Apple Core Quilt & Summer Garden Photos

My Mother and I recently finished a charity lap quilt -

It is an Apple Core quilt that I cut out with the GO!, my Mother pieced it, I quilted it and added the binding, and she stitched the binding down on the back.
The quilt is about 50"x60" - with a layout of 11x13 Apple Cores. The fabric is Ticklish by Me & My Sisters Designs for Moda. I bought a fat quarter pack and 1m for bias binding - we have made one lap quilt and 2 baby quilts.

I used a bright flannel for the backing. The batting is Hobbs Premium Wool batting (so it will shrink a bit when washed, and get nice and soft). The free motion quilting was done with Bottom Line thread (in the top and bottom). I chose a simple meander because I love stitching it, and it is all such a busy quilt needs.

I chose an odd numbered layout this time so all the corners would match when folded  (my Apple Core quilt has an even numbered layout and it bothers me that the edges don't line up).

Because it is summer time here are some garden photos!

the front flower bed

one side

the back 

the new part we did this summer

the back flower bed and herb garden

the vegetable garden - more flowers this year

the other side

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!♥

Apple Core and Roses Table Runner

I finished the apple core table runner (the binding took a long time to stitch down).

It is 52" x 16". It took a 20" square of fabric for the bias binding. I am so glad that I had posted a tutorial for Apple Cores, because I sure needed it for this project. You may think my tutorials are for you, but they are really for me to refer to!

Close up of the quilting - it was inspired by one of the fabrics Cotton batting, and Invisafil thread on top, Aurifil in the bobbin, with a #70 Microtex needle.

The appliqué is an original design.  I do have a PDF for the appliqué pattern. If you would like a copy, you can email me (link here) and I will forward it to you. I am still working out how to post PDF's.

I used 33 Apple Cores cut with the GO!, but the appliqué design would work on anything.

I really like appliqué on a "monochromatic" pieced background. Here is another example of one I made-

This stool cover is made using a Tri-Recs ruler (there are more details here), and the quilting design is based on a design from Ivory Spring (Bird Feather Quilting Motif).

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Strings and Waffles

 It did create a huge mess and took quite a few hours, but

I did get all the paper of the string quilt!!! Netflix and Skypeing with friends helped.

I chose to use paper for the foundation instead of fabric because I wanted to keep the quilt light and thought that an extra layer of fabric would be too heavy. This will be a summer bed quilt for my son and I am planning on trying silk batting for it. The quilting will have to wait for a while - until there is a sale on batting.

I pressed all the centre seams in a spiral to reduce the bulk.

My next project is a table runner for someone special. I used the Apple Core die for the GO! and will add some appliqué.

I have been so pleased with the new waffle maker (Cloer form London Drugs in Canada) and thought I would share the recipe (this recipe comes from my BIL).

 Norwegian Waffles


2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla (or 1/4 tsp cardamom or poudre douce)
2 cups flour
1+1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

With an immersion or hand blender mix the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour and baking powder, when mixed add the butter. Let sit for 15-20 mins.


I cut the butter (I use less than the recipe calls for) up into small pieces and melt in the microwave until almost all melted. Then I stir it until it is all melted and put in the freezer while I prepare the rest of the batter. It is then cool and ready to be added.

You could probably replace some on the flour with whole wheat flour, although I haven't tried that yet.

This recipe does keep in the fridge for a few days. I make it the night before to speed things up in the morning - it doesn't take any more time than frozen ones in the toaster and tastes so much better. I like them best with strawberries and some maple syrup.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Apple Core Quilt

I finished the Apple Core Quilt.


It came out to be 65" x 55".

For those interested, here are some how-to's.

I cut the apple cores with the Baby GO! and the 6¼" Apple Core die.

I used ½ meter cuts (about 20") of 8 different fabrics (I used "Along the Fence" by Kim Diehl for Henry Glass & Co.) to make this quilt, plus another 0.8 meters (30") for the binding. Sorry about the metric and imperial measurements - we buy fabric by the meter, but all the quilting is in inches.

I cut the fabric in length wise strips (very important to minimize stretching) slightly bigger than the width of the shape (I cut 5+3/4" strips), and folded in into lengths that were 7½". You can cut up to 6 layers at a time.

I gently pressed on the die where the blades are to make sure to make sure the fabric was placed correctly.

This isn't what Accuquilt recommends (I mean the size of the fabric pieces, although you probably aren't supposed to press you fingers on the die either!), but by cutting the strips this size I was able to get 21 Apple Cores from each ½ meter. The package states that from 1 yard of fabric you can cut 24 or more Apple Cores using pieces that are 6½ x 8".

The 5+3/4" x 7½" pieces work fine if you are careful. With very little waste.

21 Apple Cores and the scraps from a ½ meter of fabric.

These Apple Cores are nice and large, and go together so well, with notches for accuracy.

Start by pining the notches,

and then pining the edges, I added an extra pin in between (5 pins each side is all it takes).

¼" seam.

I clipped each curve about every inch after stitching. Press the seams as you go and press the seams towards the concave curve.

I found it was easiest to work in groups of 4.

When sewing the groups of 2 together match the seams first,

by locking the seams together and then pinning.

Match the notches and ends. I also added an extra pin in between.

When pressing, fan the seams by unpicking a few stitches,

the seams were perfect every time.

When I made the quilt I worked in rows of 2 and just kept adding.

My quilt is 12 rows by 14 rows and I used all 168 Apple Cores.

I did starch it for the final pressing with Mary Ellen's Best Press.

I also added a machine appliqued rabbit (the pattern for this is from "Simple Seasons" by Kim Diehl) just because I had just bought the book and thought the rabbit went with the curves of the apple cores.

I did the machine quilting on my home sewing machine using Aurifil thread (bought from Tristans -check out this months special) and wool batting with flannel backing, using a #80 Microtex needle.

This is the flannel back showing the quilting.

I sketched out a few designs before I started quilting.

I made a cardboard template for the apples so that they would all be the same size and just traced around it with a Clover iron out pen. I would just traced them as it was time to add an apple. Plus lots of echoing and some feathers freehand.


To bind the quilt I made a continuous bias binding using this method and a 30" square of fabric. It went on beautifully and I would definitely use this method again.

This was a really simple, fun quilt to make, and such a nice change from the usual straight lines.

Here is another link for a quilt using the same die, very pretty using just 4 colours -Four Colour Apple Core Throw , from Fave Quilts a new website of free quilt patterns (I have a couple on the site).

I have recently discovered Google Images as a way to search for quilt patterns and if you search Apple Cores there are some amazing images! It is such a beautiful pattern and my hat goes off to those who make it all by hand!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Quilting Apples

Today I started machine quilting the apple core quilt.

I am using an allover apple, feather and echoing design.

I drew out a couple of options before I decided which one I liked.

I am using an apple design I cut out of cardboard to trace around, so that the apples are consistent, but the rest of the designs are free hand.

This is the flannel back - I am also adding some free hand apple cores. The batting is wool, and I am using a copper coloured Aurifil thread in the top and bobbin.

When I have finished the quilt I will post a tutorial on how I made it - so there will be more details later.

The rain has stopped so I managed to get a bit of planting done today.

More tulips - just because I love the colours of these ones.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥