It took me long enough

I made this cut-down version of Hearts and Flowers as a baby gift for a great-niece. I love the entire quilt and really wanted to make all the borders, but I just don't need anything that big. I plan to use the borders I skipped in another project some day.

I've been making applique quilts for a long time, but had not done anything this elaborate and structured before. Fellow blogger Marion had given me the Piece O' Cake quilting video (Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins Teach you to Quilt the Piece O' Cake Way) last Christmas, and I decided to try their methods. The video is very easy to follow and Becky and Linda are both talented teachers. It worked well for me.

I had some Kaffe Fassett fabrics on hand and ordered a starter package from Glorious Color. I used a lot of other non-Kaffes in my stash as well. I wanted to personalize it just a little so added an S for Sophia Irene and a couple of extra hearts.


I relished every stitch of this quilt and fell asleep every night thinking of the next challenge, the next color, the next fabric, the next flower, the next leaf. Doesn't everyone?

The title of this posting refers both to the making of the quilt (March-October) and to the fact that I've been "lurking" since the very first days of Glorious Applique. Thanks for setting this up, Pam--it is endlessly entertaining and inspiring.

On to Flower Pots!

Hearts and Flowers Finished!

I finally put the last border on my Hearts and Flowers quilt.  This has been a rather fast journey.  I started this quilt on August the 28th and completed the top yesterday October the 8th.

The quilting will be another story since I don't seem to get that done too quickly.  I think the piecing is my favorite part.

I am debating with myself now-- trying to decide-- if I should take the border on the right off and turn  it around.

I didn't notice  how different it looks until I saw it in the picture.

My next project will be Lollypops.  I have started on block one .  

The pieces are so much larger than they were in this quilt.

Hearts and Flowers Center

In an earlier post, Theresa asked about the center panel to Kim's Hearts and Flowers quilt.  This was probably the largest applique' block that I'd ever done, and here is how I did it.  First I traced the heart onto freezer paper - the outside fingers, the inside heart, and the middle heart. 

Then I machine basted the center horizontal and vertical lines onto my background fabric and traced the applique' design on the background with a Mark B Gone pen.  I ironed the freezer paper to the dotted fabric and drew around it with a Sew Line chalk pencil. 

 I did a rough cut around those outside fingers, but didn't do the final trim until an inch or so before I did the actual needle turn.  Then before I trimmed the inside of the heart away, I went back to the machine and basted on the line for the inside heart.  The Mark B Gone pen shows through on the back.  The line for the heart gave me a guideline for placing the inside heart.

I cut the heart shape out of the center of the freezer paper so after I appliqued the center heart to the middle heart fabric, I'd have a guideline to use to trace the applique' line on the middle heart fabric.

This is my center so far.  I still have a few berries and tongues to finish before the center is complete, but I've had a lot of fun fussy cutting leaves and berries from my fabrics.  My Stars and Sprigs has been shipped, so I've got to step it up a bit.   

Hearts and Flowers centre panel

As I don't have any plastic large enough to make a template to go over the top of this panel I've decided to use back basting and I am just tracing the design onto the back of the fabric. I was wondering how others have approached the wiggly heart shape. Did you cut all of the wiggles out before you started or did you trim as you went along? I'm feeling that the second option is what I will do but just wanted to see if anybody had words of wisdom about it please?

Hearts and Flowers

Hi All,  Just joined the group and this will be my first post.  I will have to blame my friend Judy (AKA Judith of Lollypop) for my addiction to Kim McLean.  After seeing her quilts and all the beautiful quilts on the Glorious Applique Blog I just had to join in.
My first attempt has been to do the Hearts and Flowers quilt from Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Romance book.
I ordered the fabric kit from Glorious Color and have made several trips to Intown one of my local quilt shops to pick up more.  Did I mention this was an addiction?

My Hearts and Flowers Quilt

I bought the Quilt Romance book because I was bound I was going to make the pickle dish quilt that is on the cover.  I didn't even flip through the book because I was in a hurry, and after all it's a Kaffe book. Even if you never make a single quilt from his books, the photos are inspirational enough to warrant owning the book.  Imagine my surprise when I sat down to look at the book and found a Kim McLean pattern.  I couldn't stop looking at the Hearts and Flowers quilt.  Then I found your group and decided to start the quilt and join in.

I know I should have pulled all of the fabrics first, but I couldn't decide on what to do for the heart.....

So I jumped to Border 3 and started applequeing the hearts and leaves.  I'm trying to narrow down choices for the heart before I go much farther.  I may need to regroup, go shopping or both. 
LuAnn

My "Hearts & Flowers" Quilt

I've been reading this blog for a while and -because I'm French speaking- I couldn't decide myself to join in...
Yesterday was the big day, I dare to ask an invitation!

I decided to make Kim's quilt last April after a very sad experience... Afterwards, I needed to do something positive, constructive on a long-term basis and there it was, in a book, a real revelation to me: Kim's "Hearts & Flowers" quilt!!!

BUT... I never did any appliqués in my life!??! Oups!
So I surfed on the net during hours and hours until I found several tutorials to teach myself.

I made a tentative with hand appliqué (the whole heart in the middle) but I changed my mind while doing the petals (machine appliqué) where I used Kellie's method.

Now, to be honnest, after having discovered your community and reading all your posts (and blogs) I'm struggling between hand and machine appliqué...
I'd love to do a new tentative with the needle and turn method but I'm afraid at the end my quilt will look like a "meltingpot of techniques" (lol)

On the other end, my block isn't really perfect (quite wonky) and I already think about beginning a new one (Lollipop Trees?), my "chef d'oeuvre";)

But first I will continue to "practice" on my "Hearts & Flowers" quilt until I'll feel confident enough to begin a new pattern -with the absolutely amazing hand appliqué method.

And if you want to give me (and others) a piece of advise, please, do NOT hesitate!!! I would be delightful to read them.

Thank you for having me join in!!!

A bientôt,
Sonja