Bubbles & Blooms.....Free Motion Quilting

The day began out back on the patio

Spray Basting the quilt sandwich together.

I love to spray baste.

It has made the biggest improvement in my free motion work.

Click Images to Enlarge:

Spray basting is best outside on a hot day.

2 buffet tables pushed together is the perfect work surface.

The adhesive is stickier when it is hot outside.

The layers stay together, and never budge!

See how flat and smooth it lays after spray basting.

Auditioning Threads for the free motion quilting

How juicy are these colors!

These are all YLI Trilobal Polyester Threads

Variegated thread.......Variations.

Very shiny and beautiful.

This is a very busy and very bright quilt.

I have chosen thread colors that will blend and not contrast.

I don't want the threads competing with the fabrics or design.

If you click the photo to enlarge it you may be able to see the feathered quilting around the heart petal on the flower.

I chose a yellow variegated thread for the background quilting.

It is subtle and doesn't compete with that busy fabric.

The stitching is a feather swirl thing that is fun to do!

Click to enlarge to see the quilting stitches

This is heavily quilted over all the pieced seams.

This will help to make the quilt durable so my Sister can snuggle under it and use it for many years to come.

8pm....time to close the door on the Thread Shed and finish the quilting another day.

Speaking of Bubbles...

There was a bubble machine at my sister's wedding last night!

6 girls in my family.

This is me with my sister, Tinker.

She taught me to ride a bike, listen to Elton John songs, and take art classes in school.

Tree Lily

The stem is over 6 feet tall

State Fair Orange Zinnia

These grew from seeds in the kitchen window.

Day Lily

The lighting this evening was just perfect for taking photos of the flowers.

This is the flowerbed just outside the front door.

These flowers lure me out of the Thread Shed each evening...

along with a hungry husband and 2 dogs that need attention.

It is good to be needed.

p.s. To see more Bubbles & Blooms Click HERE

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Bubbles & Blooms.....Design Work Done

Click Images to Enlarge:

I decided on the lime green fabric for borders.

It is cut and pinned and ready to sew onto the quilt top.

This is the summer-time view out the Thread Shed Window

Dinner Plate Dahlias

Bubbles & Blooms Quilt Top

I decided to go with the lime green instead of the dark pink variegated.

The green fabric reads as a solid from a distance, and will give me lots of quiet space for some fun free-motion quilting!

This is a birthday quilt for my sister, Sherry.

She doesn't read my blog, so she will be surprised!

Tomorrow......spray basting and machine quilting....the perfect day.

Last week I attended a workshop....we tried rust dyeing.

This piece was perfect for the buffalo applique.

This rust dye piece is wonderful with the horse applique on it.

These are both works-in-progress

Each year I find something new to ornament the flower gardens.

This year, it is these vintage metal chairs.

The chairs found a home sitting in front of the hen house.

And yes.......I am eyeing them up for rust dyeing!

Each year swallows make our patio out back their own.

The baby birdlings are becoming very active!

5pm.......I called it a day and closed up the Thread shed.

I wandered around outside in the yard with the camera.

This gorgeous butterfly was flitting around the flowerbeds.

The pink spider dahlia is the perfect contrast for the yellow butterfly!

Yesterday I took this photo of the lavender dahlia bud.

They are huge buds!

This is what the dahlia bud looked like today!

It didn't waste anytime blooming.

Dancer & Freckles saw me walking around the yard, and just had to come over to the fence for a good scratching.

I love the STAR in the center of the Hollyhock blooms.

They just illuminate and glow in the sun.

When the sun went down, I turned the water on in the flowerbeds.

The droplets on the flowers made a perfect picture.

Pink Star Lily

Water droplets on the yellow & pink spider dahlia

p.s. to see more Bubbles & Blooms Click HERE

At the end of a Perfect Day,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Bubbles & Blooms.....New on the Design Wall

Something New is up on the Design Wall

Click Images to Enlarge:

Bubbles & Bloom theme fabric

It is happy, it is fun and the flowers are Groovy Cool.

The background was created using the Disappearing 9 Patch Method

You don't have to handle those small squares or strips.....ever!

I am auditioning border treatments on the right side.

Fabrics from my stash for the applique motifs

I decided on the lime green inner accent border

The freezer paper came out of the cupboard.

It is time to design the flower applique shapes.

Using the theme fabric for inspiration, I drew out the first flower petal

I designed 3 different flower petals.

I am not sure if they will work, but you have to start somewhere.

The first flower will have a black petal.

I traced the petal shape onto fusible web, cut it out and ironed it to the backside of the black fabric.

The second petal is pink

The black petals jump right off that busy background.

The pink petals pump up the color!

A CD disk was the perfect size template for the center of the flower.

The first Groovy Cool Flower is done!

It is about 24 inches in diameter.

You know the routine.....trace out the petals onto fusible web....get out the iron.....

The second flower is done!

The third and last flower is done!

I am still thinking about the pink variegated border treatment?

I think I will have to cut the fabric into border strips and lay them all the way around the edge of the quilt top to see if they are going to work or not.

If you want to find out more about the Disappearing 9 Patch method you can CLICK HERE.

I hope to play around with this a bit more today before I leave for my sister's wedding. I will let you know what I decide about that border treatment....

I started this blog in February 2009........this is the 100th post!

I have enjoyed all of your comments. Thank You.

p.s. To See More Bubbles & Blooms Click HERE

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE

Summer Pleasures...

Glue Gel Resist Technique

Click Images To Enlarge:

Glue Gel Resist AFTER Washing out Glue

Glue Gel Resist BEFORE washing out glue

I chose to mix Tulip paints in spray bottles and spray the paint directly onto the white muslin fabric. You can also use a paint brush and put the paint in between the glued areas for a more precise look. The technique I use depends on my mood at the time.

Yesterday I spent the day with these two cutie pies......my grandnieces came to the farm to spend the day with Annylu. It was just the break I needed from the Thread Shed. I was on burn out from preparing exhibit quilts for the September show.

These little ones gave the porch swing a good work out, then took me down to the river to play in the water. Before they left, they asked if they could go out to the chicken house and pick eggs.........yes, they kept me smiling all day. We made enough memories yesterday that I can live on for weeks.

The bed frames behind the Thread Shed are working out beautifully as fencing to support the tall Dinner Plate Dahlias.......I love the rusted patina that is forming on them also.

The Glads will be blooming soon....

The 6 foot tall hollyhocks are growing straight and tall thanks to the new bed frames giving them support.

This old fireplace screen found at a thrift store reminds me of a Peacock.

It works perfect to keep the dogs out of the flowerbed.

Very juicy orange dinner plate dahlia

Very very red dinner plate dahlia

Wild & Pink Spider Dahlia

As always, please feel free to download and use these flower images in your artwork.

Always glad to share.

The patio out back has tenants: 4 new baby birdlings

The mama keeps them covered up, so it is difficult to get a photo of them.

Gunnr & New Hens

I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as Gunnr is!

May Your Bobbin Always Be Full,

LuAnn in Oregon

To see my New Work CLICK HERE

To see the Thread Shed CLICK HERE

To see my Exhibit Quilts CLICK HERE

To see Tutorials CLICK HERE