The New Hexagon Millefiori QAL- Rosette 2 the next six hexagons

I made my fabric selections for the next round of hexagons for my Rosette 2 in Katja Marek's The New Hexagon Quilt Along. Rosette 3 is now available so I had better get #2 finished!

So what should I add to my little wren in the middle of the block?

I want to add warm tones so I've picked four fabric that I think work well with the wren and this is what I came up with. The blue flower picks up on the blue in the wren's background and the bands at the top and bottom have some of those warm caramel colours I so love. The band at the bottom was fussy cut so that the rust is at the bottom and the taupe at the top. The cream pieces on the sides are also fussy cut but the top band isn't but it will work just fine!

Need some proof that it will work fine? Well here it is! I am always amazed at the secondary designs that appear with a little fussy cutting. Look at the partial stars that are created by the cream fabric!

So what's next? I have to make five hexagons so I'll start pulling fabrics for cutting, basting and sewing!

Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H

The New Hexagon Millefiori QAL - the beginning of Rosette 2

I am so far behind in this month's The New Hexagon Millefiori Quilt Along by Katja Marek but there was a good reason! I couldn't make my mind up about fabric choices and the colour in particular. I've been back and forth about working with a strong colour emphasis versus making each rosette different. This was my version of Rosette #1. It is a big piece and measures roughly 36" across!

My Rosette #1 in The New Hexagon Millefiori QAL

The second pattern in the QAL was released at the beginning of February but I haven't been able to decide what to do. Time is passing and the next Rosette will be available soon so I have to get going. I just started searching for a fabric that would work well for the hexagon in the middle of Rosette #2. Going through my stash I came across this fabric and decided to use it as the jumping off point for my Rosette #2.

I selected a little wren for the centre hexagon and framed her with the grey-blue fabric with gold and olive. It was a perfect fit! The sides of this hexagon measure 3".

Now I have to pull more fabric to make the six hexagons that will surround this one! I think I want this quilt to have a warm feel so I'll be looking for fabrics with rust, caramel, toffee and crimson.

Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H

Rosette 1 in the New Hexagon Millefiori QAL and making a ring to frame the birds

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I've completed the first rosette in Katja Marek's New Hexagon Millefiori Quilt Along. It may not look like it but it is large. I think it is roughly 36" across. There will be partial rosettes that link into this piece and they will be smaller so that means less sewing than with this one. Don''t get me wrong - it wasn't difficult, it just had lots of sewing!

Katja has set up a Facebook page and a FLICKR page so you'll see lots of  interesting rosettes that look very different from mine! You will find links to both along with the instructions and patterns for this QAL here.

Now it is back to working on my Birds in the Loft quilt! I've made the medallion with birds for the middle of the quilt. It took some time to find just the right fabric for the ring but I finally settled on a very deep brown with olive and grey tones.

I folded a large sheet of paper in quarters and I drafted one quarter of the ring that would surround the birds. I cut it out and glued it to two sheets of kitchen freezer paper that I had ironed together. The ring was cut out. Save the leftover bits of freezer paper because they might come in handy!

The ring was ironed to the wrong side of the fabric.

I cut out the ring leaving the inside intact because I find it keeps the ring more body. I used my Starch Brush from Traditional Primitives to paint the seam allowance on the outside edge of the ring with starch. With a hot dry iron I pressed the seam allowance over the freezer paper.

I then cut out the inside of the oval and clipped the curves up to the freezer paper. Once again the seam allowance was painted with starch and pressed over the freezer paper with a hot dry iron.

Here it is with both sides pressed over the freezer paper. It looks wonky because the heat of the iron made the paper curl slightly. I can now remove the freezer paper.

I used Roxanne Glue Baste-it to affix the ring to the fabric. I'll use Superior's The Bottom Line thread in a taupe colour to applique the inside edge of the ring to the bird fabric.

Until I post again, happy sewing.
Karen H

Happy New Year, Happy Lozagons and Happy QALs!

Happy New Year people and welcome to 2015! I had a lovely week off but still have more entertaining over the next few days and this is really cutting into my sewing time. There has been plenty of visiting and good food and I just had to squeeze in some time for hand sewing too!

I've been working away on Lozagons and it is staring to look like a quilt! When I last showed it to you I had stitched together the middle section with the rose medallion and I was working on stitching together the rest of the snowflake blocks into strips that could be attached to the centre.

Since then I've stitched all of the strips that will be sewn to the centre panel. In this picture everything is just pinned together on the design wall. I now have some long seams to sew.

I also shared the drawing of how I would assemble the quilt. It it you can see my first draft of the filler bits for the corners (H and I) and the top centre which isn't labelled.

I was struggling with colour and couldn't decide what to do. So I printed a copy of my drawing and coloured it in to get ideas. Yellow and orange always work well with blue so this is what I finally settled on.

The three large yellow motifs will be identical and then I think the four partial rosettes along the top will be made with four different fabrics. I'll use only one orange print for the centres of all seven. The bottom of the quilt will be identical. I do have one small problem - I'm almost out of the turquoise fabric. It was only $4/m so why I didn't buy more of it is beyond me. I've found something similar so I'll have to use it strategically to make sure it looks like it was part of the design rather that a solution to a fabric shortage!

So what have you got planned in the way of projects for 2015? It is always fun to start something new (at least that's what I think). If you are looking for an English paper piecing project for 2015 I've got a few suggestions for your consideration.

The New Hexagon Millefiori Quilt Along by Katja Marek
It's free and the first pattern was just released! You will find Rosette 1 here.  The designs are from Katja's book The New Hexagon. You will need the book in order to participate; it includes 52 interesting 3" block designs that will be used to make the quilt. Each of the hexagons shown on the cover is one 3" block. Fussy cutting your fabric will make these blocks really spectacular!

One very important point I would like to clarify is that Katja's QAL should not be confused with Willyne Hammerstein's gorgeous book Millefiori Quilts published by Quiltmania. This is a book that has been on my wishlist for some time. If you love English paper piecing and hexagons add this one to your wishlist ! It is difficult to find but I know you can order it from Quiltmania in France.

Elizabeth E's Circles English Paper Piecing Block of the Month
This is another free QAL and it comes from Elizabeth E of www.OccaisonalPiece-Quilt.com Elizabeth just published the pattern for Block 7 and you will find it here. Links the the previous 6 blocks are available on her blog. In the Block 7 post she provides great information about printing patterns from a pdf, cutting the patches and sewing them together.

2015 Hexie Block of the Month from The Hexie Blog by Julia Wood
I know that there are a few of you out there who love hexagons (really people, what's not to love?)!! This is a great QAL for beginners! Julia has just launch the first pattern and you will find it here. The pattern calls for 3/4" hexagons but really you can use any size you want. These will be geometric designs that are stitched together and then appliqued to a background.  Julia is using Kaffe fabrics but you can use whatever tickles your fancy! You can find the general information for this QAL here.

Also sometime this month Julia will be launching her new emagazine Hexie Love. It will be published six times a year and the first issue will come out in the second week of January. A single issue will be $5.99 and a one year subscription will be $26.99 so that's a pretty good savings!

That's it for me for today! Time to get dressed, get cooking and get entertaining. Maybe even get sewing a little! Until I post again, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Karen H

Quilt Along by Katja Marek

I must be crazy but in my humble opinion it is a good kind of crazy! I've signed up for a free quilt along that starts in January 2015. The QAL is by Katja Marek!

This is a picture the beginning of Katja's quilt which is made using the English paper piecing (EPP) method. So many wonderful shapes to work with!

Photo courtesty of Katja Marek

The best part is that this is a free Quilt Along (QAL)! To sign up go here. The first set of instructions will be emailed to participants at the beginning of each month starting in January 2015. To participate in the QAL you will also need a copy of Katja's book The New Hexagon. I've just received my copy. I'm going to make myself a cuppa and settle down to peruse the pages!

The QAL looks like it will be fun and a great way to use bright prints and also to do some fussy cutting. I love to fussy cut! Just check out the little fussy cut details in this block. Lovely!

Photo courtesty of Katja Marek

The first month will be the most onerous in terms of workload but January is very cold and snowy so this will be a great project to work on! So the question is are you tempted to join in? Even if you don't I'll be sure to post pictures of my progress on this one! So, are you tempted to join in on the fun?

I'll leave you with a smile. This is a picture of Jinxy the great hunter. He is on my sewing table getting ready to pounce on something. He is losing the kitten look and is starting to look like a cat!

I have a solarium across the back of the house. During the summer months we put the plants in the ground in the garden and in the fall we dig them up and bring them into the solarium. Last night I came home and saw a "string" on the hall carpet. I assumed that Jinx had taken one of the laces from my moccasins but as I got closer I realized it was too big and fat to be a lace and upon closer inspection I realized that the string was moving. Jinx had been out in the solarium and found himself a great big  fat dew worm in one of the pots! I've said it before and I'll say it again - it is a good thing he is cute or he would be getting his tail feathers clipped!

This will be my last post of the year but I'll be back in January with more to share. I wish you all a very happy, healthy and creative New Year! Until I post again, happy sewing!
Karen H