Hollyhocks

Here is another mini (8 1/2  x 11 )I made for our Calico Cutters Challenge. They really are a lot of fun with little time invested and a chance to play.

I wanted to use the fabrics I dyed and decided this was a good opportunity. I also added some other fabrics to make it a little more interesting.

Do yourself a favor and quilt the background before you put the fused pieces on. I chose straight lines as I like the simplicity of it.

If you have an idea start cutting out shapes and lay them on the background. If you don't have an idea still cut up shapes and start laying them down, one will come to you!

Once you have your design (don't fuse it yet) decide how can you machine quilt this as easy as possible and take away the pieces that will be in the way. I took the flowers and leaves off, quilted the stems, the leaves and then the flowers. If needed take a picture so you remember what the design looks like!

Here is a close up of the leaves and a little bit of the flowers.

I also added a green star in the center of the flowers because they looked a little flat.

To make the binding I used Laura Wasilowski's technique that is in her book, Fusing Fun! . Fuse the back of a piece of binding making sure it is a little longer than the top and bottom.

Next I cut them out 1 inch wide and used my pinking shears, you could also use another type of decorative scissors.

Let them cool and fold in half with the fused sides together, the paper is still on.

Remove the paper. Place the quilt edge inside that fold and fuse carefully. Trim edges evenly with quilt.

Cut the side pieces and inch longer than the edge. I placed this on my applique pressing sheet in case I got the iron on the fusible and got it all over the ironing board. Press the strip in the middle leaving about 2 inches or so free on the edges.

Trim about a 1/2 inch off as shown above.



Press the edge over the first binding you put on.

Now fold the other edge over the one you just folded up and press. I should line up nicely, mine was a little off! I hope this makes sense, if not you might want to check out the book!

Next edge stitch all around the binding to keep it in place. Here is also a better close up of my flower centers.

My porch furniture is all done! I love it and Dylan did a great job. A paint sprayer is a wonderful thing! I think it looks modern yet classic at the same time.

Kelly

Miscellaneous Tuesday

My husband and I ventured out to the Kutztown Folk Festival on Sunday. We had not been there in about 30 years so I forgot what it was all about. There is Pennsylvania Dutch food (mostly very fattening), crafts, quilts and folk dancing to name a few things.

Here is a picture inside the qult barn. I have to say I only liked a few quilts. They were very traditional and I think a lot of them were made with polyester fabric and polyesters batting...a little too puffy for my taste.

This was one of the nicer ones. They were all for sale and I thought the prices seemed pretty reasonable and reflected the time put into them.

All those little black and white checks are pieced!

There were a lot of quilt inspired things to see...a hex sign.

A glass blower making glass items...

I loved this kid ride, made out of old barrels. On the side it says Nasbar, Pennsylvania Dutch for Nascar?

Vegetarians, you may want to skip this picture!

Everything is written in PA Dutch with English on the side. This was for Ox Roasted sandwiches.

Some projects got done as well this weekend. This is my porch furniture ready to be painted.

Isn't it great to have kids who can do useful things for you? This is my son Dylan, who is painting this for my mother's day gift. They gray is the primer, I am painting it black.

All primed and waiting for paint.

I even managed a little applique and some dyeing!

Kelly