Vintage Valentines

I’ve finally been able to get back to the journey of my Vintage Valentines!  This makes me a happy girl =^..^=

I first saw this quilt displayed in a booth at my first ever AQS Show in Nashville – maybe 2006? – and I remember just standing there staring at it, just stunned.  I still tend to do that whenever I see one of these amazing quilts :*)  Several of the ladies in my Guild have completed one, and I am always SO jealous when they bring them to Show-n-Tell.  I want mine finished too!!!

There was no question when I signed up for the Patchwork Times’ UFO Challenge this year that Vintage Valentines would go on the list!  As I shared in THIS POST a few weeks back, when I opened my UFO project box to begin, it contained four blocks, two of them complete and two still needing to have the applique stitched down.  

I had also completed tracing off all the pieces for all twelve blocks and the center medallion – lots of work already done – YAY!!!  But lots of work still to go too :*)

So I got down to business and began the process of choosing fabrics for Blocks 5 and 6, then fusing and cutting out the shapes.  Since there are a million little flower petals in these blocks, I always lay them out in order in rows of 10’s on the side of my ironing surface so I can pick them up quickly and put in place.   Notice that I also "window" out the center of the fusible on any pieces large enough so the pieces are not too stiff on the quilt.

Before I do any fusing of the pieces, I always run a sticky Lint Roller thingy over the surface of the background to clear it of any fuzz or strings etc.  

Then I find the center of the background and the center of the design, marking both so I can be sure I fuse the design correctly in the center of the background.  I usually place a pin in the center spot through both to keep the design paper in place as I move underneath placing the pieces.  I’ve used both tracing paper and vinyl for this design sheet, and both seem to work really well. 

I only place a few pieces at a time, in numerical order, under the design sheet onto the background (needle-nose tweezers come in real handy here!), check through the design sheet to be sure they are in perfect place, and then lift the design sheet and press down on the pieces lightly, just enough to hold them in place and not moving the iron ....

..... but not too long, because if you iron it too much the fusible will burn off and the piece will not stick anymore.  Ask me how I know :*)  Always follow the instructions on your particular brand of fusible!!!  Then I lay the design sheet back down, making sure it is in perfect position once again before placing a few more pieces, and continuing the process until all the pieces are fused!

For Block #5, I had a hard time deciding on the fabrics I wanted for the little bird and his wing.....

...... so I waited until I had everything else fused down and then auditioned the fabrics until I had the ones I liked best.  I was very happy with the result!

Block #6 went together like a charm!  

It was a happy block from the word Go!  Have you ever had a baby like that?  Happy from the moment it is born and never cries or fusses and just smiles all the time?  Me neither, but I’ve heard tell they do exist.   Of course, that’s what they said about unicorns for a time too! =^..^=

So here they are…. 

My two newest “babies” in the Vintage Valentine nursery :*)  They also need to have the applique stitched down, but I have decided to go ahead and get all the blocks prepared and fused down before I do the stitching, sort of like chain piecing, but chain appliqueing instead … is that a word?  LOL!!!  I hope you enjoyed seeing them come together.  I’ll be working on the next blocks and updating you regularly!

I’m also putting my brain to work on a block for the Red, White and Blue Blog Hop starting in July.  My date is July 3^rd, so be sure to come back to see if I've survived and what I've managed to come up with :*)  Yesterday, I purchased these….

.... which should tell you that I’m probably in Big Time trouble!!!  Anyone who knows me, knows how horrible I am at any kind of math.  But I've got a new book with an awesome new technique I want to try, so you just need to come back and see if I survive this block design! =^..^=

Hugs & Blessings,

Teresa

=^..^=

Linking up with:

2012 UFO Challenge at Patchwork Times
Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Tuesday Linky Party at Quilting by the River
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced 
WOW at Esther's Blog
Applique Thursday at A Quilting Reader's Garden