Cherry House Quilts

How about those flowers!

We've become quite the gardeners on our Little Bouquet Quilt Along...check out these flowers and backgrounds on our Flickr group; totally impressive!  It has been amazing to see what has been created by all of these quilters from a tiny kernel of an idea.

Now that the backgrounds are made, and the flower making is in work; decisions must be made concerning your flower arrangement.  Is your bouquet formal, or informal?  Grand or simple?  One quilter has created an entire homestead scene, picket fence included!  Before making anything permanent, try several different configurations on your background.  Don't forget to add leaves, stems, and vines for extra texture and dimension. 

Using fusible or sewing your flowers down raw? I've created a pdf sharing some issues you should consider before making a final decision.  Download About those flowers

If you would like to join us, but haven't had an opportunity yet...just jump right in...the more the merrier! Click on the LITTLE BOUQUET QUILT ALONG category for the previous posts, and pdfs.  Please feel free to join our group on Flickr, and add your photos to our growing collection. 

Next time...quilting your quilt! 

Cheers,

Cherri

Roses part two

Many of you seem to be well under way as far as the roses are concerned ...hooray!  BUT, it also seems to be bringing some challenges too.  After reading your comments on our Flickr group, I'll try to address some of the issues that are causing some hiccups.

• First area of consternation seems to be the centers...think in terms of shapes with multiple straight edges, but not a square.  Try wedges, triangles, a hexagon, anything with a straight edge you can sew on. 
• I don't recommend you trying to precut the your "petals"...because each little piece needs to fit the space available on the edge of the flower center.
• Estimate the piece you will need, cut, sew, press, repeat!
• Another area of concern seems to be the trimming of your flowers.  Using a small square ruler, I make small rotations with the ruler, and cut, cut, cut. 
• It's better to make multiple small cuts (about 12 to 15) per flower, than trying to make the flower circular with too few cuts.  Use scissors if you are more comfortable with that process.
• How are you doing in regards to color?  Before you have too many flowers made, lay your flowers on your background to make any necessary adjustments in terms of value, color, etc. 

Your backgrounds are looking great, it's so exciting to start to see your little bouquets come to life.

I hope you are having fun, and enjoying this improvisational process of creating flowers!

Cherri

Roses Roses Roses

Everybody ready for the next step?  I hope all of this makes sense, and that it doesn't send the Type A personalities jumping off a cliff.  I'm a much better 'show-er', then 'tell-er'.  I've created a mosiac of the steps that you need to follow to create these little log cabin roses.  Remember that this process is very improv...a good exercise in letting go, and having fun, right? 

• Begin at the beginning!  For the centers you will need a wonky little block to begin with...start with a square and knock the edges off of it, or begin with a triangle, that is how I begin most of mine.  In the photos below, I'm working on two different flowers, so you can watch the process of building each rose.
• You will start building the flower by adding a scrap of fabric, using a 1/4'' seam allowance, open, press, repeat, until you have added fabric to each of the exposed edges of the flower center.  The piece of fabric that you add needs to be as long, or longer than the edge that you are adding to, don't worry if it is too long, you will trim throughout the process
• As an FYI - if I have little scraps to build the flower, that is what I'll use, otherwise I just cut off a piece of fabric with my rotary cutter (no ruler...use caution) to the approximate size that I need.
• As you add each new piece, finger press or iron, whatever your preference
• Use two to three fabrics per flower (one fabric per ring)
• You will need flowers in small (1 1/2'' across), medium (2'' to 3'' across), and large (4'' to 5'' across). 
• 15 to 20 flowers for the mini, and 30 to 40 flowers for the 12 block quilt
• Start making the larger flowers first - it will be easier to learn the process on the larger flowers
• If your first flowers are a bit of a mess, don't pitch them, use them as the base of your bouquet...no one will be the wiser!
• If your rose is becoming a little too square, and actual log cabin-ish, add your next round of fabric pieces at an angle, and lop off some hard corners.
• Continue to build your flower until it is the size you desire.
• Your flower will probably not resemble a flower until you trim off the edges into a more circular shape.
• Okay...you are ready to go!  Next time, some decisions about your flowers, and how you will adhere them to the quilt base.
• I've added these photos to Flickr for a better look at each image
• Have fun!!!

 

A Field of Green

 Before you sew your blocks together, here are a few suggestions

• Arrange your blocks on a design wall, or board and find a pleasing color arrangement
• Sew by rows
• When pressing rows, press the seam allowance to the block with the vertical strips
• When joining rows, pin at the intersection
• Press entire quilt top when complete

 

 

Piece of cake!  In case anyone is making the mini bouquet, here's a pic of the 4 piece background.

Okay little bouquet girls, it's time to start sewing!  Saturday is the ''day of the roses".  I will have step pictures of constructing the flowers.

I can't wait to see your backgrounds, and your photos on Flickr.

Thanks for participating everyone!

Cherri

Little Bouquet Quilt Along - Step by Step

Did you see what my sweet Lizzy did for us?  Created our little quilt along badge! 

I've received several emails in the last few days, asking if it was too late to join our quilt along, and have they missed too much.  This is what I said to one person, but what I want to say to everyone...

Think of this as a get together with some friends, come by and sew with us when you have a little time.  There is no pressure, no deadlines...just an opportunity to try something new, and create a little beauty!  The instructions will stay on the blog, and they will always be available in PDF form, so if you can't participate immediately, download the instructions, and join in when you can. 

I'll try to post 2 sets of instructions a week...but just know that my son and his wife have a baby due any day, so as soon as that happens I'll be out of pocket for a few days.  I cordially invite you to join our Flickr group...it's so amazing; even though we just started a few days ago, photos are already being added, and the sewing has commenced.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1137748@N24/

If you want to get started, you will find the first 2 sets of instructions here:

Supply list and beginning instructions

String pieced block instructions

Everybody's welcome!!!

Cherri

little bouquet button.

Dear Mom,

Here is your precious little button. Per your delicate request... Treasure it, no really.

I made it in three different sizes to best fit the needs of all your peeps.

now you can let everyone know that you are in the CHQ: LBQA, by adding one of these sweet little numbers to your blog!

Love
your ever traveling, regularly frazzled, always designing at three in the morning, daughter
Lizzy.

(150 x 150 pixels)

(200 x 200 pixels)

(300 x 300 pixels)

ps. I updated your blog lay-out and design. Hope you like it.

One Strip at a time

Time to construct the base of the quilt...

Supplies needed: 7" squares of NFNW (non fusible non woven) interfacing, fabric strips, sewing machine, 6'' square ruler (optional), rotary cutter, rotary cutting mat

In terms of color - groups fabrics close in value for each block.  The colors should not be an exact match, but they should within a close range.

Download Step by Step Flip and Sew Block Construction

1. Lay two strips of fabrics, rights sides together in the center of the interfacing block

2. Stitch at fabric edge on the right, using a 1/4" seam allowance

  

3. Open strips, press, add next strip

  

4. Continue to add strips on the left and the right, open, press

 

5. Continue to add strips until the interfacing is completely covered

 

6. Trim the block to 6" square. Turn the block over, and trim from the back

 

7. Ta Da...A finished block!!!

 

8. A stack of finished blocks!

 

Okay, ready, set, sew!  Remember, 12 blocks for the "big" bouquet, and 4 blocks for the "mini"

Next time, arranging the blocks by color, and sewing the blocks in rail fence pattern.

Grab it quick before they are gone!

Since Lizzy and I began our blogs over two years ago, we have always maintained Free-A-Bee, a blog that only had free stuff on it.  Free Free Free!  It was, and will always be our intention, to give back to the community, that gives us so much!  But, things are a'changing around here...and Free-A-Bee is going away; Lizzy has some top secret plans for that space.  Never fear though, we will always have free goodies to share, we will just be doing it in a different format. 

Before closing it's little bee size doors, we wanted to offer you the chance to grab what is available, while it is still available.

Here's some what you find:

• Housewares Quilts Pattern featuring Lizzy Dish
• Sugarsnap Quilt Pattern featuring Hey Sugar
• Girl Power Quilt Pattern featuring Critters and Creatures
• Galveston Island Quilt Pattern featuring Hafeway Cafe
• Soda Shop Quilt Pattern featuring Jitterbug
• Patriotic Pizazz Quilt Pattern - a great quilt pattern for servicemen and women
• Lots of greeting cards created by Lizzy
• City Bird stuffie pattern
• helpful links for quilting stuff

Okay quilty friends, grab these goodies while you can...share the information with your guilds, or charitable groups if you like. 

We will keep Free-A-Bee active through August 15th...so hurry, hurry, hurry!

Cherri

Let's Get Started!

Ready to get started?  I am!!!

Here's your supply list:

Download LITTLE BOUQUET QUILT SUPPLY LIST

Here's the link for the Flickr group, just join and start adding your photos:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1137748@N24/

As noted in the supply list, there are two sizes of the Little Bouquet quilts you can make, a 10.5" x 10.5" (mini) or 16" x 21".  All of the instructions, and supplies are geared for the larger size, but feel free to make the mini if you like. 

The base of the quilt is string pieced blocks, stitched to non fusible/non woven interfacing, in flip n' sew fashion, the sewn blocks are joined in a rail fence pattern. 

To prepare to create the base of the quilt, press all of your fabrics strips, and sort them by color and value. 

For the non fusible/non woven interfacing: Cut 12 7'' squares (4 7'' squares for the mini)

Next time:  We will sew and create all of our base blocks

  

 

Little Bouquet Quilt Along

Wow!  So many of you want to participate in the Little Bouquet quilt along...yay!!!  I'm so excited!  We will have fun, we will become better friends, we will learn, and we will make quilts!  Could life be sweeter? 

Okay...a couple of things:

First, I would ask for your patience since this is my first quilt along.  For those of you experienced in this process, just guide me in the right direction if you see something amiss.

Secondly, I've been asked if you can particpate without having a blog.  YES!  Blog, or no blog; let's make quilts!!!

Third, for you new quilters, don't be nervous...this is easy, easy sewing, and a wonderful place to start your quilting adventure.

Where to begin?  I'll be putting together a supply list for you that I hope to have up on Saturday.  I'll list the supplies, and create a pdf in case you would like to print it out for reference.

I'm going to try and talk Lizzy into creating a button or badge for us that we can all post on our blogs (if you have one)...we will be the Little Bouquet Girls.  We will wow, and dazzle all our friends with our Little Bouquet quilts, and everyone will want to join in!

What can you do right now to get started?  Start gathering up lots and lots of fabric strips in a variety of greens from light to dark, and separate them by value.  Small paper lunch sacks work well for this.  The fabrics should be at least 7'' long, and in a variety of widths from 1 to 3 inches at the most. 

Also, start gathering up your best little scraps of silk, batiks, and tone on tone fabrics (nothing too patterned) that we will be using to create the roses.  The centers of the flowers can be as small as 2'' x 2''.  What color flowers?  Well, this is a fantasy bouquet, so you have some license where this is concerned.  You can have a look a my bouquets, and use those as a point of reference for fabric choices, or use whatever fabric colors you like.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56001293@N00/3714125618/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56001293@N00/3180747337/

Okay friends, that will get you started.  In a couple of days I'll start a Flickr group for everyone to be able to post images, and share where you are in project.

One last thing, if you have a question you can either email me at cherryhousequilts-dot-gmail-dot-com; or leave a comment with your question, and I will answer you there.  That way, others that possibly have the same question will benefit from your asking.

Thanks for joining me on this journey...I am so excited!

Cherri