Flower Power - Fabric Give-Away

Are you ready to win the wonderful
Hoffman Fabric - Cracker collection
of 40 - 10x10 batiks?

You only need help me out to get a chance
(heck, multiple chances)
to win this packet of fabric that you can turn into an absolute ton of flowers!

Shape up with Fast-Piece Applique
(my first on-line workshop with Academy of Quilting)
is completed-ready for students & set to begin on August 1st!

Now, I'm trying to decide on which workshop
I should offer next...

AND, you get to help me pick which one!

1st thing --
Click over to my workshop page on my website.
Pick one or two that you would like to take then simply.....
(a) leave the workshop name as a comment here on my blog, OR
(b) click 'like' on my facebook page and leave the workshop name as a comment there, OR
(c) tweet the workshop name along with @rosehughes


Easy as ABC, do as many as you like
for multiple chances to win.

The winner will be selected next Monday
- July 7th!

I can hardly wait to see which workshop you want to see next!

Stitching On
~Rose

Flower Power - Tutorial & Give-Away

Happy Sunday!
Today I am passing along my Flower Power tutorial, 
then tomorrow I'll post how you can win
a fun packet of Hoffman Crackers to make lots of flowers.
Time to get our quilts a'bloomin just like our gardens:

Stuff needed:

2- 12 1/2” pieces for background and backing
1- 12 1/2" piece of lightweight batting

6- 6” squares for larger flower parts

6- 4” squares for smaller flower parts

3- 3” squares for button covered centers

Light weight fusible for leaves – (HeatnBond Lite)

Heavy weight fusible for flowers– (HeatnBond Ultra)
Dritz button maker

• Enlarge the patterns for the flower parts and leaf.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

For Leaves:

• Take the fabric for the leaves and press the light weight fusible to the wrong side.
• Pin the leaf pattern in place and cut 4 leaves.
• Align these on your background fabric; remove backing papers and press in place.

Once in place I layered my quilt sandwich; stitched around each of the leaves and embellished the background.

For Flowers:

• Take 3 of the larger flower part fabrics and press the heavy weight fusible to the wrong side of each.
• Let cool. Remove papers and press the remaining larger flower part fabrics right side up to each.
• Pin the large leaf pattern in place and cut 3 petals; cutting along the line towards the center.

Repeat this process for the smaller petals.

Stitch & embellish the petals while they are flat.
Once complete pull in each of the rounded edges so the slightly overlap and tack each in place with a couple of stitches.

Flower Centers:

• I used fabric and a button maker to create the centers for my flowers.
• Each started by marking the center with a chalk circle that I filled with French Knots.
  Then I used the button maker, making sure that the knotted area remained centered.

Lastly, I layered each of the flowers and stitched them in place on the quilt and added the binding.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow
Get in on a chance to win an amazing packet of
40- 10" x 10" Hoffman California batik fabrics!

Grand News!

I am soooo excited to be able to make it official...

I have been working on a plan to bring some of my favorite in-person workshops to my on-line community. It has an interesting challenge, for I wanted to be able to bring everything into my on-line class that you would get if we sharing time in the same room.

IT IS...
Shape up with Fast-Piece Applique
read all about it and sign-up of course...
on Academy of Quilting...
join the having fun!

On the heels of happily finishing this first workshop,
I am working excitedly moving on to number two.
AND, to give me a nudge in the right direction I decided to

#1 celebrate number 1 with a special Hoffman fabric give-away
#2 give you a fun pattern right here on my blog/ so everyone wins
#3 ask each of you to set me on the right track for my second workshop

You, ready???

Here is a sneak peek at the fabric Hoffman of California has donated:

Check back tomorrow for details on how to win!

1/10 of 400 Miles = ?

Lot's of yardsales!

Living at one end of the 400 mile yardsale held every year in Kentucky has been quite fun. Yesterday David & took off early for our 2nd annual yardsale wander. We are not your every weekend yardsaleers... but, once a year is turning out to be quite fun.

We set off with $20 each in search of great finds, and it did not take too long to start filling up the trunk.

I was delighted to fill my mixed media coffers with some fun finds like --
a huge unabridged dictionary with lots of pages & lots of pictures (think of the background possibilities here)
then there was the set of colorful dominoes
and clothes patterns

But, honestly....
the majority of my purchases will be used to create just a few more garden totems. These fun glass junk giants have there own space in my garden and last years happily survived outside all winter... so why not!!

Here's a few pictures from yesterday's adventure -- including a picture of a piece of amazing coconut cream pie found along the way.

 

and, btw....
David spent $2... I helped him spend a bit more of his $20
my own total came in at $29

What Happened to May?

Wow! It has been more than a whole month since I last shared with you.
There were so many things happening in May that the list would be too long to include here, but I don't doubt that all those happenings will creep in to the postings to come.

Creeping in today? A bit of nostalgia... in the form of Student Works.

I have been working on the materials for my 1st on-line workshop.
Finally submitted they are now in review and will be coming to a computer close to you soon --- right in your own home! More on this as we get closer to launch -- promise!!

While pulling together these materials I went through pictures taken of all the classes, students and places I have taught over the last decade -- yes, they stretch back in digital images from 2003. I am a lucky woman to have been able to meet, teach and hang out in so many wonderful places. So many memories -- I am amazed...BUT,

Since my first on-line workshop is a new an updated version of my original Fast-Piece Applique workshop I thought I would share just a few of the student works I found in my wanderings. The new workshop is going to be called Shaping Up with Fast-Piece Applique. That's all I can say for now....