Month One Ruffled Roses

[Jo H.]

Here is my Beloved Beauties center block with the triangles attached to it.

[Jo H.]

Whoa Janice.....I'm speechless. I love everything about it and the setting triangles with the border stripes are outstanding! I think your creativity actually brought a tear to my eye....

[Margo C.]

I LOVE IT JANICE!! If anyone is interested...the fabric that Janice used in her setting triangles is the SAME FABRIC that I used in mine!! Stripes are so versatile, and you don't just have to cut them lengthwise! Find a stripe and play with it!

[Dawn S.]

Thank you so much for all of your compliments on my block! I'm really loving it, too

The left top knot was just some scraps pulled from the trash can in some deeper colors. I just wanted to get a feel for "darker." They are not even shaped, let alone on Stable Stuff. But, as you have said, there needs to be more contrast for the necessary punch, if I go in that direction. As to one top knot being different from the other, that is a stretch for me. Sort of like working outside of my comfort zone. But I am getting better at it with age! Grin!

Jo Jo, I have done three very small projects in which I have appliqued. One being Margo's block. I went to a Judy Niemeyer retreat, and learned how to do the Stable Stuff way of applique, then eventually did three groupings of leaves (13 to go) on my Bird of Paradise quilt (from her retreat). My problem with applique has always been the thread that can be seen on each applique piece. Every stitch. So I came up with a hidden stitch which I named the zipper stitch. Then found out Ami Sims wrote a book on a very similar stitch. And, I overheard some women talking in Houston one year about a new applique stitch called the "ladder stitch." Anyway, it works for me, and I enjoy doing it. I now find appliqueing calming, as some hand quilters have claimed.

I'm STILL fusing over the top knots, and am even trying turquiose and purples. Sometimes a can spend forever on one silly little detail. That's why you can find me on TQS a lot! I need to step back from what I am working on, so I can see it with fresh eyes later. Smiles!

Janice, I love what you did with the stripes! Very creative!

Love you all! Thanks for the support!

Dawn
In beautiful (sunny, 41 degrees) Norhtwest Montana

[Constance G.]

Janice, the stripes are beyond awesome! I know that people are going in many different directions with this block, but the amazing thing is that the same group of fabrics can produce such wonderfully diverse results.

[Constance G.]

Margo, I hope you do not take offense to the fact that my quilt center looks somewhat like yours....but I love stripes. When I saw that fabric with so much versatility in it, I knew I wanted to do this BOM. I plan on using that stripe in many parts of my quilt. Now if I could only make respectable mitered corners. :cry:

[Margo C.]

Absolutely no offense, Janice! I am glad to see ideas shared and new techniques tried!

As for the mitered corners, check out my tutorial for January under "BOM" on the purple bar! learn/all-boms

There are also lots of great tips in the classroom where Alex demonstrates some of Jinny Beyer's techniques for using border prints: learn/classrooms/

[Eileen K.]

Janice,
I love what you did with the stripes!

[Eileen K.]

Dawn,
I love your block! Are you making the whole "My Tweets" quilt or are you going to use this block for your Ruffled Roses? Either way, I love the colors you're using.

[Dawn S.]

Eileen,

I am using this block for my center TQS BOM. Therefore, I had to reduce the original pattern by 25%, put it on point, and kind of redesign the draping sprigs of leaves, to give it the movement that Erin's has. (I had to eliminate the sprigs that came down from the tail.) Oh, and I had to redesign the top flower to fit up into the corner. Erin's Tweets quilt is going to be pretty, but I don't think I want to do applique ALL year!!! lol

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Dawn S.]

Dawn Love what you have done to Erin's tweets block,you have truly made it yours,wonderful !!

Janice WOW wonderful great use of the stripe fabric looks great.

Sue I love the freshness of your block and your background fabric this is going to be one nice quilt.

Dorothy Suffolk UK

[Geneva C.]

Dawn and Janice, I love your blocks! They are so original. I like that we are all making the same quilt, but making it our own. I hope to have my block done today. I'll post a picture as soon as I'm done. It's so fun to see everyone's progress and creativity. Geneva in overcast Northern California

[Robin G.]

Janice, I am blown away by your block! It's absolutely wonderful!!!!
JoJo, I'm getting there ... This morning I finished the first of two projects to be completed before I can work on RR. This was a work project -- the kind that pays the bills, so that was important (and I put in more than 10 billable hours yesterday). Next up is a quilting project, so at least that will be fun, but oh, I sooo want to work on RR!!! Everyone is showing so much creativity, it's making my fingers itch!!

[Bonnie J.]

I so wish that the Beloved Beauty kits were in!!! I am having a horrible time waiting right now. I have printed out the instructions. Received my Stable Stuff on Friday, so have traced out most of the pieces, and even cut most of them out. Just not feeling the satisfaction from that. Thinking that I am going to do a sample with this new machine quilting method and hope that that will satisfy the itech a little.

[Geneva C.]

Ok, I finally finished the center block. My theme is Trees, so I started with a block called "Pinecone". I found this in Jinny Beyer's new book of blocks. I drafted 1/4 of it to 7 1/2" finished, 8" unfinished and made four of them and sewed them together. Each block was foundation pieced to Ricky's stable stuff. I used my window to trace from my drawing to the stable stuff. I had to adapt the block a little to fit my needs. I used my embroidery machine to embroider the pinecones in the very center and then set that yellow center block into the center of the other 4 pinecone blocks. When I was done I was very pleased, but it sure wasn't very nice looking! I mean, grey and brown and black? For a green quilt? But I stayed calm and remembered there is a lot more to do!



I wanted to piece the setting corners, so I got out my drafting paper again and drew the corner and played with various settings. I liked this setting and got all set to piece those flying geese, except they aren't flying geese! The triangles had to be foundation pieced using Ricky's stable stuff and my window. But wait! The bigger triangles on the end all had to be drawn to fit into the larger setting triangle. (Ask me how I know this!) In any case, I finally got all the pieces going the right direction and I'm very pleased. I included some green and purple which will be in the quilt. Now the center pinecone doesn't look so blah! And please note that the block is square, thanks to all the stable stuff, it looks crooked because my design wall hangs from a rod in front of a closet, so it waves in the wind!

I'm looking forward to February's borders. I plan to add lots more of the 20 or so greens I have, some more purple, yellow, etc.

Thanks everyone for inspiring me! And thanks Margo for your excellent assitance.... til next month..... geneva