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If you're new here, hello! I'm Laura! I design quilt patterns, and I'm a self-proclaimed deal hunter! Be sure to join the popular Quilting & Sewing Deals Facebook group where I post sales, deals, and coupon codes from all around the web!
I have had the idea of a floral border quilt in my head for awhile now. I knew applique would be the only way to execute it, so it was the perfect idea for the Adventurous Applique month!
I started with a "Glowing Embers" stack of 10" squares by Island Batik. (Disclaimer, I received the fabric for free as part of the ambassador program, but all opinions are my own.) I also had two yards of the dot neutral print and about a yard of one of the deep purples from the line. I decided to prewash the fabric - something I never do! I just didn't want to take any chances of having the fabrics bleed after I went to all the work of the applique!
I cut the neutral fabric into two pieces, one yard each. One would be the top, and one would be the backing. Then I added Heat-N-Bond Lite to the back of the 10" squares.
After drawing the flowers and greenery on the squares (I just free handed the shapes I wanted), I cut them out with scissors.
Next I arranged the pieces on the background piece, and ironed into place.
Do you work on multiple projects simultaneously?? I've been working actively on three quilts at the same time! (The other one pictured is my Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Fabric Challenge quilt.)
I debated about what words to put in the center, but at the suggestion from my best quilty friend, I went with "Bloom where you are planted." (A favorite phrase of another friend of mine - whom I made a quilt by that name for a few years ago!)
I backed a 12" x 24" piece of the deep purple fabric with the Heat-N-Bond Lite, then used my Cricut to cut out the letters. (Seriously, if you don't have a cutting machine, I totally recommend it! Especially if you like to do applique! It took about 10 minutes to cut out all the letters - instead of the hours - or days - it would take to trace and cut them all by hand!)
I used a straight edge to line up the letters where I liked them, and ironed them in place.
I made a quilt sandwich with the quilt top, Fairfield 80/20 cotton batting, and the other yard of the neutral fabric. After pin basting, I started quilting. I decided the least challenging applique method was to keep the shapes raw edge and just stitch 1/8" or so inside the raw edge of each shape. I used the free motion foot on my Juki TL-2010Q to stitch just inside the edges of the shapes.
Do you quilt from the side of your machine or the front? I usually quilt from the front, but thought I'd try it from the side. It works great if you need to quilt from left to right! Definitely worth doing again!
I used coordinating thread colors for each shape. Aurifil 4026 Forest Green in 50wt for the green pieces and Aurifil 2255 Dark Red Orange in 50wt for the reds. I really wanted to use the Aurifil 4225 Eggplant for the purple, but I only have it in 12wt. So I used a Coats & Clark general purpose purple thread that I had in my stash instead.
After all the shapes and letters were stitched down, I used Aurifil 2215 Peach in 50 wt to free motion quilt a medium size meander in the background.
I finished the quilt by binding it in the same deep purple that I used for the letters.
Overall, I am very happy with how the quilt turned out! I love the graphic element that the text adds to the quilt. I also really love the deep saturated colors of the Island Batik fabrics! (It's supposed to rain here for several days, so I had to settle for inside pictures for now. If the sun comes out, I'll try to take some more!)
I really want to make this quilt in a different colorway now! I've already added it to myshort list very long list of future quilts!
Be sure to check out the Adventurous Applique projects by the other ambassadors!
Purrfect Spots
Den Syende Himmel
Quilt'n Party
Pamela Quilts
Ark Angel Creations
Kathy's Kwilts and More
Desert Bloom Quilting
Freemotion by the River
Seams Like a Dream
Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Quilting Affection Designs
Inquiring Quilter
Bejeweled Quilts
Sally's Quilting Corner
Inch Worm Fabrics
Kauffman Designs
Moosestash Quilting
Needle & Foot
Beaquilter
Cheryl Lynch Quilts
MaryMack's Blog
heARTs Creations
Kissed Quilts
The Quilt Rambler
Seams To Be Sew
Inspired Layers
Vicki's Crafts and Quilting
Masterpiece Quilting
Fun Threads
Meanderings Along Lizard Creek
Little Bunny Quilts
Webster Quilt
Sophie Junction
This is my 15th quilt finish for the year! Since I have been working on multiple projects at the same time, I have several finishes all at the same time! I finished my Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Fabric Challenge quilt this week too! I'm still hoping for one more quilt finish before the end of the month!
Linking up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday and TGIFF at Busy Hands Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatutation, and Show Off Saturday at Sew Can She.
This post contains affiliate links. Clicking on a link will NOT affect the purchase price.
I started with a "Glowing Embers" stack of 10" squares by Island Batik. (Disclaimer, I received the fabric for free as part of the ambassador program, but all opinions are my own.) I also had two yards of the dot neutral print and about a yard of one of the deep purples from the line. I decided to prewash the fabric - something I never do! I just didn't want to take any chances of having the fabrics bleed after I went to all the work of the applique!
I cut the neutral fabric into two pieces, one yard each. One would be the top, and one would be the backing. Then I added Heat-N-Bond Lite to the back of the 10" squares.
After drawing the flowers and greenery on the squares (I just free handed the shapes I wanted), I cut them out with scissors.
Next I arranged the pieces on the background piece, and ironed into place.
Do you work on multiple projects simultaneously?? I've been working actively on three quilts at the same time! (The other one pictured is my Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Fabric Challenge quilt.)
I backed a 12" x 24" piece of the deep purple fabric with the Heat-N-Bond Lite, then used my Cricut to cut out the letters. (Seriously, if you don't have a cutting machine, I totally recommend it! Especially if you like to do applique! It took about 10 minutes to cut out all the letters - instead of the hours - or days - it would take to trace and cut them all by hand!)
I used a straight edge to line up the letters where I liked them, and ironed them in place.
I made a quilt sandwich with the quilt top, Fairfield 80/20 cotton batting, and the other yard of the neutral fabric. After pin basting, I started quilting. I decided the least challenging applique method was to keep the shapes raw edge and just stitch 1/8" or so inside the raw edge of each shape. I used the free motion foot on my Juki TL-2010Q to stitch just inside the edges of the shapes.
Do you quilt from the side of your machine or the front? I usually quilt from the front, but thought I'd try it from the side. It works great if you need to quilt from left to right! Definitely worth doing again!
I used coordinating thread colors for each shape. Aurifil 4026 Forest Green in 50wt for the green pieces and Aurifil 2255 Dark Red Orange in 50wt for the reds. I really wanted to use the Aurifil 4225 Eggplant for the purple, but I only have it in 12wt. So I used a Coats & Clark general purpose purple thread that I had in my stash instead.
After all the shapes and letters were stitched down, I used Aurifil 2215 Peach in 50 wt to free motion quilt a medium size meander in the background.
I finished the quilt by binding it in the same deep purple that I used for the letters.
Overall, I am very happy with how the quilt turned out! I love the graphic element that the text adds to the quilt. I also really love the deep saturated colors of the Island Batik fabrics! (It's supposed to rain here for several days, so I had to settle for inside pictures for now. If the sun comes out, I'll try to take some more!)
The finished quilt measures about 34" x 42". A great lap quilt size!
I really want to make this quilt in a different colorway now! I've already added it to my
Be sure to check out the Adventurous Applique projects by the other ambassadors!
Purrfect Spots
Den Syende Himmel
Quilt'n Party
Pamela Quilts
Ark Angel Creations
Kathy's Kwilts and More
Desert Bloom Quilting
Freemotion by the River
Seams Like a Dream
Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Quilting Affection Designs
Inquiring Quilter
Bejeweled Quilts
Sally's Quilting Corner
Inch Worm Fabrics
Kauffman Designs
Moosestash Quilting
Needle & Foot
Beaquilter
Cheryl Lynch Quilts
MaryMack's Blog
heARTs Creations
Kissed Quilts
The Quilt Rambler
Seams To Be Sew
Inspired Layers
Vicki's Crafts and Quilting
Masterpiece Quilting
Fun Threads
Meanderings Along Lizard Creek
Little Bunny Quilts
Webster Quilt
Sophie Junction
This is my 15th quilt finish for the year! Since I have been working on multiple projects at the same time, I have several finishes all at the same time! I finished my Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Fabric Challenge quilt this week too! I'm still hoping for one more quilt finish before the end of the month!
Linking up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday and TGIFF at Busy Hands Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatutation, and Show Off Saturday at Sew Can She.
This post contains affiliate links. Clicking on a link will NOT affect the purchase price.
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This turned out wonderful. Heat-N-Bond is a great way to applique, don't you think? Love the quilting. I had forgotten about turning my machine to face me while quilting, I'm going to have to give that a try. Can't wait to see your next applique project.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely! I like that the flowers are coming in from all sides rather than all going up. And the font you used is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm not over the moon with applique either. This turned out wonderfully though.
ReplyDeleteThat turned out so cute! Love your freehand leaves and flowers, and how they encircle the focus.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful! I too am not a fan of applique but this would make it more manageable. Love the vivid colors! Great craftsmanship!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quilt! I wondered at the beginning how you did the lettering so perfectly. My daughter has a Cricut, and it looks like I'll have to collaborate with her next time I have lettering I want to applique!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely. So good to try something different.These challenges give us possibilities to go far above our ordinary skills. The danger is that we could be hooked.
ReplyDelete