Saturday, February 27, 2016

Pattern for Cascading Blossoms


The pattern for the 6" x 24" wall hanging "Cascading Blossoms" formerly "Only in my Dreams" is now available on my Etsy site. 

It is $13 USD plus shipping. It will take 3-5 days before I can mail it, but it is done and here is the latest sample! 

It is fusible, raw edge applique. The pages for the pattern pieces are already reversed to make it easier for tracing to fusible webbing.

The flowers pop without any trapunto. They are fun to make with a mottled batik. 

This quilt looks great in several color combinations and edge finishes. This time, I finished it with piping alongside the binding. 



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On Etsy, buyers can use PayPal and PayPal allows the use of most credit cards. How handy is that!

Here is the link to my Etsy Page: Elsie Quilts

Friday, February 26, 2016

Frustration Friday

Yesterday I had time to do the quilting on my sampler for Cascading Blossoms. It started out okay, but after awhile, the stitching became unpredictable. I switched to a different machine and had similar problems. Was it the new brand of fusible that I used? The needle wasn't sticky, but I changed it, even tried a couple other types of needles.

So I'm not happy with the stitches, but from 2-3 feet, most people wouldn't even see them. The main use for this little one is to put with the pattern. It is written, needs another quilter to check it for dumbness, and then I can put it up for sale. 


With my hubby being so sick since the first part of January, I think I've forgotten everything I ever knew about quilting. This is why the picture is NOT cascading but lying on its side... Sigh!

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Pattern for "Cascading Blossoms"

Only . . . (SOLD)
I'm making progress on the pattern for "Only in My Dreams" which is now changed to "Cascading Blossoms." It is about 6" x 24" but easily enlarged for table runner size. The first quilt is sold. The second one is my sampler. I wrote out the pattern, then made the second one to see if everything worked the way it should. Besides enjoying the process, the pattern has been refined because of it. 

Cascading . . .
This sample is not finished. The fusing is not done and the stamens are not on, nor is there any quilting. Thread choices will also enhance it, I hope!

When the pattern is ready to go (as in printed, packaged) I will note that here in this blog and make it available through my Etsy page. Etsy takes PayPal which can also process most credit cards. Note that prices on my page are in US dollars.

I'm fascinated at the difference made by fabric choices. Now I'd like to try one with a medium blue background, dark blue-green leaves, and pale blue/white flowers... and enlarge it to 12" x 48" for the top of a cabinet.

Friday, February 5, 2016

All of a Sudden

Please tell me I'm not the only one who this happens to... I was nicely making one quilt at a time but something happened to my good intentions. 

• I finished Nativity 2 (it has a better title) and was 1/2 to 3/4 done drafting the pattern with lots of people asking for it.





• I'd also started and finished a one-block wonder but was not happy and designed to jazz it up with a dangling zentangle design, so gathered a pile of stuff to do that with while we were on holidays.


• And while we were on holidays, a woman bought "Only in My Dreams" from my Etsy page. Then in the next few days, a couple people asked for the pattern... and I thought that would not take long so started working on it, which of course involved making another one so I was sure the pattern worked and was easy to follow.


• In the meantime, I had some ugly fabric that I wanted to make a utility quilt with, and cut it out, sewed the smaller parts together and have this stack ready to sew together -- hiding somewhere in my sewing room. It will make 11" blocks and I've enough for a good-sized couch quilt.

 
 

• At the start of the year, I decided to do the 'pick 12' thing, so numbered that many projects and told my hubby to pick a number at the end of each month. Yikes, he was so sick in January and into February that we nearly lost him. (He lost nearly 20 lbs) Weak and wobbly, he still picked a number, which turned out to be one of those "only an idea in my head" projects, along with some blackish fabric. I decided to make place mats. How hard can that be? But the idea included skylines, so after a bit of searching, I found enough good ones to make a set of place mats. So far, they are mostly dormant on my computer, but this looks like fun...


But I need to finish that Cascading Blossoms pattern, and the pattern for the nativity scene. Dangling Zentangles are calling my tame, but the ugly fabric even looks good at times... All of a sudden, I need to clone (or kick) myself.