Going for Gold

The 'Cosmos' for my piece 'Cosmic Split is complete.

Oh, I really enjoyed making the Cosmos! This is the part that I absolutely love doing - it is the reason I make quilts at all. I don't mark out the patterns in the circle, but just trust my eye and as I come to the end of the round, either squeeze up or draw out the last couple of  motives to fill the available space. Mostly, that works very well. If you look closely, you might find the odd motif that really has been hard done by!

Here are a couple of close-ups.

I wanted the texture of the background quilting to be a different, much smaller scale to the spheres. I've used a mixture of pebbling and a motif much used by one of my favourite quilters - Jacqueline Heinz. These two motifs are mixed in with two others on the black background that the gold will be stitched to.

The gold fabric has just about held out. If you look at it through a magnifying glass, you can see areas around the thread where there is a threatening split and a peek of white batting underneath. Just cross your fingers that it holds out until after the show and that the judges don't used magnifying glasses!!

Next comes the really scary bit - the Split in 'Cosmic Split' - otherwise known as the rotary cutter. It is always a bit of a nerve wracking moment to slice hours of quilting in two! I plan to finish and get this quilt off by the end of next week. The show is 2nd week in August, and I will post the finished quilt then.

This quilt has been such a journey, I think I will really miss it when it's finished. What shall I do next? It is a bit like finishing a really good book. On the one hand it is great to find out what happens in the end, on the other hand there is a hole left by its absence. Yet I often feel I need to savour the story a moment before I am able to plunge into the next one. Do you find that - with quilts or books?

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Lizzie Lenard @  http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk   

...and then 3 came at once!

It is a known fact in British folk lore that you have to wait hours for a bus to come - and then 3 come at once. So it is with my FMQ Cameos. I have been very lax about posting them in the past few week - literally sidetracked! So here are 3 at once.

That is the Question - fmq Cameo 35

The first one, based on a question mark is aptly named 'That is the Question'. I know I keep saying 'I really enjoy quilting this motif' but the curls on this one are fun to do. It took a bit of practice to get the thicks and the thins as I wanted, but I am pleased with them now. Putting the motif in a box allows me to also include the motif inverted. This is an idea that I use with quite a few of my motifs.

Ripped Ribbon - fmq Cameo 36

This is one of those motifs that looks different depending on whether you look at the positive or the negative. I conceived it as a ribbon with random rips in it and I think it may be more effective as a single row. There are 4 rows here, so that you can also see a very odd what? - tree trunk with short, stubby branches? Definitely go with the ribbon - it's prettier!

Fmq Cameo 37

I haven't come up with a name for number 37 yet (all suggestions welcome). I hope you can see what I have done because it is easier than describing it! The idea was that the little vertical lines joining the S shapes, themselves create  a curving vertical shape and also alter the balance between the two bowls of the S. I told you it was easier to look!

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Lizzie Lenard @ http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk/

Sidetracked - the tracks

Progress - such as it is or isn't - on my show quilt has still come to a halt as I can't find my cotton backed gold material. I am awaiting one more delivery of my last internet find. If that isn't right, I'll just have to do with what I've got. And what I have got is a lot of various types of gold lame and foil material, so gold will have to feature somewhere in my future quilts!

So on to my tracks for Sidetracked.

I've pieced together irregular strips of various cottons and silks in neutral colours. I've put in random slivers of gold just to give a bit of a highlight. This is a technique I have used in quite a few quilts, such as Ugly Duckling see here. The gold lame just frays too much for this.

As you can see, I got a little bit carried away with my strips - this is a long piece - about twice as long as I need. Never mind, more to play with. I tried quilting with white but that was very insipid, so I switched to gold thread. You can't really tell in the photo, but that had a lot more kick.

It was a beautiful day, so quilting out in the garden again. Please don't think it is always beautifully sunny. It is because we don't get that many sunny days that I can't bear to be inside sewing when it is dry and warm.

Here are a couple of close ups. Each strip is quilted with a different motif, many of them you will recognise by now. I think I counted 59 in total. This is my absolute favorite part of the making a quilt, so I had great fun doing this. Some of the beige silks I picked up cheaply at a market and they are in reality furnishing fabric. They are a bit tough to quilt and you can see it bubbling a bit. A good bit of steam should fix that.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Lizzie Lenard @http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk/

Side-tracked

When I am working on plain white fabric as a background  one of my concerns is that it is - well just that - plain white. It doesn't have colour or the texture of dyed fabric to add interest. So I have been experimenting with adding texture, using scrunched up very find cotton.

It was also a lovely day, so I took the sewing machine into the garden.

Here is a close up of the final effect. The cotton is rushed and then stuck down to a backing fabric. I tried using both bondaweb and temporary glue spray and both work well, but for this larger piece I used bondaweb. I did quite a few trials of patterns to see which worked. Some are too fine and just get lost in the folds, but line, particularly across the fold work well. For a background, I always like to mix and match the patterns a bit, so I've used 3 here. The quilting has to also be quilt large.

The patterns are more obvious from the back. I also had to quilt this from the back, to avoid getting the quilting foot caught up in the folds.

Here is back and front together to see the contrast. I really like this. From a distance what you get is a much stronger, more vibrant texture than quilting alone will provide. As you come closer, variations in pattern become clearer and draw you in.

I have in mind some pieced neutrals to applique onto this. I'm going to call it 'Sidetracked' because the piecing will look a bit like tracks - but also I am of course getting sidetracked from my show quilt for the Birmingham Festival of Quilts. Some ideas won't wait to come out!

And talking of show quilts, the two quilts I sent of to the Malvern Quilt Show have returned. As well as 'White on Black, Black on White' that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago, I had also entered 'Fracture' into the small wall hanging category

There were no judges comments, but 'Fracture' came back with a 'judge's merit' rosette. I am really thrilled as I was afraid my ribbon for 'Square Spiral' might be a one off. So now I should get back to the FOQ quilt (to be named Cosmic Split) - or maybe I'll just get sidetracked again!!

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/
Lizzie Lenard @http://lizzielenard-vintagesewing.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/where-has-free-motion-friday-gone.html

Sticks and Stones - the 8th Learning Curves in 9 Squares

After the excitement of my first ribbon, back to the next of the 'Learning Curves in 9 Squares' - Sticks and Stones.

I love this design. Quilted small the 'sticks' and 'stones' become the same size, creating a dense texture and making the colour seem darker at that point. Give it more space and the whole thing opens up and breaths. The spiral unwinds a little. The sticks protrude and acquire a cheeky curve at the base. It is excellent for going around curves, from the gentle meander to the absolute U turn, as demonstrated here. Despite the stitching being in a lovely deep buttery yellow, this colour suffers the same fate as the other pale ones, namely that it can not be seen from a distance. I'm sad about that because I love the freshness of the buttercup yellow on white.

Time too for another FMQ cameo.

Wimbledon - fmq Cameo 34

Wimbledon is a variation on a pebble stitch. but is actually easier because there is no travelling. After completing the circle at the top an S shape gets us to the bottom of the circle ready to start the next one - giving an impression of a tennis ball - hence the name. It is a great background stitch and when the size of the balls is varied, as here, it also gives a good textural variety.

And last but not least, I now have the judges comments on 'Square Spiral'. I unintentionally provoked quite a few comments about judges comments - and I've also meet other quilters deflated by the label 'satisfactory'. I've spent a lifetime in education and for me, the importance of feedback is not just to praise or criticise, but to encourage growth and signpost how to reach potential. But that takes a lot of effort and time - maybe more time than quilt judges have?

Square Spiral - detail

I'm pleased to say I got very positive comments this time: "Wonderful workmanship. A really lovely quilt thoughtfully executed." My grades have gone from 'satisfactory' to 'very good' and 'excellent'. What this really teaches me is the importance of design. I don't believe for a moment that my quilting has improved 3 levels in 6 months, or the execution of an identical binding was just 'satisfactory' on my first show quilt, yet 'very good' on the second. But what I can see is that the design and overall visual impact of the second show quilt was much better - and that obviously influences all the other categories in the eyes of the judges. Which also teaches me not to take it all too seriously. I do it because I love it - and in the doing, I continue to learn.

In the meantime, the next show quilts are underway and I will be blogging about them soon.

Quite a long post today - so if you are still with me you deserve a ribbon too - or a least a cup to tea/coffee!

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk
Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!

...and not only late with this post. I have had the 14.4.14 (or if you are  U.S. side, 4.14.14) in my head for weeks as the day I need to send off my 'Spiral' quilt to the British Quilt & Stitch competition, giving a week's transport time.

Spiral - Detail

 I am really bad at finishing the boring bits like binding and hanging sleeve, but got it done this weekend - got all the cat hairs off - got it all safely packed and ready for the post and then...A quick glance at the entry form and my eye falls on the sentence

The quilts MUST arrive by Monday 14 April (their capitals!!)

So, there I am, on the morning of Monday 14 April, sitting on the floor (good place to be when you are feeling stupid and a bit desperate at the same time) with quilt that has not yet departed let alone arrived. I ring the exhibition HQ prepared to eat humble pie, beg, grovel, prostrate myself....The delightful Angela informs me that the system has been designed for people like me, no problem, I have in fact got another 10 days before the quilt has to be there.

Spiral - Detail 2

I am no longer sitting on the floor, quilt is on its way and I am breathing again! I haven't included a full picture of the quilt, but a few to give you an idea. The rules don't forbid it, but is somehow doesn't feel polite to do a full reveal until after the event. Or, go along to the exhibition on 25-27 April at Uttoxeter Racecourse to have a look yourself.

Spiral - Detail 3

Thank you so much to all of you who came up with names for the two designs I posted last week. It was so interesting to see what the patterns evoked for everybody, where you all agreed and where you saw quite different things. I've been a bit side-tracked by the drama above, but next week I will let you know which names I have picked (hopefully also done Cameos of the designs). I have now decided to call the complete piece 'Learning Curves in 9 Squares'.  You've seen 4 squares, numbers 5 and 6 will be in the next post.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk
Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

More learning curves...

This is another test piece for a larger work that I have in mind for a quilt show later this year. This is one of 9 squares (although the final version might have more).

This is a motif called 'hour glass'. Each square will be done in a different colour, using a different motif. At the end, there is, I hope, a bit of a surprise which I won't tell you now, because I want to know if you can see it. I've dyed material in the same colour as the thread to frame each square. I've been working in black and white for a bit. It is stunning, but I do miss colour! There is no doubt quilting on white makes the quilting really stand out, so this is a bit of a compromise.

In the recent black and white pieces, I've quilted the motifs in 'straight' rows. I say straight, because I don't mark them and they certainly wouldn't match up with any ruler! Here, I do mark the curves. I tend to stitch the parallel-lined curves first, then fill them in with the motif. I don't try and keep the 'parallel' line perfectly parallel. In fact, I often deliberately try to vary them a bit, opening up at the apex of a curve. Distorting the pattern to fit the resulting shapes is perhaps my favourite part of quilting.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

We did it Wednesday @ http://www.sewmuchado.com/

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk
Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Triangle Tangle - free motion quilting Cameo 29

Triangle Tangle - free motion quilting Cameo 29

This is quite a simple but unusual and effective all-over design. In a way it is like an angle 3-D stipple and like a stipple can be made large or small, tight or more relaxed - and fit into any shape or corner. In other words, it is very flexible!

For more information on the free motion quilting Cameos, please visit the 'fmq Cameos - so far' page.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence
Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

We did it Wednesday @ http://www.sewmuchado.com/

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk
Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Crossing over - free motion Cameo 28

The gentle meander becomes an increasingly sweeping curve with each echo. You can echo as many times as you want but keep the cross over at the same point. Just 3 can make an effective ribbon, or you can keep going until you have a broad band as here.

For more information about the free - motion quilted Cameos, go to the 'fmq Cameos so far' page.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence
Please find below a list of linky parties. I may not link with all of the every week, but with some of them most weeks. Please go and have a look at some of the other wonderful quilts and quilters there.

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

We did it Wednesday @ http://www.sewmuchado.com/

I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

What is in a name?

The last few posts have been all about black and white  so I thought it was time for an injection of colour.

Here is some printing done with another stencil made with a fabric soldering iron. See my post 'stencils, soldering irons and inattentive mothers' for the story  here. 

I decided to use the letters of my name for the design. All the letters are right - but not necessarily in the right order! I needed to overlap the letters to make a good design, and since 'Hilary' is shorter than 'Florence' - which went on the 2nd line - there was a bit of jiggery pokery to fit all the letters in.

Of course, making your stencil this way, means you actually end up with two stencils - the positive and the negative of your design. Here, I have started with a yellow negative stencil, overlaid with a positive in red.

In the next example I have added some dark blue to the mix and inverted the stencil so some of the letters are upside down.

This time I've only used the negative stencil, but turning it through 90 degrees to give both horizontal and vertical text.

Here, I have first used the positive stencil - again overlaying horizontally and vertically - then gone over with a sponge roller.

I really like this last one. I've used both positive and negative versions in a kind of checkerboard pattern.

All the prints are done with procion dyes thickened with manutex.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

P.S.

I have become a convert to linky parties. They are a great way to see and be seen. Please find below a list. I may not link to all every week, but I do link with some most weeks. Please go and have a look at all the lovely work there.

Anything goes Mondays @ http://marelize-ries.blogspot.co.uk/

Linky Tuesday at Free motion by  the river­­­­ @ http://www.conniekresin.com/

Fabric Tuesday @http://quiltstory.blogspot.co.uk/    

Sew cute Tuesday @ http://www.blossomheartquilts.com/ 

Show and tell Tuesday @ http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/

Let’s Bee Social @ http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.co.uk

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

We did it Wednesday @ http://www.sewmuchado.com/

­­­­I Quilt Thursdays @ http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays @ http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Needle and Thread Thursday @ http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.co.uk/

Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/

Waving in the Wind - free motion quilting cameo 27

A bit of a break from the black and white theme for this post. It is time for another fmq cameo.

Waving in the Wind - free motion quilting cameo 27

This is one of my motifs that was born of putting pencil to paper and just watching and waiting to see what happens, going with what I like, dropping what I don't and constantly trying out the 'what ifs'. For me it evokes crops waving in a summer breeze. Although the line crosses it is a continuous line and has a nice swing to it. I think it looks better stitched all in the same direction, which is a bit of a pain because it means you have to stop at the end of each row and start on again for the next.

Thanks for dropping by..

Hilary Florence

P.S. I'm linking this post to:

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced   @   http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays  @ http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN  @ http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca 

­­­­I Quilt Thursdays http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/
Off the wall Fridays @ http://ninamariesayre.blogspot.co.uk/

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ http://fortworthfabricstudio.blogspot.co.uk

Friday linky party @ http://www.confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.co.uk/
Do go and have a look at some of the other fantastic quilts there.

Trio of Leaves - free motion quilting cameo 26

Trio of Leaves - free motion quilting cameo 26

This is a spin off from the previous post 'Leaf Triplets'. The leaves have become more stylised and symmetrical. The curved stem has gone and the straight veins jet out at a 90 degree angle, each vein with an ending - triangles for the first leaf, circles for the second and kites for the third.

Thanks for stopping by...

Hilary Florence

Work In Progress

I like the idea of work in progress Wednesdays, but up until now, I have been busing working on a quilt for the British Quilt and Stitch competition and haven't been able to show that. Now I've finished that - all but the binding - I can join in the WIP fun!

This is going to be a black and white piece - not sure yet how it will work out, but this cloth will be cut up and appliqued when it is finished. Oh, by the way, as you can perhaps see, I haven't marked anything - not even the columns. I believe in learning to love your wobbles!!

Thanks for stopping by...
Hilary Florence

P.S. I have linked this post to:

WIP Wednesday at freshly pieced      http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WOW = WIPs on Wednesdays http://www.estheraliu.blogspot.co.uk/  

WIP Wednesday at TN + TN http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca

­­­­I Quilt Thursdays http://prettybobbins.com/

Really Random Thursdays http://www.liveacolorfullife.net/

Do go and have a look at other fantastic quilts and quilters there!

Hourglass - free motion quilted Cameo 22

Hourglass - free motion quilted Cameo 22

Rows of hourglasses flow across the page in gentle lines. Symmetry across the horizontal axis means this one looks the same quilted forward or backward. Depending on the space to be filled, the hourglass can be tall and skinny, or short and fat. It is interesting to see how that can quite alter its character. There is a good juxtaposition of angles, straight and curved lines - although some of the 'staight' lines can also be given a bit a curve if wished.

Enjoy

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Keyholes - free motion quilting Cameo 21

Keyholes - free motion quilting Cameo 21

OK, so this quilt a jumble of keyholes all tangles up together, but that is rather the fun of it! I wonder what secrets so many keyholes are hiding?

Like Thorny Point, Cameo 17, this design is a 'there and back' one. In other words, the first line creates just one side and you need to quilt back again to finish the design, so ending up at your starting point. You could be absolutely symmetrical and make keyholes left and right the same - but you know by now I rarely do symmetrical. Here I've taken asymmetry even a step further and made the central stem occasionally shift to the right or left.

Enjoy

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Wooded Hills - free motion quilted Cameo 20

Wooded Hills - free motion quilted Cameo 20

This is another cameo that was inspired by the work of another quilter, namely Freida Anderson. You can see her work at www.friestyle.com/

Frieda creates some wonderful fused and quilted collages, often featuring leaves. One showed leaves or trees arranged on hills. I have done a similar arrangement here, using a very simple stylised tree. The trees quilted on their own were not particularly interesting, but it is the rhythm of the background quilting, the close lines echoing the curve of the hills that makes the piece hang together.

At some point I will expand on this idea, perhaps using a different design of tree in each square.

Enjoy

Thanks for dropping by

Hilary Florence

Tribal Sun - free motion quilting Cameo 19

Tribal Sun - free motion quilting Cameo 20

This cameo was inspired by the quilting on some cushions by Yoshiko Jinzenji. If you have never seen the work of the inspirational quilt artist Yoshiko Jinzenji, do visit her website at http://www.yoshikoquilt.com

The quilting created a variety of patterns using close parallel lines. It is quite a while since I made this cameo, and this is a technique I must return to. I find it very meditative and particularly enjoy creating the larger triangles. Any one of the 3 sides can be used as the starting point of the parallel lines, each side giving a very different result. You can chose whether to make the ends curved or straight.

Enjoy.

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence

Round Pegs and Square Holes - free motion quilting Cameo 18

Round Pegs and Square Holes - free motion quilting Cameo 19

I like the effect of this design. Perhaps it is the combination of right angles and circles, but it always makes me think of electric circuit boards and two pin plugs. I'm showing my age here and experience of a world that predates electric chips that fit onto a pin-head!

I think this one works best with a half-drop repeat. When combining lines of a continuous line quilting pattern to make an overall pattern, there is always the question of direction. Having reached the end of the line, the easiest thing to avoid stopping and starting again, is to turn the piece and go back. This means the next line will be upside down, which sometimes doesn't matter or is even desirable. The other alternative, which I used here, is to learn to quilt the design backwards. On larger pieces where turning is awkward, being able to quilt a pattern forward, backward and sideways is very  helpful. It is a skill worth practising.

enjoy

thanks for dropping by..

Hilary Florence

Thorny Point - free motion quilting Cameo 17

Thorny Point - free motion quilting Cameo 17

I don't think I can claim that this is an original design. Many quilters and artists have used images of thorns or barbed wire to great effect in their work. I find it a very powerful motif and of course, by its nature, every time you quilt it, it will be different.

I quilt down one side, creating thorns of different lengths and angles as I go, then go back up the other side and complete them. In general in my quilting, I pre-mark as little as possible, but here, if you want interlocking, but not crossing lines in a good rhythm, in can help just to mark the line in first.

It works well as a single line, or a collection of interlocking lines to create a texture. The line can be vertical, horizontal or even curved.

Enjoy

Thanks for dropping by...

Hilary Florence