HOYH: Part 5 Flower Heads (following the pattern) and Berries

Today I'm sharing how I made the flower heads (following the pattern) of Hold Onto Your Heart Part 5. Tomorrow I'll be sharing how to simplify this head, so be sure to check back if you've reached this stage yourself.

I love everything about Part 5 and now that the bows and stems have been resolved fabric wise, I'm free to play with the flower heads. The pieces are little and varied, so its really a process of organized production lines.. 

As I work, I pin the shapes into position directly over my paper pattern. This is another reason why I love my new wool mat that I mentioned last week - it allows me to iron and pin shapes into place without having to move work areas.

To help me during my production line, I coloured in my pattern to distinguish how many fabrics I wanted to make up the flower head. Then I numbered each shape. Using Stitch N Wash fusible, I traced each shape (and marked it with it's number for easy assembly later) on the wrong side of the fusible. Then I ironed the fusible onto the wrong side of my fabric.

This is why I don't remove the 'inside' paper when I turn the edges. The inside is not paper, it's fusible and it's meant to stay in place. If I was using freezer paper, I would remove it once my glue from turning the edges was dry. As you can see in these berry pics below for Part 5, the process is the 

same.

I just ran out of my new favourite glue - the blue sewline one and whilst I'm waiting for it to arrive, I've gone back to using Elmer's. There's nothing wrong with Elmer's at all, I've just developed a habit for the sewline one now!

And I turn my edges with a cuticle stick. I now also use the Purple Thang.. but can't actually find any of my 5 x pieces in my mess of a sewing studio...

Love these gorgeous berries

Once all the turned pieces are pinned into position, this is what the back of my flower head looks like

I am so pleased that my completed flower head is almost exactly as per the pattern. Phew!

When the glue is completely dry and all the heads are done, it's time to sit down and stitch my motif heads together with the smallest zig zag stitch I can get away with.. 

If I told you how many hours these flowerheads here represent.. well, lets just say you wouldn't believe it! 

Luckily I love seeing my time turned into beauty with the help of fabric. 

This is an heirloom level quilt and the fine little details matter to me and like many applique enthusiasts, I enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of the end result. However, if finicky little pieces aren't your thing, don't torture yourself - come back tomorrow for another option. 

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

On My Window, Flowers Bloom by Elaine Armenta

On My Window, Flowers Bloom by Elaine Armenta

How gorgeous are these bright and bold bloom heads? Look at the orange and pink combo centre bottom, it demands your full attention! What a delight this wall hanging is. I really love the dusky background, it's the perfect fit for these vases. And the top right vase fussy cutting? Wonderful!

Elaine, you've done it again. From the vase prints to the superb bloom heads, every inch is drop stitch gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us!

If you'd like to read more about On My Window, Flowers Bloom, you can check out the OMWFB post archive right here on this blog by clicking the image below. 

'On My Window, Flowers Bloom' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

--------------------- Open Quilt Gallery---------------------

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Love Always by Elaine Armenta

Love Always by Elaine Armenta

Elaine has created yet another beauty: it was a happy day when I saw that she had uploaded three quilt images to share in the Open Gallery. I love multiple submissions - the more the merrier! Seeing how Elaine uses her gift for fabric and colour across completely different quilts offers a real perspective and is hugely motivating. To see her Diamond Hill stunner, click here now. 

Love Always offers a unique colour story: you have the vases, foliage and borders which can take you into many different directions. Elaine's is perfect! I am loving the pink tones with hints of purple balanced out with the teals and blues. I often worry about balancing teals and leaf greens but Elaine, like so many others in the Group, keep widening my perspective on what works. 

The darker burgundy / brown print of the centre is an interesting anchor and is repeated in the lower vase - it adds depth without over powering these jewel colours and the prints are gorgeous and strike a perfect balance between the flow of the design and attention of the fabric colours themselves. Yes, I've really feasted my eyes on this beauty and I love everything I see here.

Wow Elaine, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful work with us all to dream over. 

Love Always is a special quilt, I consider it to be the sister quilt of Love Entwined and it definitely has a large dose of romance and mystery about it. I love how the simple rose vines create gateways inviting you to spend time in the centre which is anchored with three large flourishing blooms. I love every last detail and it's a joy to see others  interpreting the design over and over again - each time is a new story that I can't wait to read.

'Love Always' 

You can read more about this quilt or buy this quilt pattern by clicking here now

--------------------------- Open Quilt Gallery--------------------------- 

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her quilt with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. It's new and I hope you'll join us by adding your own quilt there. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Click here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

Diamond Hill by Elaine Armenta

Diamond Hill 

by Elaine Armenta of Bonney Lake Washington, USA 

Oh my goodness, what an elegant quilt! I just love the colours choices Elaine has made, the purple tone with golden yellows is so attractive, I love how it frames the floral blocks. This quilt is perfectly balanced and I keep looking again and again, getting something extra each time. The centre star in deep blue is the perfect finishing touch that harmonizes with the border foliage - perfect.

If you read my blog, you already know that I love 'reading' other people's colour schemes, to me it's a real treat to see my design through someone else eyes and this beauty is a real treat.

If you'd like to read more about Diamond Hill, you can check out the Diamond Hill post archive right here on this blog by clicking the image below. 

'Diamond Hill' 

Read more about this quilt by clicking here now

------------------------ Open Quilt Gallery------------------------ 

Thanks to Elaine Armenta for sharing her finished quilt pics with us all to take inspiration from. If you'd like to see more finished quilts made from any of my patterns, visit my Open Gallery. It's a place for all quilters who make any of my quilts to show off their creations in a central online gallery. Submitting your quilt pics is easily done via an upload screen directly on my website. Clear here now if you'd like to submit your own quilt.

HOYH: My Iron Wool Mat

I'm getting lots of emails asking me what this matt is??! It's a new thing to my tool kit. I have lots of ironing mats and they all serve their own purpose, this mat doesn't replace them but I must admit that it IS my new favourite thing. 

It's a wool ironing mat

There are several brands and sizes you can buy - I love that you can pin the board which makes it perfect for using with patterns and the thickness means that I can use it everywhere without worrying about the table underneath. 

I've got this smallish one, but now that I love it so much, I will get getting it in two larger sizes for bigger ongoing projects where I iron and pin lots of motifs.