Relaxing Hawaiin-style




Some of my Mom's orchids and the inspiration for my latest designs!

Are you ready for something easy- or at least mindless?  I know I am!!  Especially, after a grueling week at the office, NOTHING fits the bill like Hawaiian-style needle turn appliqué!  Easy and relaxing with rewarding results. 





Original designs ready to be basted

I had some gorgeous fabric my husband  hand dyed that I was 'dyeing' to tryout.  

For the two tone, matching fabric - he's calling them Tropical Twins- I wanted to design something very simple that would showcase the color- in other words let the color do all the work.  The design itself is really EASY appliqué.  All large shapes and gentle curves perfect for practicing points.




Basted and ready to start applique

Very easy applique

For the mottled purple I knew I could design something a little more intricate.  My Mom's orchids where my inspiration. I chose a simple Kona white background because that is the classic Hawaiian choice and because I wanted to showcase the beautiful texture of the purple fabric.


My original design inspired by my Mom's orchids

Closeup of my Orchid design cut out of my husband's hand dyed fabric

More closeups of my quilt top

I prepped and basted the quilts last weekend.  These two plus one I have been stitching on and off for about a year now should keep me busy for quite a while :)

Until next time... 

Best stitches from Mercy in Miami

Exciting TKDAA Update for Hand and Machine Enthusiast

Fanciful Free Form Feathers Class Sample

Preparing this blog I was amazed that it has been almost 4 years since I taught my most popular class - Fanciful Free Form Feathers.  Time flies!  Part of the reason is that it takes a lot of planning and the generous backing of a sewing machine company to host a machine class.  Well, Kathy was able to pull it off and Bernina will be a sponsor of the TKDAA event in February 2015.  That means that I will be able to offer my one day machine quilting class.  This is a wonderful class because it's packed with machine quilting information that applies to more than feathers.  And the best part, is that I share all my tips including how to free motion quilt with NO MARKING - including the feather bouquet in the photo above!  

 

Tropical Portal



Kathy has also been hugely successful in pulling in needle artist with differing styles and techniques from very traditional to very cutting edge.  Therefore, in an effort to round out the class offerings and give the event participants more choices, I will not be teaching a block class.  Instead I will be teaching a project class; Tropical Portal.  That means that the kit and class are designed to help you start a complete project - and with the luxury of a three day class you will get a wonderful head start! 

 
You will receive all the materials (except backing, binding, and batting) and instructions to finish the project at home.

Tropical Portal in its natural habitat

As always, my kits will feature mostly hand-dyed fabrics and all the needles, threads, etc. to participate in class.  The supply list for both classes has three items or less! 

 

Yes, it's a change from what I shared earlier and means I will not be able to teach my Basket of Roses or Esperanza Rose block classes.  If anyone had their heart set on either blocks, I will have the patterns and fabric kits available at TKDAA event and fabrics will all coordinate beautifully with the Santa Maria - New World Rose block and include the same background fabric.  Hopefully, I will have another opportunity in the future to teach the complete New World project.  In the meantime, I hope you all like the Tropical Portal project and will consider coming to TDKAA!

Until next time,
Best stitches from Miami
Mercy

Blocks in their Natural Habitat

Waterlily at Fairchild Tropical Garden

Jim and I spent the morning at Fairchild Tropical Garden; one of our favorite places to walk, talk, relax and feed our creative souls.  This is also where I get inspiration for my Tropical Botanical series of blocks that I have been working on for years. 



My interpretation of Waterlilies

Typically, Jim takes the photos and I take notes on color, texture, design and the rest happens in the studio. 

Heliconia and my Tropical Portal wall hanging

Yesterday, Jim had the idea to photograph my blocks in their "natural habitat" to see how the fabric version compared to the natural version.  Of course, everything pales in comparison to God's creations.



Jacaranda

 I was however, very pleasantly surprised at how I was able to capture the tone, mood, and color of the tropics.  And now that I have our own hand-dyed fabrics to work with I am so excited to start the next batch of blocks.


Until next time,
Best stitches from Mercy and Jim in Miami

Tropical Inspiration - The Esperanza Rose Block



A while back I remember reading a statistic that stated the vast majority (over 90%) of flowers for sale in the US enter via the ports in Miami, Florida.  So, apart from the warm weather, one of the benefits of living in South Florida is an abundance of inexpensive flowers for sale all year round.  Every Friday morning, a flower vendor comes to the office building where I work, to sell the most spectacular roses - 24 roses for $15 US.  These are the roses I purchased Friday. 

The variety is called Esperanza (Hope in Spanish).  They are so beautiful I knew that they would be the inspiration for my next block.   

 

The tile I am holding in my hand is from a visit last February to the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. 

 

Here is the result - the Esperanza Rose Block.  I am still refining the drawing and making notes.  Let's face it, the New World Rose block is a tough act to follow.  My Esperanza roses will be the color inspiration as well.

Here is another block from a quilt in the same show at the museum that has just been haunting my creative mind.  I just love how prominent the needle artist chose to depict the leaves.  I suspect it is supposed to be Heliconia.  The quilt belonged to a Rev. George Eggleston and his wife Frances Muse Eggleston.

 

However, I just saw this beauty blooming in my Mom's yard this weekend. I have no idea what type of flower or bush it is but I love it!  Notice that the flower petals are really distressed leaves.  The ideas are percolating and I already started some sketches.  Hmmm.....

 

I wish all readers a happy, healthy, New Year.  May your 2014 be filled with laughter, friendship, and creative pursuits!

 

Best stitches,

Mercy in Miami

Applique Hurricane Preparations!



View from my sewing room.  I am very blessed!

As I write to you dear blog reader, we are waiting for Tropical Storm Issac to decide on its path.  I have my battery powered light box and Ott light dusted off so that I can continue to stitch if the storm does come our way and happens to knock out power in our area.  My husband mentioned something about the list of emergency supplies extending beyond fresh hand sewing needles and battery powered lighting but I suspect they are not as essential as my stitching supplies !

Grape Wreath Close-up

I did want to share the latest block I finished appliqueing this week.  It's the Grape Wreath designed by Elly Sienkiewicz.  What did I learn while working on this block?  I learned that when working on a project that requires repetition, make sure you select a technique that you ENJOY.  I started this project using the Perfect Circle method and I was miserable because I was painting with starch and ironing and all this stuff that felt like crafting and not sewing.  Yes, my circles looked very round but my spirit was very flat.  I switched to needle turning the circles and not only did I actually finish the block, I enjoyed stitching every single grape!  I don't even care that they are not perfectly round.

Grape Wreath Block designed by Elly Sienkiewicz

Another lesson learned had to do with color.  Every pink, purple, red that I auditioned for this block looked OK but did not excite me.  Then as I was enjoying a plate of fruit salad that included different varieties of grapes I got the idea to mix and match the grapes as they appeared in my yummy salad.  Once I added the yellow and green grapes the whole block came to life. The contrast in color and value gave the block the ZING that I was striving to achieve.  True, the block does not follow the Baltimore Album style tradition based on color choice.  However, I am honoring the spirit of the early stitchers by applying artistic principles of color and composition.  I hope the many wonderful and talented traditionalist forgive.  I have no self control when it comes to color!

Santa Maria Block sketch designed by Mercy Savage

Every Baltimore Album style quilt needs a ship block.  Born and raised in Miami, and as a second generation Cuban American, I thought it would be nice to honor my heritage by stitching Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria.  Of course I couldn't find a pattern for it so I drafted one.  I'm still contemplating it on my design wall but here is a sneak peek at what I have so far.

Just for fun I wanted to share what's growing in my garden these days.  This is one place where I draw lots of my color inspiration.  Enjoy!

Avacado

Hibiscus



Bougainville

Orchid

Rose

Until next time...

Best stitches!

Mercy in Miami

Four Years in the Life of a Baltimore Style Album Quilt









Close-up of Ruched Rose Wreath.  Design and inking by Elly Sienkiewicz



First eight blocks in progress



As I was preparing my registration materials for the Elly Sienkiewizc Applique Academy over the weekend, I was inspired to put my in-progress Aqua Album blocks up on my design.  This project has been four years in the making and each block is a design from one of Elly's books.  Life has interrupted this quilt top's progress many times in those four years.  Fortunately, I was been able to overcame each challenge in turn and I never gave up on my favorite form of quilt making, needle turn applique.   When I as finally able to reacquaint myself with my Album-style blocks, the first thing I did was review each block and see what still needed to be done.  I was shocked to realize that of the eight blocks started, NONE are finished.  Plus I still have another 5 blocks to make to complete a 13-block setting.  I was struck as to how little I had accomplished in four years and how much still needed to be done.  And then I realized, I am in the middle of one of my all time favorite projects.   I am completely happy in the process and grateful each time I pick up my project and can stitch.  Some people are about the destination, but I, dear blog reader, am all about the journey.   I hope my photos motivate you to enjoy your journey and not give up on your passion, no matter what life throws at you.

I recommend the following sites to those of you that would like to learn more about Baltimore-style Album quilts (BAQs).

Barbara Burnham's Blog

Baltimore Applique Society

Marylou McDonald

New England Antiques Journal

Baltimore Album Quilt Images

And of course, Elly's site

Elly Sienkiewicz

 


Pastoral Peacock (Design by Elly Sienkiewicz)

  



 


The Peacock's eye is embroidered.  Now I need to do the same to the leaves and the rose buds.  Definitely, need some rose moss here and there.

  


Grape Wreath is the block I am currently stitching (Design by Elly Sienkiewicz)




You can see I am Back Basting each grape with a little bit of batting in each one!








Ruched Rose Wreath is my most finished block.  Elly did all the ink work on the block for me in a class in 2010.  I still have to go over it to darken a few areas and then heat set it.

 



Bottom rose is ruched velvet ribbon.





Victorian Vase  (Design by Elly Sienkiewicz).  Missing all the flowers and the leaves.





Victorian Vase Rosebud.  I just love the polka dot batik fabric!

 

Urn with Stuffed Roses  (Design by Elly Sienkiewicz)

 

Center, where pin is, is waiting for a vignette!





Rosebuds are crying for some moss.  This is a great spot to use fancy fabrics that you don't have to needle turn.





Woven Basket with Roses (Design by Elly Sienkiewicz)  that is missing the weaving on the basket front and the roses.  The rose buds are the bottom layer of reverse applique.  Notice I used hand-dyed velvet. 






Roses and Acorns



This block is not finished because I cannot decide how to make the flowers.  The pieces of ribbon are informally pinned on the block so that I can decide on color, texture, etc.

Until next time,

Best stitches,
Mercy in Miami