The Past becomes Present - Natalie Barnes

Meanwhile, trying to catch up I wanted to share a project mentioned in January. It was one of those projects that could not be shared because of the secret nature of 'business'.

But, all was revealed during Quilt Market in May...
and I am finally getting to share it with you.

My good friend Natalie Barnes had her first line of fabric introduced!
She is a great person and I was truly honored that she asked me to make up a quilt using her new fabric line.

I had a blast pulling this together, especially when I was able to utilize one of my 5-minute sketches from last summer for the design.

The piece is called 'Flowers for Natalie' and was part of a group of quilts used as part of the backdrop for her booth.

Love the colors and the designs -- they were very easy to work with... hope you look for them in your favorite quilt store in the fall.

BTW- Nat is offering a chance to win a Quilty Box over on her blog ... click over to check it out.

Seeding Our Souls

Taking a bit of a break from pressing some new fabric --
Cutting will just have to wait...

The weather here last week enabled me to pretend it was spring and paint and install my garden gate. Those warmish sunny day eventual turned more to the norm for this season wet and about 30 degrees cooler.

Looking out though from my sunroom and having the RED of the gate there brings a smile to my face. Color makes me happy. I thought I completed the gate project until spring by adding a holiday wreath to the door, but lo and behold a local friend brought me over a cutting of roses to plant.

This is a cutting from her Peggy Martin-Katrina roses --

I kinda grimaced at the thought of possibly killing it off but Chris said just plant it and cover it with a jar. OK?!?

Another wonderful color source popped up in my email this morning, and if you love color and haven't found Design-Seeds, then I encourage you to do so. This was part of today's posting.

Design Seeds ---  Color Palette

bing search different seeds and stand back....
what comes up for images would fill a hundred Pinterest Boards and one photo is better than the next - interesting, colorful...

Seeding our souls comes from all sorts of directions, especially this time of year. Enjoy them all - take an opportunity to soak them in.

The World is A Wonderful Place! Blog Hop Along

Today I am here to share an incredible new book by one of my favorite wanderers --
Mandy Leins & her Wanderlust Quilts!

Mandy found me and my Fast-Piece Applique a couple of years ago as she wandered the web, and contacted me to ask if it was ok to share about it on her blog (like I might say no!). She not only shared the technique but found a way to use it in a no-sew glue construction method that she could use when creating quilt tops that she then long-armed in her Craftsy Class. Later that same year we met in person at Quilt Market --
a delight one should not miss you get the chance.

A grand book/ here's a peek!
Mandy's words and quilts take us on her shared journey of another of Mandy's loves (archaeology), allowing us find inspiration and guidance throughout. She doesn't stop at supplying amazing images of ancient places but provides a full array of construction methods to bring these places to life with fabric.

My own favorite (very hard to choose) is Aqueducts for I felt like I was getting a peek of a modern beautiful representation of part of the life blood of old Rome.

My own quilting journey has been inspired by wandering, so when she asked us to find a photo to share with you I jumped at the chance. Mandy shared some wise words in her Quick Color Lessons -- some that I could definitely use when designing my own quilt from this picture taken in St.Thomas while on a quilting cruise - the perfect place to relax and enjoy this wonderful book!

Want to join me?
Mandy is letting each of us blog hop stops give away one copy of her book, so if you want to get your chance to win leave a comment here telling me of a place you would love to go wandering -- camera and sketchbook in hand. Keep in mind that inspiration from wandering can happen anywhere -- the backyard, local park, or the other side of the world.

I will be drawing a winner on 11/15, so just a few days to get in on the fun.
The list below contains all the blog-hop stops so you can enjoy all the wandering this lovely book is making.

November 2: Kickoff with Maddie Kertay at Bad Ass Quilters Society 

My podcast interview with Sandi of Crafty Planner

November 3: Stephanie Palmer the Late Night Quilter

November 4: Christa Watson of Christa Quilts

November 5: Gen Q

November 6: Casey York Designs

November 7: Bill Volckening

November 8: Angela Walters

November 9: Kitty Wilkin, the Night Quilter

November 10: Lynn Harris of the Little Red Hen

November 11: Latifah Saafir Studios

November 12: Rose Hughes

November 13: Rossie Hutchison of Rossie Crafts

November 14: Sam Hunter of Hunter’s Design Studio

Bundle Fun!

I picked up a wonderful fat quarter bundle of delightful Me+You Hoffman batik prints while at Quilt Market --

looking at them, I could hardly wait to cut into them...
hmmm?

Since it is getting closer to the holidays I thought I could use a bit of this one and that one to make some holiday cards. I used the fabric and a few other items I had in hand and came up with these.

The fabrics could also make some great tags, too...
I'll have to work on some of those as well.

Meanwhile, that were fast and easy so I have written up an instruction sheet and am offering them as a give-away to anyone signing up for my Fabric'ating Embellishments on-line workshop.

Starts Friday, from silks to sheers there will be plenty of opportunities to learn about some of my favorite embellishments!

Join in and stitch up some fun!
~Rose

Quilt Market = COLOR Adventure

I have made it home from a fun filled, time exploring all things new and new to me at Fall Quilt Market. There was a game plan to check on certain - must see - products, but other than these I was on the look out for inspirational color.

At market so many fabric companies are there sharing their latest, but most include a bit of a 'how we got here' view, or a lookie, lookie at just what colors are 'in'! It is one of the things I love, so I thought you might want a peek, too.

Mind you there were 25 rows of vendors and an awful lot of color that had to be left behind, but I hope this little peek has got you thinking of all the new possibilities.

Happy Stitching!
~Rose

Shhh...Making Pin Weaving Bracelets

Way back when I began my journey into art quilting I took a class with David Walker --- he is amazing, and I give him credit for my stashes of yarn(no I'm not a knitter) and beads. It was David that introduced me to couching and adding beads to a quilt. Thank you David!

But, if one is not a knitter and has a larger stash of fun, colorful yarns or if you are a knitter with bits and pieces left over from your projects, then you may want to give these pin woven bracelets a try.....then if you're looking for special embellishments for finishing opportunities join me on November 6th for my Fabric'ating Embellishment on-line workshop.

BE WARNED -- ADDICTION IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY

Here I have made a small loom from a 10" x 3 piece of foam core board; marked 1/2" top and bottom; then cuts made ever 3/8" to hold yarn

   

Then tape yarn down in the back and wrap the loom, back to front

 

 Here the loom ready to go

 Next, select your weaving yarns and thread up your needle with a yard or 2 so you're ready to weave.

 Now, using the needle go in and out of the loaded yarns.

 Pull the yarn through, and leaving about a 3-4" tail just keep going.

 When you run out or want to change yarn just remember to leave yourself a tail...

 And, keep weaving until you get it as long you want it to be.

To begin finishing process - cut the loom strings on the back,

 and two at a time bring them forward, pulling them out of the cardboard, and tie a knot

When ends are all knotted take the loose yarns individually and rethread them onto the needle...

 weave these back into the bracelet...

 then snip them off.

This will leave you ready to finish them off with beads, buttons for closures, almost anything could be used!

If you want to learn about some fun finishes you'll want to join me for my upcoming Fabric'ating Embellishments on-line workshop. It is scheduled to begin on November 6th. Giving you plenty of time to get started, and plenty of time to finish up some for holiday gifts!

I'm working on finishing mine up for some special friends.
Hope you give these a try.

Weaving On,
~Rose

Fall Roller Coasting!

Well, here is Paducah they have announced frost warnings for the weekend. Add this to the amount of leaves beginning to fall and I think it is safe to say that 'fall is here'.

It has been a roller coaster month - my darling David trip over his own feet in the middle of the night and broke his wrist. Originally it looked like a clean break, but that did not remain and he had to undergo surgery. Add in that it was his dominate hand... let's just say it is good that he is retired.

With the passing of my sweet Nikki, we had just thought about getting a kitten to keep Edgar happy -- and one just fell into our lives.... he's a little love who right now is watching the birds from a perch in the studio. Ralphie---

In between all this I have completed my latest on-line workshop with Academy of Quilting and it begins on November 6th! It took a while to pull it all together for there are more techniques on creating your own embellishments -- and how to embroidery, bead and generally use all sorts of methods to embellish these... phew.... than I can count! All my favorites, and hopefully some that will become yours, too.

Fabric'ating Embellishments

There has just been so much keeping me happily busy - while not driving me crazy.

I'll be sharing more about getting ready for quilt market next week later on this weekend, but for now I couldn't wait to share the button I've created to give away while I'm there.  Reach for the Stars!

What colors are your stars?

~Rose

Back-to-School Blog Hop -- A Rose by any other Name

It's my turn, it's my turn... and I have been enjoying all the information that has been shared so far. How about you?

My topic today is Fast-Piece Applique, and in case this is the first time we are meeting FPA is a method of constructing a quilt top that looks like applique but is really piecing and makes stitching circles and curves a breeze.

Back just before my 3rd book came out I had shared a how to YouTube video. Since then I am always asked for the rose pattern used as the sample, and finally today you'll find it by clicking here.

It was a lot of fun to put this small quilt together recently and get to finish it off so entirely different than I might have back when the video came out.
So, I hope you grab the pattern, then copy it to freezer paper and try it for yourself.

I started with silks -- what color to make the rose? Pink, yellow, red, white, purple... so many to choose from.

then came picking the fabrics for each pattern piece:
then prepping the fabrics.

Next, I chose pairs and stitched them all together just like in the video, and then on to stitching set in pieces like the one below. (there is a piecing list noted on the pattern)

 

 

 

 

Trimming everything as you go along is important, so remember to lift the paper and trim close to stitching on the top.

 

Fast-Piece Applique is one of those methods that can be used to create almost any type of quilt easily, and also be mixed with other traditional construction methods. In my latest book, Mandy Leins and I teamed up to stitch up the rose in an entirely different way -- the roses were actually not stitched but glued. Then Mandy did her stitching magic to pull it all together into a fuzzy, fantastic quilt.

If you like the idea of simplifying designs, and mixing it all up, then you'll want to leave a comment below -- then, next week on 9/15 you may be the winner of one of two e-book copies of Fast-Piece Applique I'll be giving away.

and while you're clicking and commenting don't forget to check out all the other Blog Hop stops along the way!

Sept 1: Peta Minerof-Bartos of PetaQuilts –
So, Does that Diagonal Method for a Pieced Backing Really Work
Sept 2: Cheryl Sleboda of Muppin.com – The Quilter’s Knot
Sept 3: Teresa Coates of Crinkle Dreams – The Importance of Pressing
Sept 4: Cath Hall of Wombat Quilts – Color Coding for Paper-piecing
Sept 5: Sam Hunter of Hunter’s Design Studio –
How to Calculate and Cut Bias Binding
Sept 6: Melanie McNeil of Catbird Quilt Studio – Credit where Credit is Due
Sept 7: Mandy Leins of Mandalei Quilts –
How to Keep a Perfect 1/4” Seam Between Different Machines
Sept 8: Rose Hughes of Rose Hughes – Fast Pieced Applique
Sept 9: Megan Dougherty of The Bitchy Stitcher –
The Care and Feeding of the Domestic Sewing Machine
Sept 10: Lynn Krawczyk of Smudged Design Studio – Make a Mobile Art Kit
Sept 11: Susan Beal of West Coast Crafty – Log Cabin 101
Sept 12: Sarah Lawson of Sew Sweetness – Zipper Tips
Sept 13: Jane Victoria of Jolly and Delilah – Matching Seams
Sept 14: Jemelia Hilfiger of Je’s Bend – Garment Making Tips and Tricks
Sept 15: Ebony Love of LoveBug Studios – Curved Piecing Without Pins
Sept 16: Misty Cole of Daily Design Wall – Types of Basting
Sept 17: Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams – Setting your Seams
Sept 18: Christina Cameli of A Few Scraps – Joining Quilted Pieces by Machine
Sept 19: Bill Volckening of WonkyWorld – The Importance of Labels
Sept 20: Jessica Darling of Jessica Darling – How to Make a Quilt Back
Sept 21: Debbie Kleve Birkebile of Mountain Trail Quilt Treasures –
Perfectly Sized No-Wave Quilt Borders
Sept 22: Heather Kinion of Heather K is a Quilter – Baby Quilts for Baby Steps
Sept 23: Michelle Freedman of Design Camp PDX –
TNT: Thread, Needle, Tension
Sept 24: Kathy Mathews of Chicago Now Quilting Sewing Creation – Button Holes
Sept 25: Jane Shallala Davidson of Quilt Jane – Corner Triangle Methods
Sept 27: Cristy Fincher of Purple Daisies Quilting – The Power of Glue Basting
Sept 28: Catherine Redford of Catherine Redford – Change the Needle!
Sept 29: Amalia Teresa Parra Morusiewicz of Fun From A to Z –
French Knots, – ooh la la!
Sept 30: Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts –
How to Align Your Fabrics for Dog Ears
October 1: Tracy Mooney of 3LittleBrds –
Teaching Kiddos to Sew on a Sewing Machine
October 2: Trish Frankland, guest posting on Persimon Dreams –
The Straight Stitch Throat Plate
October 3: Flaun Cline of I Plead Quilty – Lining Strips Up