I have been working on these blocks for at least 3 years, maybe even 4. I am determined to have it for the next quilt show that our Guild is having in 2014. I am almost done with the next block – then just 3 more to go.

Had to share this sweet picture. Gus (the pug) is actually wanting to eat the apple, not the bunny.

I do not know what I enjoyed more – designing or quilting this quilt. Especially since I knew how much my friend was going to love the sweet owl.

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I decided to put in on the long arm. I used a double batting for it – a cotton batting on the bottom and a polyester batting on the top.

The center was quilted with swirls. The tree was quilted with purple thread in a “tree-like” manner. I love the way the purple fabric with the quilting looks like a tree trunk with texture and dimension. The border was quilted with a feather.

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I had a horrible accident while quilting this quilt. I accidentally left my little scissors on the quilt and rolled it up when I advanced the leaders. It left a hole in the top!!! I solved the problem by adding a small hummingbird to the area. Since the hummingbird is my logo, it was like adding a little bit of me into the quilt. =)

So many of my friends are having babies again – so another batch of baby quilts. I do love a sweet baby quilt! This quilt was made for a Momma that loves owls.

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Sketching the pattern

I cut a piece of wax paper the size that I wanted the center of the quilt to be, and then sketched out the tree. When I was happy with the sketch, I traced it with a sharpie.

(This technique can also be done with fusible webbing. I chose to do it this way because:

• It is for a baby quilt and I want it to be very soft.
• It would use a lot of fusible.
• I do not care for how fusible webbing gums up my needle.
• I want the edges of the tree to fray and look rough like tree bark.

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Preparing the muslin

Cut a piece of muslin the same size as your freezer paper pattern. Fold and press the muslin in half and then again to find the center.

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Preparing the fabric and pattern

Iron the freezer paper pattern to the wrong side of the theme fabric. Make sure that the fabric and the paper pattern are attached well. With the freezer paper/theme fabric attached fold the pattern in half and then again to find the center. Press.

Cut out the pattern. (If you cut it out carefully and in one piece, you will end up with a negative image to use for another quilt.)

Carefully remove the freezer paper from the theme fabric.

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Place and glue tree to the muslin

Using the faint pressing marks on the tree, line it up to the pressing lines on the muslin. (I did this on my large ironing board, which ended up being the perfect size for this project.)

Using a small amount of fabric glue (Aleen’s) or a glue stick, glue down the edges of the tree to the muslin background. I then ironed it down to dry the glue.

Repeat these steps for the owl.

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Stitching down the tree and owl

Now that the glue is dry and the pieces temporarily secured, move the piece to your sewing machine. Stitch around all of the pieces about 1/8th of on inch from the edge. If you fall off the edge, don not worry, just go back and catch the area you missed. You will be adding more stitching to these areas when you do the quilting. I did this step with my free-motion quilting foot, but it could also be done with a regular piecing foot. The free-motion foot is easier since you do not need to lift up and turn the quilt as you work.

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Lay out and sew together the border pieces

I thought I had measured and planned the center piece to fit perfectly, but it was a little bit too small. Once all the border pieces were together, it was hardly noticeable that one piece in the top and bottom rows was slightly (1 inch) thinner than the others.

Part 2 coming soon – The quilting

I know you must be thinking..Where has she been this last month?

No, I have not been on vacation. Quite the opposite really. The kids are back to school and I have stated a new, rotating work schedule.

I also have been working on several “secret” projects. Since many of my friends and local quilting friends read the blog I have had to keep silent. But, that will be changing soon and I am so excited to share some new projects with you. So, be patient with me.

Our latest find was a heavy iron bar stool in great need of a new seat cover. I got the stool for $10 and recovered it for about $7. It looks great in the kitchen. I had been looking for a laminated fabric but found a great faux leather.

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Before

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After