Garden Bouquet Quilt: Month 2

The Completed Block

I wanted to share with you my completed Month 2 block with the tulip, saucy and meek birds.





Here it is!



Do you have a completed Month 2 block? Great! Send me a photo so I can share it with everyone!



Have a great day!!!



~Heather

Garden Bouquet Quilt- Month 2: Part 3

The Meek Bird

This little bird, so meek and mild, like its saucy partner is used on each one of the 20 urns which make up the finished Nancy Page Garden Bouquet Quilt.

Therefore it is wise to keep the original pattern.

Nancy advised her club members to paste it into the Nancy Page scrap book. Then it could be used for reference at any time needed. The procedure in making this bird is similar to that of any appliqué work. First, Nancy suggests that its outline be traced lightly on the white triangle in the spot it will occupy when it is appliquéd.

This placement is shown in the small insert pattern in the corner of the block. After the tracing is made on the cloth a second tracing is made on light-weight cardboard. This is cut out and used as a pattern by which to cut the material. In cutting allow one-quarter inch on all sides for turning in the raw edges. Be sure to use color fast material.

Suggestions were made last week as to the best way to work out the color schemes. She suggested, you remember, making all the birds alike all over the quilt. Or, making each pair alike, but different from the pair on a neighboring block. In this case the coloring of birds should fit in with coloring used for the flowers.

Or, making a variation in the meek and the saucy bird. The meek one might have plain body and figured wing while its neighbor would reverse that- having a figured body and plain wing.

But in every case Nancy advised making legs, beak and eye plain. The legs should be darker than the beak. The eye may be of textile or embroidered in satin stitch with fast-colored embroidery cotton.

In appliquéing the pieces sew them with a fine, invisible slanting hemming stitch. Be sure that raw edges are basted and pressed down before starting appliquéing.

If the same color scheme is selected for all the birds, these may be made any time, for the patterns are the same on all the twenty urn blocks. Just so soon as the urn is pieced and joined to the triangle of white the block is ready to have birds appliquéd. It is only the flowers which change. Next week we have the cactus.


Follow the few simple steps for transferring your pattern to your material as described in Month 2 Part 1: The Tulip. I’ve chosen to make all my birds different but you can make them all look the same or any way that is pleasing to you.

Here’s my Meek Bird!

Quick Links to:

Month 1: Beginning Instructions, Urn, and Basket Instructions

Month 2, Part 1: The Tulip

Month 2, Part 2: The Saucy Bird

Hand Appliqué

Machine Appliqué

Alternate Method of Appliqué Tutorial

Biased Binding Tutorial

Garden Bouquet Quilt- Month 2: Part 2

The Saucy Bird

The tulip was standing pertly in the garden urn. It needed only the birds to complete the first block of the new Nancy Page garden bouquet quilt. And here’s the bird- a saucy one. One of these will be used on each of the twenty pieced and appliquéd blocks to be put in the quilt. So be sure, cautioned Nancy, to keep this pattern.

She suggested to her club members that they cut out the pattern as given in today’s paper and paste it in their Nancy Page Scrap Book. Then they would have it for future reference, along with the directions, at any time they might want it.

There are two birds in each block. The pattern for the other bird will be given next week. The club members were undecided whether to make all the birds alike or not. Nancy had three suggestions: Each pair of birds may differ, the colors used to depend upon the flower and its color.

Or each pair may be like every other pair. In that case, the urns and the birds would repeat themselves in coloring twenty times in the quilt. This will make for repetition of pattern and will set off the varied colors used in the flowers.

In making the birds for any one block it is possible to make them exactly alike as to coloring, or one may have a plain body and a figured wing while the other has a figured body and a plain wing.

The bills may be of different colors. So may the eyes. The eyes may be made of a small circle of cloth appliquéd or the eyes may be worked with satin stitch in fast colored cotton. The legs ought to be of darker color than the bills.

Bills and eyes had best be of plain, not figured material. So ought the legs. The bird may be lightly traced onto white material to use as a guide in appliquéing.

Trace the pattern as given today on stiff light-weight cardboard and then cut it out to use as a pattern. In laying cardboard on cloth be sure to allow a quarter-inch on all sides for turning raw edges under. Turn these under, baste and press. Then appliqué birds in place, using fine slanting, and invisible hemming stitches.


Follow the few simple steps for transferring your pattern to your material as described in Month 2 Part 1: The Tulip. I’ve chosen to make all my birds different but you can make them all look the same or any way that is pleasing to you.

Here’s my Saucy Bird!

Quick Links to:

Month 1: Beginning Instructions, Urn, and Basket Instructions

Month 2- Part 1: The Tulip

Hand Appliqué

Machine Appliqué

Alternate Method of Appliqué Tutorial

Biased Binding Tutorial

Valentine's 2009

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's

most quiet need; by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old grief’s, and with my childhood's faith

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath.

Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Elizabeth Barnett Browning

Valentine’s is on its way check out what I have available in my Etsy Store!!! Click on each photo to view it. :)

Garden Bouquet Quilt- Month 2: Part 1

The Tulip

The members came to the club meeting with work bags, enthusiasm and excitement. Today they were going to begin getting color into their new quilts. During the past week the members had pieced at least one urn according the pattern and directions given last week. Some of the members had made four or five urns so they were quite ready for a flower, a bird or what not. It was a flower which started them- a tulip. The pattern for it is given in today’s paper.

It is to be appliquéd on that triangle of white material which has been cut 12 1-2 by 12 1-2 by 17 inches. When this triangle is finally in place in the quilt it will have lost a half inch on all sides by seaming so that it will then measure 12 by 12 by 16 1-2. This white material is soft and fine gingham or a material which will take stitchery and quilting easily. It is seamed with fine stitches to the 17-inch length of the lower block, the one which has been pieced with the urn. Then today’s pattern is ready for use.

Nancy suggests three ways of using it- first, trace it lightly onto the white triangle block. Two, paste the entire square of today’s pattern onto light weight card or tag board. When dried under pressure cut out the pattern and use by placing on top of desired material.

Three, trace this pattern onto light weight cardboard and cut this into its parts. This method has its advantages, since it allows you to put this pattern with its directions as given here right into your Nancy Page Quilt Scrapbook. Then you have it intact for future use.

Nancy suggested that soft-colored green bias tape be used for all the stems. This is not necessary, however, for the regular soft green gingham may be used. In doing this cut the stems on the bias and cut them twice as wide as the pattern. Fold raw edges back until they meet. Baste and press.

In cutting leaves and flower allow one-quarter inch on each side. This gives material for turning under. The edges are turned under, basted and pressed in place. Then the pieces are appliquéd in place according to diagram given in upper corner.

Nancy suggested a small figured print of fast color for the flower. Although some of the women wanted to use plain scraps they had left over. They are quite all right.

The pattern for a bird will be given next week. Watch for it and decide whether it shall be a bluebird, robin, a wren or a tanager.


Here is the pattern for the tulip. I believe you can copy and paste it onto your computer. You can then print it out. Use the 1” square reference mark for sizing.

There are a few simple steps to take to transfer your pattern to your quilt block and material and here they are:

1) Gather your materials. You’ll need the tulip pattern, your quilt block, your chosen fabrics, freezer paper, pencil, masking tape, and a wash out fabric pen.

2) To begin tape your tulip pattern up on a window or some other type of light source.


3) Tape your quilt block over the tulip pattern, centering it as best you can.

4) Trace the tulip onto the quilt block fabric using the wash out fabric pen.

Your quilt block should now look something like this!

5) With the tulip pattern still taped to the window or light source trace each piece individually onto the freezer paper.

6) Place your freezer paper, shiny side down, and iron onto your fabric. The shiny side of the paper temporarily adheres to the fabric and it easily peels off once you’re done tracing the pattern onto the fabric. Trace around the pattern using your wash out fabric pen and cut out the pattern leaving ¼ inch on all edges.

7) You can now appliqué on the tulip using any method you prefer (see the bottom of the page for quick links). The tulip stem is made from biased tape (also see quick links below).

Here’s my Tulip!

Quick Links to:

Month 1: Beginning Instructions and Urn/Basket Instructions

Hand Appliqué

Machine Appliqué

Alternate Method of Appliqué Tutorial

Biased Binding Tutorial

Changes...

First, I must apologize for being MIA the past few weeks. I’ve been so busy with the holidays and everything that comes with them that I wasn’t able to write many posts. I hope you don’t mind.

Now, on to more important things…

Along with the New Year there have been some new changes for me. I’ve written in the past that I will be returning to work part time. Things are about to get very busy for me! I’ve had to think about what I’ll be able to continue doing and what has to be done. I’ll still be a full time stay at home mom, not including school-time hours. I’ve been given enough freedom in my job that if something comes up such as a snow day or my son getting sick then I’ll be allowed to skip work penalty free. My mom will be my boss and she understands the difficulties of raising children as she’s raised 3 of her own and 2 step-children. Since I’ll be working outside the home for some hours during the day I will not have enough time for other things. I won’t be sewing as much. I’ll never stop sewing but I just won’t have as much time in the day as I used to. Since I won’t be sewing as much nor doing anything very interesting during the day I’ve decided to cut down on my blogging time. I’m not going to stop blogging as it is something I enjoy also. The main thing you’ll notice is I’ll no longer be posting my weekly accomplishments posts. I’m not going to have much to write about anyways! LOL As far as my Etsy store, I’ll still be keeping that up. I still have my full household duties so complete. My husband says he’ll try to help pick up the slack but we’ll see. I’m just glad I’ll be able to get out of the house and see some adult faces for a change. Pray that I don’t get too stressed out or annoyed at everyone!
Thank you to all my readers out there! I’ll still be around and you’ll see an occasional post but not quite as often as before.

Take Care!

~Heather

P.S. Here is an interesting article I found on women working part time. It’s very short & I would appreciate you taking the time to read it and commenting on it. What are your thoughts on the article? Agree? Disagree? What are your thoughts on women working in general? Please be civil in your comments!

Plans and Goals for 2009

These are my plans and goals for 2009. Everyone always makes resolutions but never seems to keep them. I thought that by calling them this I would be more apt to follow through with them. Some of these are specific and some of them are flexible making it easier to keep up with. So here they are… my Plans and Goals for 2009!

1) Spend time soul searching, studying and researching my religious issues.
2) Address some personal problems and face my depression.
3) Become healthier and fitter through eating better and exercising.
4) Spend more time with my husband and go on a date at least once a month.
5) Do more writing in general, more specifically, journaling and letter writing.
6) Become more “green”.
7) Do more personal sewing… not sewing business related.