I changed this block a bit, the basket is different, I added circles to the 3 leaves on each side and well here is my ooppss! I forgot to applique the vine down from the leaves on before I did the two flowers so my stems/vines do not go down to the basket...so REMEMBER that when you go do make this block! I am ok with my mistake and decided its ok to give myself a little freedom the pattern!

It is so exciting to see the 4 blocks together....now to decide which block to do next!

Princess Feather

Last Summer I started the applique for Kim's Princess Feather pattern. I was asked to post it here, so here I go....
I do my applique a bit different from most people and I posted about it here.
Now for the pics...for lack of a better place, I pinned my blocks to a quilt top I had hanging.

I'm new to blogger and the pics aren't going where I think I'm putting them, so please forgive the odd placement?

I quilted the Princess Feather with 1/4 wreaths in each corner of the blocks and diagonal lines 3/4" apart in the backgrounds of the blocks and borders. I quilted in the ditch around all of the appliques and added a row of quilting through the center of each feather to give it a spine.

For the back of the quilt I used a white sateen weave cotton sheet. It was easy to quilt through, unlike a regular weave sheet, and it gives a pretty look to the stitches. I'm posting a pic of the back side so you can see the quilting a little better.

Blue washout pen...

Hi all

Well I teach hand quilting without a hoop and have done for many years and I always talk to the ladies about the blue washout pen.
It is as Cathy says and I use it the same way with caution as I have had it come back some years later under my hand quilting.
That was however before I realised that even the heat of the day can be enough.

So if you use it make sure you take care.

Happy stitching

Christine

Here is a photo of the quilt that you asked about. Not a Kim pattern, but mostly Kaffe fabs. I didn't know how to quilt it, so am ditching it in clear thread.

I am working on block 3 for RA. Doing the vase reminds me of the vases in The Blue Collection.

Mary

Blue Washout Pens

I have had quite a few emails asking me about the safety of the blue washout pen, so I thought I would show how I use them. I have been appliqueing using these pens for over 10 years and have never had any trouble, however there are a couple of things you do need to think about. One of the most important is to avoid heat...I used to live in Brisbane (a pretty hot climate) and if a block was left in a hot car for a few hours, the pen could have been 'set' by the heat. Once you have marked a block with blue pen, never iron it until you have washed the pen out.

Firstly I generally only draw out 1 or 2 blocks at a time. Leaving the blue pen in for a long time is not a good idea, having said that a few months is usually ok. I trace the pattern onto my block using a lightbox, if you don't have one of those, sticking the pattern onto a window or putting a lamp underneath a glass table top work just as well. 

Once the applique on the block is finished, I then totally submerge it in cold water (water only, do not use any soap or detergent at this stage). Give it a gentle swish around, I usually do this for about 1-2 minutes. This removes all traces of blue pen.

Give it a gentle wring out by hand...

Hang it up to dry...

Once dry, I then iron it with the steam setting on. At this point I have never had any lines coming back, or even any yellow lines showing up.

This is the method I use to wash out the blue pen...does anyone else use the blue pen? How do you wash it out?

Hi,
Sorry for the lay-out, i'm not a computercapable person.

The lollipops with the yellow leaves is my first block so far. The blue leaves i managed to prepare to take with me to Birmingham. To my disppointment, no quilts from Kim McLean, a lot of Kaffe Fassett though : quilts, fabric and even the person : tall, smiling, relaxed.
The dark red leaves are my third block. Now i would like very much to have your honest opinion because i am doubting myself very much at this point.

Meanwhile i am stewing over Kims heart quilt in the romance book. I found those background fabrics : 4 almost identical kaki background with pink spots. The layout of the spots is different in each one. With a Kaffe border (once finished), the right hand one probably, and i am thinking with repro's and japanese taupe.And maybe tht at kind of soft orange for the heart. But for the moment just stewing, to much other things going on.

About a week ago i read an entry on the blog from someone (couldn't find it back) who was talking about doing the circles from lollipop without the precut circles preparations. I just want to say i totally agree with her that it is more suitable for this pattern to do them without the templates, because then you have more of the oval shape as on the original pattern. I also think it takes a lot of the possible boredom of sewing that many circles away. I trace my circles from the pattern and then just crease the sewing line between thumb and index. I also crease the sharp points of the leaves.

I do have a question though : how do you put your shapes on the place where they belong, do you eyeball it or is there a method to get them on the right spot?

Could i also ask you, since i have the impression lots of you are using the blue watersoluble pen, to watch out with that : 2 of my quilts i made years ago, after rinsing them in the washing machine, show yellowish lines instead of the former blue ones. So i don't use that pen anymore, unless i can wash the lines out the same day i put them on.
Sorry for the layout again, have no patience now for searching everything out, but i do want to tell you how much i really love this blog.

Choices are made.

These are the Fabrics I came home with today from my LPS...off white tone on tone stripe for the background & 'French Hat Box' by Tanya Whelan for the applique..whew!..this is more Me...Shabby Chic. Soft and Pretty...That's My Lollipop Tree.

cheers

Maree...

Second Block

I completed a second block for the RA. I wish I had better vision for fussy cutting. I seem to agonize over fabric selection and am not always satisfied with the result, but it is what it is.

I have a pile of clam shells printed and am thinking of using them for a border for the Lollys. I had started to piece them for another project, but may use them here instead.

Mary