Cherry House Quilts

Little Bouquet Quilt Along - It's done!!!

  

My little mini quilt is done!  I'm still working on the larger 12 block quilt, but with Quilt Market all too quickly approaching, that will have to take a back seat for a bit.  The Little Bouquet Quilt Along has been fun and enjoyable.  Some of the Type A participants have had a bit of a struggle with the letting go, and free form process of it all, but they are hanging in there, and working through it. 

If you would like to jump in and make a little bouquet quilt with us, you are more than welcome! 

 

Happy Sunday,

Cherri

Little Bouquet Flowers - Ready to Sew!

 

Flowers made, and ready to sew!  Hey quilt along friends...where are you in the process?  Ready for the next step. 

Let's review:

• Background made, and ready
• Flowers made
• Leaves and stems
• Arrangement configured on the background
• Next...getting ready to sew!

What I have found that works best is to place the flowers on the background until you find the best composition.  After you are happy with the arrangement, take a digital pic to remember where everything is placed.  Next step is to add the prepared leaves and stems.

Carefully pin everything in place, and tack down your flowers, either by hand or by machine.  At this point sew down your flowers as desired, either machine applique, or sewing them down during the quilting process.  After that we will layer our top to create a quilt sandwich with batting, and the backing. 

Be sure add your photos to the Flickr group! 

Please know that everyone and anyone is welcome to join-just jump right in :-)

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.

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