. Then the biggest delay came with my health. I had wanted to do this all by hand but my hands weren't cooperating with me. (I was also just finishing up the civil war bride quilt all by hand.) Unfortunately the arthritis in my hands won. My friends finally convinced me to use machine applique. So ... I have used hand applique for the stems and circles and machine applique, with decorative stitches for the larger pieces. Part of me feels very guilty about not using hand applique for this glorious quilt. The other part is happy to just start seeing it getting done.

I choose to use repro fabrics, making the feathers in blues and purples and flowers in reds, golds, oranges. I wanted the centers to blend more with the background so I chose a print in a similar value. The wonderful birds will be some of everything. I think now that the first block has been completed, I will make faster progress on the quilt. The guilt will probably remain though :(

P.S. ... the close up of the stitches is not true color. The stitches around the feather are closer to the color of the fabric than they appear in this photo. I used a buttonhole stitch that places additional stitches outside which seems to highlight the edge more. It looks better in person.

I look forward to peoples' feedback.

Judy Elliott in Oklahoma

getting there

This morning I sewed the top block to the lower blocks, yeah, lovin' it, thanks Kim for the pattern

Hello out there!

I managed to sew the 9 blocks with the sashings and prepped all of the borderblocks. At once over several weeks. I also have some borderblocks sewn already(?)

Meanwhile i was thinking of the cornerblocks (multitasking, you know how it goes)
I went for the regular applique (the block with the stem) first, but then i decided i could as well finish up that fabric 'serendipity' by Paula Nadelstern since i only had some serious swiss cheese left of it and make the inner circles, also the needleturn funky not exactly circle way. Question : the left (on red) or the right (on leftover squares) on the top.
What do you think? Personally i think i go for the red squares now, but it wouldn't be the first time i change my mind. So i would like to hear from you. (who wouldn't)

And then, i have another question i hope you can help me with : my design wall is made of insulation plates covered with that sticky fabric from clover you buy in precut packs, 1 size only. I think it seriously needs some washing. Can i do that? Because of course, i do not have the packaging anymore and i don't know of a store here that carries that so i could go take a peek.

To all of you, i wish you very happy seasonal holidays and a magnificent 2012 (already?) with plenty of time to do what you enjoy most.

Finally this block is finished

Yeah! finally got this square finished.  I started it early September (however I have made several quilts in that time, lol) my excuse!

my next 2 blocks!!

Here is my 6th and 7th block. I get so inspired from all of your photos. I love finding fabrics for all the figures!!
Happy Holiday to everybody!!
Anne, Copenhagen

I FINISHED!!! I think there is easily over 1,000 hours of work in this so far. I started more than a year ago, and there has been a lot of distractions in my life during this project. But I kept going and have loved every minute of making this top. This is by far the most fun I have ever had and my best work yet! Thanks Kim for your inspiration.

When I started this pattern I was posting the blocks here as I finished quite often. Then for some reason I got locked out and was unable to post anything (computer issue on my end)... plus a new job, a few days away for the Houston International Quilt Fest and many other distractions have kept me away for quite awhile. Happy to be be back and to be able to share the finished quilt top.

You will notice that I changed the 4 corners to my own design. I also did my own thing on the border... I found this giant rick rack that I just loved and I think it fits here really well.

I have found material for the backing and will be starting the hand quilting sometime early next year.