Red Poppies Flower Tutorial and Napkins

One of my all time favorite flowers are Red Poppies. It was up to me there will be fresh cut poppies around the house at all time - unfortunately they don't make good cut flowers. So here's my compromise:



Fabric Red Poppies :). I had a bit of red fabric and some time on Friday to create something new for the home so I figure I'll make something I really enjoy but don't get to see that often.

These are sitting pretty in the little wooden crate. Originally designed to be part of a napkin topper for decoration:

Here's a quick tutorial of how to make these poppies (makes 6):

Materials:

• 6 strips of red fabric cut 4.5" x 14"
• 6 black fabrics scraps (~4" x 4" each) 
• 6 black fabric strips (1/3" x 6")
• 6 strips of green fabric cut 1.5" x 14"
• 6 bamboo sticks/skewers about 6" each
• hot glue gun
• scissor

Technique:

1. Prep the poppy stem: Wrap each stick with one of the green fabrics - leave about 1/2" exposed where the flower would be attached later on

2. Make the poppy center.  
• Place one of the black fabric scraps on a flat surface and place some stuffing in the middle (I used some cut up fabric scraps).  

• Scrunch up the fabric around the stuffing to make a ball and tie the 'ball' with a strip of the black fabric.  Cut off the excess fabric.

3. Attach the poppy center to the exposed end of the poppy stem with some hot glue

4. Prep the poppy petals.   Cut wavy lines on one of the long sides of each of the red fabric strips.  The cutting doesn't have to be precise to give it a more unique look for each poppy.

5. Attach the poppy petal to the stem.  
• Start with one of the the red fabric strip.  Hot glue a corner against the exposed poppy pen.  Make sure that the wavy end is facing upwards.

• Hot glue a small line against the long uncut end of the fabric strip - pinch and hot glue (if needed) against the poppy stem.  Continue this until the whole red fabric strip is against the step.  Make sure that the exposed stem area is completely covered by the poppy petal and the petal goes all around the stem.  Use a  little bit of hot glue to blue the start of the petal to the end so it forms a neatly enclosed poppy

And voila!  A beautiful poppy.  Make a few or make a bunch.  These are great alone or to use for decor.


Bunch them up for a nice bouquet:


Thanks for visiting and I'll be sharing this tutorial at these lovely LINKY PARTIES.

-Q

Red Poppies FINISHED

Welcome Red Poppies :).



After months of sewing, pressing (repeat repeat repeat), quilting and lots of distractions due to the holidays I finally got a chance to finish Red Poppies.

The poppies, buds, and steams are all raw edged appliques set in a white background.



Each area of the poppies are framed with matching fabrics.



The binding is a matching dark red fabric with a slight stripe and circular pattern...and check out my new labels in action :).



For the back of the quilt I used off white as the main fabric with a giant strip of a beautiful red floral fabric.



I am very excited about the way the quilt came out. It was my first time doing appliques on a quilt and I think I am a FAN :).

This quilt will be sitting on my quilt closet awaiting a new owner :).




Quilt Information:
Red Poppies
Front: 100% Cotton Prints and Solids.  Raw edge appliques.
Batting: Warm & Natural 100% cotton
Backing: 100% Cotton Prints and Solids
Completed Dimension: 74" x 90"
Quilting Method: Free Motion Quilting around appliques.  Straight line quilting along the framing straight fabrics.
Binding: Machine Sew to Front and Hand Sew to Back



I will be sharing the quilt at these very lovely Linking Parties.

Labels for My Quilts

I am very excited about my latest completed quilt - Red Poppies.  Unfortunately with the weather and busy Christmas season I haven't had a chance to take shots of the completed quilt yet.  But I was able to take some shots of my next exciting feature on my quilts - LABELS :).

Something small but I think adds a lot to the finished project:


I kept the stitch around the edging of the label big so that it is obviously hand sewn in.  I wanted to maintain that more personal and handmade element in the quilt. 

I got these @ Mommie Made it on Etsy. Lisa there was very nice and helpful in making sure my order turned out just write. I got the Organic Cotton Twill Ribbon.

To get the labels ready for use, I cut each one out and sealed the edges with Fray Check.



Let each one try and then I put in another layer of Fray Check just in case :)



Thank you Lisa for a very pleasant shopping experience :)!

The finished Red Poppies quilt coming up real soon.

Binding and Some Rearranging ...

Rainy days means a lot of indoor activity.  This weekend is spent doing a little bit of quilting and a whole lot of rearranging and reorganizing.

On the quilting front - Red Poppy is finally getting some binding ... and you know that means? :)  It's almost  complete.



My sewing room is turned into a storage area as we get ready for Christmas. My extra work table is now a toy shelf ... thankfully all the gifts should be wrapped and -more importantly - OUT of the sewing room by Sunday night - maybe then I could finish up some projects :P.



Our boys are now sharing a room! We in the process of redoing the closet so it'll be friendly for sharing. As you can see from the picture below, the closet is pretty big, but with just one poll and a giant dresser in the middle, it wasn't really good for sharing. I'll have the AFTER photos later on once we have a chance to put everything back in place :).


The big empty closet after taking out all of Asher's closes.  Here's Asher looking at this empty closet and wondering what we have planned for his 'new' room.

So what is next?  Well now we have an empty room - what used to be Silas' nursery.  We have plans on turning it into an shared office (between my husband and me) and an area for the kids to read.

It feels like our house in always changing :)

Red Poppies Spring Up - And Some QT With The Sewing Machine

In the midst of some freezing temperatures, rain and even snow - I find the need to make something to remind me of warmer days.



How about poppies? :)  I'm a Californian and there's something about the sight of poppies that always make me smile...

Also - new project, new tool.  I'm recently brought the Petite Press:


Love it! I tried a couple of mini-sized craft irons before and by far this one is the best.  It head tilts for different ironing angles, 4 different heat settings (though I just keep it on the highest one usually) and it's super comfortable to use.  I recommend it for any quilter or crafter out there who needs a mini-iron.

And the Petite Iron was definitely a life-saver when I had to press all these appliques in place:

There were actually 3 rows of poppies :).


And yes I finally was able to use my sewing machine :) - how long as it been??? Weeks?? :P



I feel like I need to play the song - "united and it feels so gooood"!

Ahhh - sewing at last :).

Red Poppies in the Horizon

I am inspired:



As a native Californian I have been seeing orange Poppies my whole life.  I don't know why I have not noticed these red ones until recently :P.  Well - it was love at first sight.  I knew I must do something to incorporate these red poppies into a design.

So here goes my first Red Poppy quilt. 



Don't mind the messy Poppy flowers- promise that it'll be more 'refined' by the final design :).  I can't wait to get started on this project.  More progress to come...