Red Fan #1

I have had a big bag of new silk tie scraps from Robert Talbot for several years. After seeing a beautiful fan quilt on CQMagOnline, I was inspired to start one. I adapted Allie Aller's Curved Appliqué pattern from her Craftsy class to make the fan blades a bit longer.

I have so much of this silk that this project will hardly put a dent in my stash!

French Quilt Block #5 - Avril Girl

I have been reading  a lot about block construction, notably on Gerry's Block Talk.  She says to construct the blocks and do all lace and ribbon afterward. 

I have been debating about whether to include my silkies as a block piece or as an add-on after and I see that both ways are done.  Sharon B's block #28 accommodated this image pretty well, as I only has to slightly lengthen pieces 1 and 2. 

French Quilt - Block #4 - Pavé Sigaut

I wanted to do all curved blocks but I broke down and used this pattern with mostly straight. seams. 

This is my first time using silkies and I am still trying to figure out the best way to do it. I have been using the silkie as piece one and appliquéing over it.  Allie  suggested piecing the block normally and then appliquéing the silkie on top and covering the edges with trim or  ribbon. I will try that next!

French Quilt Block #3 - Lady in Corset

This is the first curved CQ pattern I designed myself.  I love the image, but I am not totally in love with the appliquéd pieces.  It was challenging to draft it so that each piece went on over the previous one, thus ensuring a seam only on one side.  Back to the drawing board!!   I will definitely use this one, however.

French Quilt Block #2 - Upholstery Girl

French Quilt Block # 1 - Eiffel Tower

For this project I decided to do a French themed quilt with vintage "silkies" in the center of each block. 

All the blocks will be curved, using the freezer paper method I learned from Allie Aller. I will use three or four different patterns for the blocks, two from Allie and so far one that I designed myself. I found it challenging to design curved blocks to accommodate the usually rectangular or square silkies,  but I'm getting there. 

I've printed out 16 images, using TAP Artist Paper, but I'll be making the blocks one at a time so I'll have time to pick and choose which silkies to use for each. block. The inaugural block is, of course, the Eiffel Tower!!

Here is the first naked block, appliquéd in a fine zigzag with invisible thread. 

Benson's memorial quilt is finished!

Benson's memorial quilt is now finished and hanging on our living room wall. When the sun decides to come out I will take some better pictures of it. I really enjoyed making this wall hanging; it has helped me get through the grieving process. Rest in peace, faithful friend.

Progress on Benson's Memorial Quilt

The top is now completed. I added some alphabet beads that come from a keychain Cherie  made me with Benson's name on it and some dog bone beads that she also made. This is in lieu of embroidering his name on the quilt. 

More Progress on Benson's Memorial Quilt

I finally printed an image I liked, using TAP Transfer paper, and have embroidered it to the background, instead of using trim.   I am much happier with it this way.

In the photo below, Benson's image is appliqued to the background using a narrow zigzag stitch and invisible thread.  There is a layer of batting behind the image.

More Progress on Benson's Memorial Quilt

The top is almost done.  Tonight I will be working on getting his photo in place, and some more embroidery, or some trim,  to frame the photo.