“Brown-Eyed Susans” Published!

Have you seen the May/June 2022 issue of Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting? It contains so many fun, bright projects perfect for spring sewing. Instructions for my lap quilt design, “Brown-Eyed Susans,” begin on page 52.

“Brown-Eyed Susans”

And in case you are leery of committing to “all that hand work,” I’ll let you in on a little secret. I machine appliqued the hexie rosettes to the background squares. Yes, coordinating yellow-gold thread and a very shallow zigzag stitch did the trick. Zoom in to see the nearly invisible stitches around the edges of the rosettes.

The alternate blocks are an “Album Cross” easily made following the instructions in the magazine. The brown inner border hails back to the brown centers of the flowers, and the green plaid outer border adds a comfortable country feel to the quilt. Using light yellow thread, I quilted a floral design all over the quilt. The pantograph is “Wall flower” by Hermione Agee c. 2011.

Have I tempted you to purchase the magazine and try your hand at simplified English Paper Piecing? If not “Brown-Eyed Susans,” there are many other projects in the issue to ignite your creativity! Click here to purchase a digital copy from the Quilting Daily store.

“Summer Garden” Finished

“Summer Garden”

Several weeks ago I showed you a block I made for this quilt. As hoped, I finished all twelve rosettes on our road trip to Texas to see Trinity and family. The hexagons were English Paper Pieced using lovely florals from the Nana Mae V line. The hexagons measure 1 1/2″ on each side, and I cut the background squares at 10.” I cut the aqua sashing and first border strips 2 1/2″ wide, and I cut the aqua floral outer border 5″ wide.

After stitching the rosettes, I removed the paper and pressed the seam allowances before appliquéing the flowers to the light yellow print background squares. Believe it or not, I machine appliqued all but two with a fine neutral-colored silk thread on top and a neutral bobbin thread using a slight zigzag stitch. The machine applique is nearly invisible and closely resembles hand applique. I am really pleased with the time-saving results.

For quilting, I chose a pale yellow thread and the “Fleurs” edge to edge design by RoxAnne McTeague. The simple flower and leaf shapes complement the theme of the quilt admirably. “Summer Garden” is hanging at Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC. In fact, the shop has all the supplies and fabrics necessary for making this 45″ x 55″ lap quilt; give them a call at (919) 331-2499.

Are you stitching an EPP quilt project this summer?

“Posies for Mum” Published!

Have you seen the May/June issue of McCall’s Quilting? The theme, “Stroll through English Gardens” will put you in the mood for making a springtime quilt.

You will find my quilt, “Posies for Mum,” on page 70. It is an EPP (English Paper Pieced) project made from the “Walkabout” line by Sherri and Chelsi for Moda fabrics. A layer cake of 10″ squares was more than enough for the baker’s dozen of hexagon posies and the basket. The green sashing reminds me of manicured hedges in English gardens, and the navy floral forms a wonderful frame. I cut the red/pink stripe fabric to wrap diagonally around the quilt edges as binding.

The green fabric of the leaves and the brown basket fabric are both medium in value. So after appliqueing the leaves around the flower in the basket, I felt more contrast was needed to define the leaves. I blanket stitched around the leaves with navy thread by machine. I chose lime green quilting thread and a clamshell edge to edge quilting motif.

Some of the posies were made on a road trip and others were assembled while watching TV. I think you will enjoy this take-along hand stitching project as well as I did. If you make “Posies for Mum,” please send me a picture because I’d love to see the fabrics you select for your flowers and basket.

The editors have graciously provided me with a magazine to give one of my blog readers. If you’d like to be in the drawing, leave a comment below saying if you would make “Posies for Mum” for yourself or for someone else. What fabric palette would you use? The drawing will be April 26th.