Trees Of The Four Seasons # 1

                                     

This quilt was inspired by an 1800's one, I've had it pinned into my scrap book since the early 2000, it has now sort of morphed into something else and the only thing now that is similar to the antique one is that the pots are in the same position. It took me a while to realize that the best way to design it is to do it in quarters, this way, the leaves can merge into each other. 

If you read through the instruction sheets in the pattern pack, it is important to transfer the position of the trunk to both sides of the background fabric, you may need to use a lamp under the glass coffee table.
Unlike the other quilts I have done, the midline guides here are only used for transferring the design on to the background, they will not be used for measuring the final size of the block. You will be using the line of the trunks of the trees to measure the final block size. As you'll be marking the final block size on the back of the background fabric, you really need to make sure that this trunk line is at the same position at the front as well as at the wrong side of background fabric.

You also need to mark the squares carefully, as there are 2 blocks which must be transferred in reverse. If one looks at the bottom left quarter, the right bottom one is the reverse. Going up, the top right quarter is the right side and the top left is the reverse. You'll also be needing 2 sets of leaves templates, one reversed and one set as is.

Now, to the fun part, choosing the fabrics. I've elected to do it in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter colours. This has given the appearance of half the quilt being diagonally light and dark which had my husband rattled a bit! There was a suggestion by someone in a previous post that she might like to do hers with darker colours down below and going lighter towards the top, this sounds good too and might be easier to control.
I have a lot of lighter colour prints which I don't use very often, so this quilt was a good opportunity to use it. Colour wise, this quilt is a great one for you to use you stash, I don't think you'll have any problems with it. The best way is to lay out the numbered background fabric on a big table or the floor and place the pieces of fabrics with the ironed on freezer paper templates at the right positions and build from there. Leave a decent area around the ironed on templates so can see what fabrics you have used. Please refer to the previous applique tutorials, these were done for the Pandemonium Quilt but the method is the same. You'll find these tutorials under the banner photo on this blog. Use those fabrics with texture on them, the Feather, Brassica, Scallops and Shells for example. Stripe fabrics would be a contrast to the texture and give movement. Don't forget the geometrics to breakup the florals and the textured.

I'll attach the close ups of the four quarters :

                                        

                                         
                                       

 If you are going to the quilt with the four colours, it might be a good idea to do the cutting of the fabrics for each square in sequence and also write at the edge of the square which quarter you are doing. I did get myself into a knot! But this doesn't mean that you will though.

Have fun, I'll do another post with the borders - there isn't much to be aware of here.

Let me know if you have questions, Cheers, Kim

Flower Trellis Quilt in Quiltmania Magazine # 94 ( March - April 2013)

                    

Hi Everyone,

This is a quilt I did in early 2000 using red/green & white reproduction fabrics. I used a number of different red fabrics for the flowers and buds, I can"t remember what the collection was called though, they were lovely reds. The background is a shirting fabric and the green was one of those Baltimore greens.

The applique shapes are big, so they fill up the space pretty quickly. This was one of my first attempts at designing a quilt and I think the strips of diamonds were done on the sewing machine. Since I can't piece well on the machine, the quilt wasn't exactly straight!

I think this quilt would be great using all different colour flowers, buds and different green fabrics for the leaves. If you keep the long narrow strips a constant, then you'll be able to use the scraps for the diamonds.
An easy quilt to do! Cheers, K
PS. I don't know who Blueberries is! The article says " Kim McLean for Blueberries"

PANDEMONIUM

Here are my finished Pandemonium blocks (in no particular order). All are stitched, except the Horse Yard which I just finished prepping this week. I still have a few smaller pieced and appliqued blocks to make before I can put it all together, but the majority of the work is done. My goal is to have it finished by the end of April.  I am anxious to start Trees of The Four Seasons! My husband says he will confiscate the pattern for it until I have Pandemonium all sewn together. Ha! ; )

Sylvi, Houston, Texas

 

I placed a few circle blocks around to fill the photo. They will be placed differently later.

Flower Pots

My Flower Pots is finally hanging on a wall.  I've quilted for 22 years, been a Kaffe Collectives enthusiast for 10. This is my very first applique quilt, not counting fused applique. ;)  It took me 4 months back in 2011.  I purchased Kim's Flower Pots as soon as it came out, desperately wanting to make it but not fused, and I was no good at and gave up, the "needle turn" method. I was getting desperate. Then I met my dear friend Anita Brady, who taught me the "The Best Press Method"; a technique using freezer paper or heatproof plastic templates, starch, and an iron to turn the edges perfectly. The next time we met, I showed up with the Flower Pots pattern and she thought I was completely nuts!  A beginner starting with such a project!!? But stubborn as I am, I dived in.  A wonderful long armer in California, JoAnn Carpenter, quilted it.  And guess what... Anita quickly became a Kaffe/Kim fan and is doing Pandemonium with me!  It's so much fun choosing fabric for Kim's patterns together.
Flower Basket Medallion is nearly done but I got side tracked with Pandemonium. I've only got small blocks left to make - but what a surprise.... now I'm desperate to start Tress of The Four Seasons...... Heeeelp! I don't have enough hours in the day!  ; )  Happy sewing!
Sylvi Sealy, Houston, Texas

    

  

My Roseville Top

Picture of my Roseville Album, It's on my quilting frame now.  I'm posting both pictures.  I did rename mine to "The Witicha Album" because we moved this year to Witicha Street. 

Roseville Album question

I'm still working on my Roseville's second block. I'm having a lot of trouble picking fabrics. I've got a couple of dozen Kaffe fabrics that I'm using, but it's so hard!! I'm not having much success with the fussy cutting; is it really necessary?

Kim's Trees of the Four Seasons.  Coming next week!!!!

This is not glorious or applique but it is the newest product that Kaffe and I have had in the works for a long time. Neutral color, gridded design wall flannel is now a reality.
The only design wall flannel that was produced previously was white. Kaffe says that "working on white is like working against headlights" which is why we convinced Rowan to make this product. Please encourage your local shops to get this flannel.