The Bizzy Bird Farm

Thanks for all the wonderful comments. Yes, I plan on entering this into competition the first one being AQS Des Moines. This has to be done by May 20th, this year!!! So this is my first goal and all I can do is try to make it. I have already made a big change, yesterday had it basted together but I tried to hand quilt but the batting was too thick. I ripped out the small area of quilting and the basting and replaced the batt with Mountain Mist Polyester low loft batt. I just finished outlining the center fruit block and my hand quilting is much, much better. Glad I made the change. Planning on outline everything first then go back and add the "creative quilting". Still thinking about using large circles in the blocks, will let you know later when I decide.

The 'Bizzy' Bird Farm AKA Roseville Album

Well I finally finished appliqueing....around 3:30 this morning !!! Yes, it was early morning and I couldn't sleep so I kept sewing and sewing and sewing.....as I could see the end. The day before I had to make about 40 more circles. I will count these some day but I think I put in around 450 circles. I think once these circles are made these are the easiest pieces to sew on, one pin to hold and start stitching. As you can see I made many changes on the outside borders. This is where I put many circles and several flowers from the center. I decided to put birds, a cat and a goat on my corners to keep with the animal theme, thus the name change. Today I got it all layered together and basted thanks to the help of my Mom and Karen W. We also basted together Karen's Civil War Bride quilt top, which I will post later for her on that blog site. I'm using Quilters Dream Wool batting. I'm going to outline all the applique and been thinking of a creative way to add more quilting as the busy background fabric will not show off my hand quilting very well. Circles keep coming to mind, large circles. Maybe I just need some sleep. LOL It's been a long and fun journey with this quilt. I'm just so happy that I found this blog site and decided to join in on the fun. I truly enjoy and appreciate all the comments and really like reading each other postings from ladies all around the world....think everyone is having a good time with this blog. Thanks Kim for making such a beautiful quilt and sharing it with the world !

Flower Pots, Roseville & Hearts & Flowers

This is Nancy Smith's Flower Pots quilt. I love the deep colors she used - they just give it a nice contrast. It is hand-pieced and hand quilted.

And here is Nancy's version of the Roseville Album. It is a smaller quilt minus the inside border blocks.
Here is a close-up.
Last, we have the Hearts and Flowers quilt, beautifully done with many shades of rose, fuchsia and blues. It is amazing how much stitching Nancy gets done but she told me she spends her time stitching and not on the internet.........hmmm, maybe my quilts would come along a little faster if I did the same!! Enjoy and thank you Nancy for sharing your quilts!

Set together

I've been busy today setting this together. Had to lay it out on the deck in order to have enough room to photograph. When I get the outside borders on I will use my stand to get a straight on shot. I'm very pleased with all of it. Will start sewing on my last 2 borders tonight. It's hard to believe that I'm getting low on circles to use on my borders but I did just use 144 of them on the 4 corner blocks (may need my quilting friends again to baste circles). LOL Probably will regret having so many when I'm hand quilting around each of them.....but I really like the extra punch they give to this quilt.

Slowly, but steadily....

Finally finished another Roseville block.  (If I could just stick with one project this might go a bit quicker.)  But I really enjoy the process, so I guess there's no rush.  Here's my latest block--now I'm done with 5, and I've actually worked a bit on a couple others too.  This is not my favorite block, in part because I'm not wild about some of my fabric choices, but I'm trying to leave them be.

The block also has structural issues (why a person shouldn't stitch so late at night).  I'm not sure what to do about it.  If you look at the basket/bowl, you can see the upper edge bulges up instead of being straight across as it should be.  I was initially just going to rip that part out and restitch it, but I can see it is because I must have been following the design of the fabric as I stitched.  If I straighten it out, I'm afraid it will be odd looking with partial pencils.  (I have no idea how that weird bulge came to be since my freezer paper piece is quite clearly straight and the fabric design is straight. 

Well on looking at it again, it seems to be multiple issues.  Part of it seems to be that I dropped down on the sides where it attaches.  It likely should be reworked at some point--when I have more patience and don't make a hole somewhere!

What do you think?  Should I replace that piece of fabric, or should I leave it alone?  I was initially going to use red scales instead of pencils for the basket.  I also am not wild about the fabric I chose for the side pieces of the basket either--they seem too light.  Now would be a good time to switch fabrics if I'm going to.   How badly weird does it look to you (please be brutally honest)?  I've looked at it too much to "see" it at this point.  What would you do?

New Tip and almost done!

Thought I would show you what I've gotten done so far. I have 2 borders done and one corner block.

I had a mishap on all of my corner blocks. I took them with their cut out pieces for each block with me on my week vacation, which I sewed only on two nights. I spilled coffee in my sewing basket and didn't know it until I got home. The coffee soaked thru all blocks and some of my thread. I soaked and washed all of it but on 2 of the background pieces I could see a slight color difference. Since I'm going to do competition with this quilt I decided to start over, had one block almost done and partially another. I have since cut out the pieces that were sewed and I had just enough background to cut the 4 blocks out again, soooo glad I bought extra as it was on SALE.

As i usually do, I made some changes. I didn't put the birds in the corner blocks as I didn't want any birds upside down so I used the 2" circles and a smaller size circle to create this flower. Also changed the borders, using many flowers from the center adding little birds and added a cat and there will be 2 cats on top and bottom borders. I may add more circles but will decide this when I get it all set together.

TIP FOR THE DAY - I have left the selvage on my out side borders (remember to allow seam allowance for the pattern placement). I do this when possible because it helps to stop strecthing while sewing and quilting. I will cut it off after I'm done quilting and before I add my binding.

Roseville top panel

I got a lot accomplished this weekend. I finished the top panel, finished cutting out the corner blocks, made all the 1/4" vine for outside borders and made the bias binding. I always try to make my binding ahead, just in case I don't have enough fabric or forget and use it some where else. I'm using the black with purple dots for this as I wanted a dark fabric to "frame" my quilt.

I used the pencil fabric on the house to give it a log home effect and pyramids fabric for the tile roofing. I also used the golden yellow for windows, looks like my house is glowing or just left all the lights on... one of the yellow cats looks more like a fox than a cat and I changed the rooster...I ususally change things from the original patterns, guess to make it more personal.

Well I need to get back to 'SEWING' if I want to keep on track with my goals....and thanks for all the wonderful comments.

Testing, testing...

I have been making circles.  Did I tell you, I've been making circles?  Yep, circles!  I knew you'd understand...

This is a test.  There has been no sewing of said circles just yet.  I only placed them this morning.  The Squirrel panel is on my design wall.  I will look at it for a few days before I commit to these circles.  What do you think...  Opinions and suggestions welcome!  ; )

Keep safe everyone!  We are united by threads and have spun a community that cares for one another.  Take a few stitches when you can and be soothed by them.

Piecefully, Pam    

Blizzard Block

Greetings from the snowbound Midwest in the U.S. As bad as it is here, I am concerned about our Australian friends in the path of the cyclone. We could all use less weather drama. I hope you all all safe and will remain so.

A few days ago I finished my third (pink) corner block for Roseville. I rather dreaded all those fussy "hands," but in the end they were fun to do and very satisfying. You can see the three corners I have finished so far, and I have cut out the fourth. But I have to take a break for a time to make a baby quilt for my third grandchild, due at the end of April.

I'll be following the rest of you in the coming weeks. Happy stitching.

Finally finished with four!

I started stitching this block way last fall, but it has so many pieces, I have to admit I got discouraged--the little flowers seemed to take forever, and I know my stitching is less than great in several places. I also couldn't decide which color to make the birds.  (yes, I am an indecisive Libra)  Rather than stall the whole Roseville Album process, I started working on different blocks.

Last night I finally decided on pink wings, and thought I had it finished, but after washing the block, one of the birdy's wings was loose where I had stopped to rethread and forgotten to go back--the downside of using glue since it all looks fine until you wash it.   So I finally finished it for real this morning. Hooray!

Just finished the right side panel

I just finished the right side panel on my Roseville Album quilt.
Please forgive my photography. It's not my strong suit! LOL

This panel was fun to do. I added just a few extra circles, and changed the size of the cat.

I've started working on the top left corner block, and once done I can join the left side panel to the rest of the top.

Where to start?

I've found a background fabric and I'm ready to get started. I want to try Liza's front basting method and I want to start with an easy block. I'm going to be doing Kim's Roseville Album; which block would be the best one? Mind you, I'm kinda chicken here. ;)

Second Roseville Block

Finally finished my second block, after doing a bit of unstitching.  (I left off the center stem, which I didn't realize until near the end, of course.)  One change I made on the block is on the turquoise flower at the top.  My center seemed to disappear, so I added another slightly larger orange circle behind it.

I'm enjoying working on the Roseville blocks so much (dare I say addicted), that I'm struggling to face the fact that Christmas, Thanksgiving, and my family are all coming soon. And looking around my house at what needs to be done, this is likely the last real stitching progress I'll make for awhile. I have selected fabrics for 2 more blocks, with the hope that I can squeeze in a few stitches...

"Kim"spiration

Before I was blown away by the Roseville pattern and finally committed to tackling a "real" Kim quilt, I was a follower and admirer of her patterns on Glorious Color. You can see her influence in this baby quilt I adapted from a pattern called "Flowering Vines" by Becky Goldsmith. By the time I was ready to make the borders, I had the Roseville pattern; those are Kim's birds on the top. (I probably should have asked your permission, Kim, but I promise I'm not selling any patterns!)
Avery Rose is my newest great niece, the first child of my nephew and his wife. Apparently Avery didn't know first babies were supposed to take their time. She arrived precipitously on the living room couch and was delivered by a Chicago fire fighter! I don't usually make such elaborate baby quilts, but I just couldn't help myself once I discovered the fun of fussy cutting.

Now I'm well into Roseville. Separately I'll post a new finish (mostly because I haven't figured out how to put the photos where I want them). Can anyone help with that?

Roseville Fruit Bowl

Finally finished something--whoo hoo!

Somehow the block seems a bit  busy to me--perhaps the apple or the pineapple should have been plainer with the bowl print.  But I'm leaving it as is, following the principle that it's better to finish than to be totally happy, and knowing I can swap things later.  (Of course, I also know that change is a slippery slope--as soon as you change one fabric, the others will start to need adjusting, so I'm not going there.)  Hopefully as I finish more blocks they'll all blend together.  Now on to the next one....

Choosing a restrained

color palette has been much harder than I expected.  I plan to make my Roseville Album quilt in the likeness of the antique red and green Christmas quilts.  Instead of a white background I wanted to use black for greater drama.

So, I am sticking to mostly green and red fabrics.  Also, I have made the conscious choice to use many solid colored fabrics as opposed to prints.  I am cutting into my shot cottons and hand dyed fabrics too!

It feels good to add a Kaffe for peeks and punches of color here and there. Every now and then a print is also required!  I spent a great deal of time today selecting the rest of these fabrics and doing prep work.

I think I like how it's looking.  The circles will add more FUN and interest too.  All in good time.

Piecefully, Pam

I will be out of town for several days.  Unlike Liza, I will NOT be in Houston. Nor will I have internet access.  See you when I get back.  ; )

Roseville Squirrel Panel

I finally finished my left panel (more or less).  There are a couple of pieces that I'm not thrilled with, but I'm not going to change them, at least not now--I'm hoping they'll either grow on me or I'll forget them.  

I'm also working on one of the center blocks, too, so I could have something smaller to tote around, but it's still in process.  (Hopefully it'll be finished quicker than my panel was!)

The First Pink Corner Block

As part of my journey with breast cancer treatment, I decided to make the four corner blocks of Roseville in pinks. Now I just have to find a way to make them blend with the house panel and subsequent blocks. Repeating the turquoise shot cotton is a step in that direction. This block went so much faster than the house panel, and I loved every stitch!

My Second Block

This block took me a long time to finish but I am happy with the results. I did not enjoy all the small flowers and don't think my stitches look as good as they should. I do like my polka dots and will be using them throughout the quilt. Overall my quilt will have a lot of red/pink because I tend to like stronger colors.

Kelly

It's here!

I'm going to write this post real quick so I can dive back into the goodies I received today....

 

From Glorious Color , the Roseville Album Quilt by Kim McLean! Since I've been more of a "piecer" than an "applique-er", I not only got the pattern and the starter pack of fabrics, but some Rowan cotton thread in "Circus" to get me started.  My postman came just a few moments ago to deliver it and I'm really excited to get stuck into this project. 

I've been sewing on the machine for some time now trying to get projects done, and I was ready to get back to handwork.  As it happens I was fortunate to take an intensive three-day applique course with Ted Storm a few weeks ago and being the wonderful teacher that she is, inspired me even more to add applique into my work in the future.

Together with finding and now being part of this wonderful blog,  I hope my skills will continue to grow!

So what better way to dive into it than with this quilt? 

I'm off to get back to that box of goodies!

happy stitching,

Heidi