In the view frame

Here I am, trying to snap a photo of my quilt block and what pops into the view finder...

Baby Cat

Smoke-Oh

Us...

And my feet... Hahahahahhahah, usually I trim this away, but I think it's ok to document what I am wearing as well!

This block is from the Esther Aliu pattern "Love Always". I am using all French General fabrics to make it. It's a long term project. Every time I get it out and work on it for a while, I think that it's too good to use while my son is so young, (he's a bit rough!!) and that I will finish it "later" when he's grown up a bit. 

Does that ever happen to you? You have special fabric, you keep it for ages, and don't make anything with it... to the point you think  - I either have to make something really spectacular, so you save the fabric, or you make something super simple.

I have some super simples coming up. It's time.

 

Love always block 4

Wow, this was a really intensive block! Those little stems combined with the teeny tiny berries.

I do love that vase, and I am really happy with the colour arrangement for the peonie roses, and will use the same format for all the ones in the borders, even if I use different fabrics.

I made the vase from 4 fabrics, utilising a stripe from a piece in the layer cake. Feeling very clever because it creates the illusion of being more complex than it actually is.

I am enjoying the applique, and improving my skills, although I have to agree that my freemotion machine embroidery skills are superior to my hand applique ones.

Love Always block 3 almost complete

The third block is complete... I absolutely love the  way it turned out.

Totally will be going around the petals with embroidery.

The array of light, medium and darks are so striking.

Two more blocks to make before the centre can be completed.

It's working!

It's working! These little stems are taking AGES!!!

I will get back to you on these....

Love Always block 3

I am enjoying the colours of these flowers...

I don't think the petals look quite distinct enough from the background, so I think it's going to need some embroidery outlines.

And the tiny fine pieces on the block also need to be made... i am going to try quarter inch strips folded in half to make 1/8 of an inch strips. Maybe in this beige-ish print.

Love Always block 2

The first of the four main blocks for Love Always is totally complete.

I am using the same red grunge for all the stems, because even though I like the scrappy look, it still needs some cohesion. And the grunge is an ongoing fabric. There will be lots of stems in the applique borders.

There are a total of 4 vase blocks. I will need to do at least one more with a pink/muted red vase.

Looking forward to the next block!

Love Always update

It's always exciting to sink one's teeth into a new project, and this one is no exception.

I am so enjoying the calm of the muted reds.

Not much more to do on this one before I snooze it.This is the centre, and I imagine quite a few people unpicked their centre medallion once the 4 surrounding blocks were made, because it would make or break the quilt composition.

a bit of relaxing applique

And here I have been working on the Love Always quilt, so happy to have started using these gorgeous red and pink and beige fabrics.

Just finding it so relaxing to make something for my own bed.

With all this furious machine stitching, I am enjoying the slow steady creation of this special block. 

Love Always fabric acquisition

Every now and then a girl gets an urge to start something big.

And she knows it's going to be big.


I have decided to make Esther Aliu's spectacular "Love Always" applique quilt.

The pattern has been purchased, and I collected fabrics. The above range shows the pieces I bought from the bolt.

And the images here show some pieces from a layer cake pack.

This image is included twice because the fabrics appear in different tones in each picture.

I am making it in a two tone format with French General muted reds from a number of fabric ranges.

Getting exciting! I am looking forward to achieving some hand stitching without thinking about designing the pattern also.