BUTTERFLY SEASON

Look what I won  From Terri at Quiltncards....

Isn't she lovely--all paperpieced you should SEE all the seams on the back--HOLY COW, gal!!
I've only done a small bit of paper piecing myself and can't imagine the patience needed to do this baby butterfly...

And--my lucky day--
 it will go with my 2nd Chinese Coins Toss strips...
See...

thank you so much Terri--I just love it!!;)))) Check out her other pretties....
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And speaking of Butterflies--in 2015 I made these "Butterflies Are Free" using
machine applique for the first time: testing Helga....

there are a whole lot more, too---some already appliqued some to be done...
and I am embroidering with black DMC No.12 cotton thread...on each one...

Like this

And this

The background fabric is an impressionistic rendering of Venice--to remind us of our Italy trip a few years ago...

All the butterflies are batiks from my collection..
These have been my deck work (or AC like today if it is too hot).  
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Do you like cruciferous veggies?  I love them...cabbage is my very favorite--;))))

as a matter of fact for lunch today I am frying some shredded cabbage in a bit of
Virgin Olive oil with salt and pepper...for my lunch...YUM YUM (Mr. Hubster is not
fond of veggies, so I just make some pour moi!! )

And so I will leave you guys for now --I hope to machine applique more Flutterbyes (lol)
this afternoon...and manger le cabbage...

hugs, Julierose La blageuse (embroidering-euse)

COMING IN FOR A LANDING (A long story)

I spent the last 3 days turning in circles back and forth, back and forth --(ack!!).

I free cut those rounds from little 2" folded squares of freezer paper and trimmed the edge in an arc--to get those wonky circle-y shapes...

Lesson learned: It's ok for shapes to be wonky-- BUT not lumpy/bumpy (ugh!) --

On the first few circles though, I tried my old bugaboo-needleturn applique--
reasoning, how hard could it be?  Well, it defeated me yet again!! Plus
my undone funkified shapes were now all fraying like crazy after undoing them:
SO...
(humming: "But not for meeee..."  between clenched teeth! ;ooo) 

I  just said to myself, OKAY  
they will match my eagle's tattered beak and wing tips and 
left them there to remind me for next time--
THAT:  
I much prefer the freezer paper on the back, 
starching the seams first- method before sewing...
and proceeded to finish 
the rest using that method...

YET Another lesson learned: ...your finished shapes will only look as good as
your cut templates are.

All this from 10 little round-ish shapes...who knew???


This did me in for applique this time around and
as far as I was concerned I was D O N E  with anymore 
applique on this piece.
PHEW!!
**********************************Now for Part Deux:

So here's my story re: Borders (I am long-winded today as always ;000)---

Eagle was on my wall RIGHT NEXT to my 3rd set of Chinese Coin strips and ..
And, all of a sudden I had an "ah-ha" moment..

why not use them to border eagle medallion style...
would they go?  Could I?

I had been looking up all the border types I could make, 
but--here these were 

RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF MY EYES!! 

SO why not???
Plus those roundish things picked up some colors in the coin strips, too....

SO..... I measured and measured and measured AGAIN
and  yes, 
I had just enough with only two little pieces leftover (about 4 little strip coin pieces) .
Hurrah...
then...I knew they needed some kind of separator strips and spied that
mauve floral...but
 that mauve, 
could it go with the red in the center..? And YES!!
Well I liked it..anyway...;)))))

SO: my first medallion was born...
{Madame Eagle-agreed--she like her surround...}

All I have to do now is sew on this lovely print--one of my very old fabrics...as the final border

and

.
                                                          V O I L A !!

hugs,  Julierose, La Blageuse (wordy-euse);)))

RAINY THURSDAY'S BASKET COUNT

                                            Seven of nine baskets done...

I was just able to scooch out two more backgrounds from my toile so I can have nine.

Sooo, two more of the light blue fruit fabric....

I am really enjoying making these baskets...I am even getting used to the handles...
(not that they're all perfect by any means!) they are liberated for sure.  

And I love the frolicking in the background ...;)))). Somehow that toile just goes with the basket thing in my mind.  

Hugs, 
Julierose La Blageuse (dance-euse)

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Lessons learned:

1) Cut background block A LOT bigger than you think you'll need...because....

My eagle decided to spread her wings further and fluff her feathers out....and so, (sigh)
those borders had to come in to save the day...

2) "beaks, and tips and cuts in a hurry..." not good; slowly slowly ; and only clip concave
curves..
.
She is a bit tattered at wing tips and her beak is a bit blunted ....I think she's a bit worn out from my gyrations....a bit frayed....lol --as am also   ;ooo

3) dark fabric + dark thread very hard to SEE--even with new lenses....and that lovely red background moves before your eyes...choose fabrics more wisely....

NOW:  Questions to take my time over...

What to add......
and do I trim out the base fabric or not ...

.for now, she is resting on my wall...and
I need to do more research.

She will be a patriotic wall hanging...and, with that in mind
I am longing to make some little 9 patches in a border surround...but, we'll see....
And I need a flag somewhere and some flowers...perhaps a little pot of flowers and a flag
at the bottom?? and some fabrics to lighten it up a bit, too...

Stay tuned....I am also resting, ya think???;)))

hugs to all, 
Julierose, La Blageuse (new applique-journey-euse)

HAPPY MAIL & SLABS

Happy mail from Babs ...All sorts of lovelies for my crazy quilting and lovely fabric squares...
Isn't she sweet ?  ;)) thank you so much Babs, for your thoughtfulness--you made my day...

Gorgeous ribbons
















and:

Sparklies...

And this pink stuff, too

                                    And my very favorite little rosettes to use in my Crazy blocks...

Can't wait to use them all....and since Willa and Fiona saw this package, well,,,,,you know they want some, too...;))))

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Here are the blocks I received from our Slab Swap:

Isn't it fascinating how people think of "neutrals"? Which was my choice of color....

I am very happy with them all and am thinking of adding my 2.5" twosies squares as a surround for a table topper...what I like best is that they are so very different from my style--and that is what is so much fun!! ; }}}}
thank you ladies: Dawn, Jacky, Rosemary and Jeanna...

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Today feels like it will be a lovely and much cooler Summer's Day; so, errands this morning, maybe binding on Star Rise and finish turning and starching Eagle...very finicky work, I'm
finding--oh those points and inner curves...yikes...
my poor bird may turn out a bit tattered and spikey--
but then he has been flying for a while....lol

Hugs, Julierose, La Blageuse
(sticky fingers-euse ;ooo)

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Getting ready to fly................................................

                                  HAPPY DAY TO ALL OF YOU CELEBRATING....

Hugs, Julierose, La blageuse (turning turning turning-euse)

FLY LIKE AN EAGLE...

Here is the beginning of my "Fly Like an Eagle" journey in applique.

I found this pattern in Sarah Fielke's book and loved its simplicity--uhhh..and also not a
lot of pieces for a neophyte appliquer...;}}} I will be showing how I do--warts and all..

You can see the blue starred fabric that will be Monsieur Eagle (L)...I was lucky to have found it and that cute red print in my stash....I don't have any patriotic pieces made, so this will be my 4th of July tribute...

I plan to do prepared applique as needleturn makes my stomach clench in knots...for some strange reason...;???)

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AND....
I am taking a break from the Coin Toss series (will be backing and quilting Midnight Garden
next--and pondering what in the heck to do with the other two sets that is different!)
Soooo,
In the meantime, ("...in between time, ain't we got fun..")

Here are the first 3 liberated baskets I've made: Fruits and Flowers

I am using up the last (sob, sob!!) of my beloved toile print as a background ....

On the left basket the handles didn't remain where they were told to stay--they bowed outside the edges (bad handles!! Naughty bias!!) and so I will applique a few leaves and cherries to uhhh ....cover up their errant ways...hahaha they will definitely be .......
                                    
                                              L I B E R A T E D....;))))

I have 3 more cut out and ready to sew...those handles really have a mind of their own...
but I think I can "Handle" (groan) them.....

Hope you are all enjoying this holiday...we are--I am so glad to have the
 hubster home....;)))
hugs
Julierose, La Blageuse (flying-euse)